Flexity Outlook (Toronto)

Flexity Outlook
TTC LRV Prototype 4400
Manufacturer	Bombardier Transportation
Built at	Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Replaced	Canadian Light Rail Vehicle, Articulated Light Rail Vehicle
Constructed	2009 – present
Entered service	expected 2014
Number under construction	204 ordered
Number built	1 Prototype Vehicle
Number in service	First set delivered on September 26, 2012
Fleet numbers	4400-4503
Capacity	85 (seats)
Operators	Toronto Transit Commission
Lines served	Toronto streetcar system
Specifications
Train length	30.20 m
Car length	28,000 mm (91 ft 10 in)
Width	2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
Height	3.84 m
Doors	4 (right side only)
Articulated sections	5
Maximum speed	70km/h
Weight	48,200 kg
Power supply	600 V DC
Electric system(s)	Overhead trolley wire
Current collector(s)	Trolley pole
Track gauge	1495 TTC gauge

The Toronto Flexity Outlook is the future model of light rail vehicles for the Toronto Transit Commission. These vehicles are set to gradually replace its older CLRVs and ALRVs on its streetcar system. A separate set of vehicles is also planned to operate on the future Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line and on other planned light rail lines. The new vehicles are built by Bombardier Transportation in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

History

The design of the Flexity Outlook vehicle ranges widely by system. This model is the one operating in Brussels, Belgium, but being tried in Stockholm, Sweden

The TTC's streetcar fleet is nearing the end of its service life, and as a result the Commission began looking for a manufacturer to build the new streetcars. In mid-2009, the Bombardier Flexity Outlook was announced as the new fleet for the TTC's next generation streetcars, which will replace the current streetcar vehicles, specifically, the Canadian Light Rail Vehicle and the Articulated Light Rail Vehicle on its streetcar network. On 26 June 2009 the Toronto City Council approved funding for 204 new vehicles and signed the contract with Bombardier. The new vehicles are built by Bombardier Transportation in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The new prototype streetcar will be unveiled at the Bathurst Hillcrest Complex for tours between November 12-15, 2011, and it is anticipated that the new streetcars will enter revenue service starting in 2013.

On 14 June 2010, an option for an additional 182 vehicles was exercised to provide vehicles for since cancelled Transit City; there is an option for up to 118 more. These vehicles included a number of differences from the streetcar replacements:

• They are double-ended, as Transit City lines would not have had turnaround loops at the ends of the lines;
• They are 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in), standard gauge, as opposed to the unique 58.875 gauge used for TTC streetcar and subway lines;
• They do not need to be able to navigate the sharp curves found on some TTC streetcar lines.

Specifications

Another differently designed Outlook operating in Marseille, France

In 2010, Bombardier released the specifications of the Toronto LRVs. The vehicle will be based on the Flexity Outlook Cityrunner product, but will be tailored to Toronto's unique needs. The vehicles will use TTC's unique gauge (1,495 mm or 4 ft 10 7⁄8 in) rather than standard gauge, traditional trolley poles using 600V DC for power collection, and as the existing streetcar system runs predominantly in mixed traffic and not on dedicated rights of way. Other design requirements such as the ability to handle tight turning radi, climb steep hills, clearance, and ability to upgrade into a more modern pantograph current collection system will be also be factored in to the TTC's unique design. The Outlook is almost twice as long as the current CLRV and has five articulated sections.

The next-generation fleet will gradually replace the current aging fleet of CLRVs and ALRV streetcars, and provide for ridership growth and congestion relief efforts.

The new vehicles are just over 30 metres long. They have four doors, 64 fixed seats and six flip-down seats. They are 100-per-cent low-floor, wheelchair accessible, and have many user friendly features, including the Presto card fare system, large windows, airy interior design, air conditioning and interior bike racks.

Delivery

The TTC’s first low-floor streetcar from Bombardier arrived in Toronto on September 25, 2012. The test vehicle was delivered by rail from the Thunder Bay plant to Canadian Pacific’s Lambton Yard near Keele and St. Clair West.

From there it will be loaded on a truck/trailer flatbed and shipped to Hillcrest and rolled into Harvey Shop at the Hillcrest Complex.

Car 4400 is the first of three test vehicles that will be delivered this year for extensive testing and technology verification.

See also

• Inekon Superior Plus

External links

• Toronto: Meet Your New Ride (official TTC website)