vidTO: TTC Opens Subway in 1954

In 1954 the TTC opened Canada's first subway line right here in Toronto. It ran along just under 7.5km of track, up and down Yonge St. and connecting Bloor St. to Union Station. And tokens were just 3 for $0.25 at the time!

Check out this incredible, historical, 7min CBC documentary that details the TTC subway's very early days.

The skyline sure was... different back then. It's also really interesting to see the riders smoking at track level (smoking in the trains wasn't allowed even then). We also catch a glimpse of some old buses and streetcars. While many would argue that Toronto has not managed to keep up with the growing city and need for a more extensive transit network, we certainly have come a long way in 54 years.

Now if only we could really push that much needed LRT project forward, and fast.

Video via YouTube.