Line 3 Scarborough
Line 3 Scarborough, originally known as Scarborough RT (SRT), was a light rapid transit line that was part of the Toronto subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The line ran entirely within the eastern district of Scarborough, encompassing six stations and 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) of mostly elevated track. It connected with Line 2 Bloor–Danforth at its southwestern terminus, Kennedy, and terminated in the northeast at McCowan. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 4,720,000, or about 12,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.
Line 3 Scarborough | |||
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An S-series train at the Line 3 platform of Kennedy station | |||
Overview | |||
Status | Closed | ||
Owner | Toronto Transit Commission | ||
Locale | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
Termini | |||
Stations | 6 | ||
Website | Official route page | ||
Service | |||
Type | Light rapid transit | ||
System | Toronto subway | ||
Operator(s) | Toronto Transit Commission | ||
Depot(s) | McCowan Yard | ||
Rolling stock | S series | ||
Daily ridership | 12,300 (weekdays, Q3 2023) | ||
Ridership | 4,720,000 (2022) | ||
History | |||
Opened | March 22, 1985 | ||
Closed | July 24, 2023 | ||
Technical | |||
Line length | 6.4 km (4.0 mi) | ||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
Electrification | 600 V DC fifth rail | ||
Signalling | Thales SelTrac CBTC | ||
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The rolling stock of Line 3 consisted of smaller, semi-automated, medium-capacity trains, rather than the larger heavy-rail subway trains used on other lines in the system. Designated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) as the S series, these were Intermediate Capacity Transit System (ICTS) Mark I trains built by the Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC). The trains were powered by linear induction motors and operate on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge tracks, unlike the heavy-rail subway lines and the Toronto streetcar system, which use the unique 1,495 mm (4 ft 10+7⁄8 in) Toronto gauge.
The line remained mostly unchanged from its opening in 1985 and contained two of the least-used stations in the system. Beginning in the late 2000s, the municipal government of Toronto was debating competing plans to revitalize and expand the line, to convert its right-of-way for use by modern light rail vehicles, or to close the line and extend Line 2 Bloor–Danforth farther into Scarborough along a different route. In 2013, Toronto City Council decided on a three-station extension of Line 2 to replace Line 3 along a different route. In 2016, in order to free up funds for another transit project, the city reduced the extension to include only one station, which was set to be completed by 2026. In 2019, Progressive Conservative premier Doug Ford reinstated the three-station Scarborough subway extension and committed to completing it by 2030, with all construction costs to be borne by the province.
The TTC planned for Line 3 to cease operations in November 2023, with shuttle buses running in place of Line 3 train service until the Line 2 Bloor–Danforth subway extension to the existing Scarborough Centre station opens for service (estimated 2030). However, a train derailment in July 2023 resulted in the line permanently closing four months ahead of schedule. By March 2023, a plan existed to convert a portion of the existing right-of-way between Kennedy and Ellesmere stations into a bus right-of-way, including an additional stop at Mooregate Avenue / Tara Avenue, located near a pedestrian bridge that spans over the former Line 3 and the Stouffville line. The busway is targeted for completion by 2025.