521 Exhibition East

521 Exhibition East

Streetcars at Exhibition Loop during
the 2013 Canadian National Exhibition
Overview
Type Streetcar Route
Locale Toronto, Ontario
Termini Church Street (East)
Exhibition (West)
Stations St. Andrew
King
Exhibition Loop
Operation
Operator(s) Toronto Transit Commission
Rolling stock CLRV
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 10 7⁄8 in (1,495 mm) - TTC Gauge
Electrification 600 VDC Overhead
Route number 521
Route map
Legend
Legend
Church Street
Victoria Street
 King Station  97 
Bay Street  6 
 York Street
 St. Andrew Station  142 
Simcoe Street
 John Street
 ↑Peter Street/Blue Jays Way↓

Spadina Avenue  510 
 Brant Street
 Portland Street

King Street West  504   508 
 Wellington Street West
 Front Street West

CN Oakville sub. & CP MacTier sub.
 Fort York Boulevard
509 to Union Station

Fleet & Bathurst
Bathurst Street
Fleet Street
 Bastion Road(Lake Shore Boulevard)
Fleet Loop
 Fort York Boulevard
 Strachan Avenue
Fleet Street
Private Right-of-Way
Exhibition Loop  29   509   511 

521 Exhibition East was a streetcar route in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission from the 1960s to 1986 and briefly again in 1995 and 2013.[1]

History

The 521 Exhibition East is the last surviving streetcar route to serve the Canadian National Exhibition. On the April of 1980, the name "Exhibition East" was finally made official, from the former streetcar route name, "King Exhibition." This streetcar route operated on special occasions and events that took place at Exhibition Place, such as the Canadian National Exhibition, and the Molson Indy.[2]

521 operated from Richmond, Victoria, and Queen, then west to Church Street. It would then go west on King Street, then south on Bathurst Street, and then west on Fleet Street, where it would go directly to the Exhibition Loop.

On the other hand, another streetcar route named 522 Exhibition West operated alongside 521. This route operated from Dundas West Station, where it would run south on Roncesvalles, east on King Street, south on Dufferin, straight to the Dufferin Gates at Exhibition Place. This streetcar route also only operated on special occasions, like route 521. Labour Day of 1986, marked the final operation day of this route, which would later be replaced by the 93 Exhibition West bus, but reinstated for one year in 1995 during the CNE.

Resurrection

In August 2013, the 521 Exhibition East route was reinstated because of ongoing construction affecting the 509 Harbourfront line, which ran from Union Station to the Exhibition Loop. On the other hand, the 522 Exhibition West route was reinstated as route 193 Exhibition Rocket, which ran from Dundas West Station to Exhibition Loop.

During the 2014 Canadian National Exhibition, the route was not operated. Reasoning on why the route wasn't operated this year may be because of ongoing construction throughout the streetcar tracks.

Route

The current route of the 521 starts at Exhibition Loop, and runs east on Fleet Street, north on Bathurst Street, then east on King Street West, passing by both St. Andrew Station and King Station, then terminating at Church Street. The route shares its tracks with the 504 King on King Street, the 509 Harbourfront on Fleet Street, and the 511 Bathurst on Fleet Street and Bathurst Street.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "521 Exhibition East: Route Description". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  2. ↑ "STREETCARS TO THE EXHIBITION (ROUTES 521, 522 AND MORE)". Transit Toronto. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
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