The M series, also known as M1, was the second series of

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can b ...

used in the

subway system Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Ontario, Canada. They were built by

Montreal Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

, Quebec, Canada, from 1961 to 1962. They were the first Toronto subway cars to be manufactured in Canada, and only one of two series built outside Ontario.

History

By 1960, the

Toronto Transit Commission The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest ...

was preparing to expand its subway system to include the University line. The TTC wanted subway cars with a larger design and also wished to expand upon some of the experimental features in the existing G-series cars. The new design was pushed forward by general manager John G. Inglis. A total of only 36 M-series cars were built. As the subway expanded and more trains were necessary, the TTC turned to

Hawker Siddeley Hawker Siddeley was a group of British manufacturing companies engaged in aircraft production. Hawker Siddeley combined the legacies of several British aircraft manufacturers, emerging through a series of mergers and acquisitions as one of onl ...

to build the next series of subway cars.

Design

The TTC performed testing at St. Clair and

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

stations with a 75-foot test vehicle known as the ''Duncan Dragon''. Built at the Duncan Shops by Len Bardsley and the D&D Equipment Company, the test car consisted of two

trucks A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

with three panels and was designed to test the

size Size in general is the Magnitude (mathematics), magnitude or dimensions of a thing. More specifically, ''geometrical size'' (or ''spatial size'') can refer to linear dimensions (length, width, height, diameter, perimeter), area, or volume ...

of train that could successfully navigate the tunnels. A steel girder with railings allowed workers to walk and ride the car during tests. After specifications for the new cars were finalized, Alco's Montreal Locomotive Works was contracted to build the new cars, dubbed "M1". The cars are historically notable as the first subway cars produced in Canada and, at the time of their construction, the longest subway cars in the world. All subsequent TTC cars have followed the size and length specifications of the M series (though the

Toronto Rocket The Toronto Rocket (TR) train is the fifth and latest series of rolling stock used in the Toronto subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the trains were built by Bombardier Transpor ...

deviates from the two-car

married-pair A twin unit or twinset is a set of two railroad Railway car, cars or locomotives which are permanently coupled and treated as if they were a single unit. A twinset of cars or coaches can also be called a twin car. In US passenger railroad parla ...

formation) and influenced several other transit authorities to examine the use of longer cars.

Retirement

The M1 trains were decommissioned on May 1, 1999, and scrapped soon afterwards. All were scrapped except cars 5300 & 5301, which were given to the

Halton County Radial Railway The Halton County Radial Railway is a working museum of electric streetcars, other railway vehicles, buses and trolleybuses. It is operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association (OERHA). It is focused primarily on the history of t ...

museum for preservation.

Notes

References

External links