Toronto-gauge railways
Railway track gauge (1495 mm) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Toronto-gauge railways are tram and rapid transit lines built to Toronto gauge, a broad gauge of 4 ft 10+7⁄8 in (1,495 mm). This is 2+3⁄8 in (60 mm) wider than standard gauge of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) which is by far the most common track gauge in Canada. The gauge is unique to the Greater Toronto Area and is currently used on the Toronto streetcar system and the Toronto subway (three heavy-rail lines), both operated by the Toronto Transit Commission. As well, the Halton County Radial Railway, a transport museum, uses the Toronto gauge so its rail line can accommodate its collection of Toronto streetcars and subway trains. Several now-defunct interurban rail systems (called radial railways in southern Ontario)[1]: 7 also once used this gauge.
This unique gauge has remained to this day because it is easier to adapt new rail vehicles to fit the gauge than to convert the entire system to standard gauge.[2] An alternate name for Toronto gauge is TTC gauge, named after the Toronto Transit Commission, the only operator currently using the gauge;[3] however, the gauge existed prior to the creation of the TTC in 1921.[4]