The Articulated Light Rail Vehicles (The ALRVs)

By: Patrick Yutiga

 

The Articulated Light Rail Vehicle is a longer version of the its predecessor, the CLRV. The ALRV was created after an increase of ridership. The ALRV had to go through two processes in the making, one in Germany by a company called MAN. Their task was to create the bogies and the articulation. The other process took place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, where the manufacturing occurred. The A's were built from 1987 to 1989, taking two years for the order to be complete. The ALRVs are numbered 4200 to 4251, which makes a total of 52 streetcars. All ALRVs are still in service. Due to a lack of reliability, the ALRVs will be retired first. After meeting the TTC executives, Andy Byford, and Brad Ross, they said that it is likely that they would keep one ALRV for special purposes. Also, after speaking with a Halton County Radial Railway Museum official, the official said that they would receive an ALRV, but it would not be operational due to the large amount of electricity it consumes and with the overhead wires not handling that much consumption. The ALRVs seat 61, and have a crush load of 205. In length, the ALRV is 76 feet long.

 

In 1982, the TTC received it first ALRV. This ALRV was a prototype with some key different features such as an orange coat of paint instead of the classic red, more streak lines than the typical ALRV, an electronic destination board on the front, and more. This ALRV ran on Toronto streets from 1982 to 1987. This prototype was numbered 4900. This prototype was scrapped due it being rear ended by, correct me if I am wrong, ALRV 4204 or ALRV 4211, with 4900 suffering extensive

damage.

 

The ALRVs operate on the 501 Queen route, the 508 Lake Shore route, the 504 King route during rush hours, and the 511 Bathurst during the CNE and other special events at Exihibition Place. The ALRVs once ran on the 510 Spadina route. When the ALRVs first arrived, the TTC seriously thought of putting them on the 512 St Clair route, but the problem was (and still is), that the ALRVs couldn't make it up Hillcrest Hill, the stretch of track between Davenport Avenue to St Clair Avenue West on Bathurst Street. Even though the ALRV was specified to do the same things the CLRVs could do, the TTC didn't want to disrupt service if an ALRV encounters a problem on the hill. On a rainy day when the tracks are wet, any ALRV can't make it up because of its weight and the force of gravity. On the hill, two CLRVs, and even an ALRV can't tow a stalled ALRV up.