Tory takes ‘hot train’ challenge on the TTC
Posted September 7, 2016 6:03 am.
Last Updated September 7, 2016 6:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mayor John Tory accepted a challenge from TTC rider Bianca Spence and rode on a hot subway car Wednesday morning.
He travelled on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) from Kennedy to Kipling stations on a car without air conditioning, a climate familiar to many (if not most) passengers.
When he arrived at Kipling station, Tory had his suit jacket off. He said he tried 8-10 subway cars before finding one without air conditioning.
Tory wants to replace the older subway cars on the main east-west Line 2 with new ones, but said he needs money from provincial and federal governments in order to finance the upgrades.
He also said it is key that the TTC evaluate the condition of the subway cars well in advance of the hot or cold weather.
Spence first issued the challenge on Twitter in July.
Earlier this year, TTC spokesman Brad Ross admitted that 20 to 25 per cent of the subway cars on Line 2 are having A/C issues. Air conditioning is failing in the extreme heat because of overworking, and it’s due to the age of the trains, Ross said.
He added that the cars couldn’t be fixed until the fall, because trains are in pairs, so fixing one car takes two out of service.
On Wednesday, Spence said she couldn’t have ordered a better day for Tory to accept the challenge with the sweltering heat and persistent delays on Line 2 during the morning rush hour.
There were constant delays on Line 2 throughout the morning with police investigation, a medical emergency, an emergency alarm activation, and a mechanical problem.
With files from Tammie Sutherland and The Canadian Press
