I have wasted many late nights on the web bumping around the Toronto Archives photo database. I’m particularly interested in TTC photos as they often show the unique and interesting stuff about the city in the background of those photos.
Last summer, we ran a little contest on Spacing Toronto encouraging readers to guess intersections from Toronto’s distant past. Today, we’re challenging you to guess the year in which the photo was taken (click on photo to view it larger). There are lots of hints of when the photo was taken. We will reveal the answer some time over the weekend.
Try to answer the question first before looking at other readers’ comments.
20 comments
I’m sayin’ 1968… I can’t remember what year the brushed-steel cars were integrated… but I think it was mid to late 1960’s. Ahh, I miss the red Gloucester cars… they had a nice electric smell to them and you could open the windows!
I moved here in 1984 and both types of cars were running, so I picked the most recent date.
I was going to say 1990, the year they were retired, but I went with 1968 since that’s as far as the poll went
Judging by the clothing and the ladies’ galoshes, I’d say it’s 1968.
I miss the red cars as well with their dim “romantic” lighting and padded seats.
My guess is 1966: red Gloucester cars travelling Eastbound obviously on the Bloor-Danforth line. this would indicate to me that this photo was taken during the brief period of integrated service when the B-D opened on Feb. 26, 1966 until Sept. 4, 1966 when the two lines were segregated. After Sept. 1966, Gloucester cars remained on the Yonge – University line and H-1 and M-1 cars provided service on the B-D line.
I used to play at Viewmount park, and we used to guess if the next train coming was red or silver – it was always fun. My guess is the latest in the bunch as well!
Well before my time, but the mix of car types makes me lean as recent as possible. Went with ’68, which seems popular, at least…
The Gloucester cars operated only on the Y-U line after the interlining period in ’66. Since the signs show Eastbound and Westbound, this is on the B-D line. It had to be 1966.
For some reason I got a good hunch it’s 1966. Everyone looks kinda happy because the leafs are going to win another Stanley Cup. Little do they know it would be their last 🙁
I miss the sudden blackouts with the lights and the swinging handle bars on those red cars, but that might be for the later cars…
I’m guessing 1968. I’m going with this date based solely on the clothes, specifically the lady’s boots on the far right and the guy in the centre of the photo.
It’s 1966, the year of the interlining trial, and the only time that Gloucester red cars were in service on the Bloor-Danforth subway.
As for location, I’m guessing it’s Yonge station on the Bloor-Danforth line. The centre platform limits the selection to just Yonge, Bay and St. George. The tiles are too dark to be Bay, and too light to be St. George.
1966, for the “B-D Gloucester Car” reason.
1966 for the same reasons as stated by Gord & Adam – East/West (B-D) platform with the mixed trains, only happened for one year before that particular mix was only seen on the YU line.
Really digging some of those 1966 fashions.
Changing the photo number in the URL also reveals a number of other photos from the opening year of the B–D subway, including the “EASTBOUND / WESTBOUND / DOWNTOWN” signs at Bay station, and those “NEXT TRAIN” signs actually being used to show “DOWNTOWN”.
Here’s another photo of Yonge station in the reverse view. Maybe it’s just me, but those original signs seem a lot clearer than the ones installed in the 70s or 80s (as a suburbanite venturing downtown in my early teens I accidentally went up the wrong escalator at least a couple of times).
http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/fo1567%5Cser648%5Cs0648_fl0194_id0017.jpg
Also, check out the jumbo cigarette billboard on the wall…
I guessed ’66 on a hunch, I wasnt born til the end of the next decade so I have no memories on which to base my guess on.
They used to have RED cars, with dim lighting and plush seats?! I’m so jealous.
Damn, it all looked so clean back then.
The transit geek in me also says 1966.
Everything looks cleaner in B&W. Note the pieces of gum on the floor.
’66, based purely on fashion.
Looking at the tile color and the location of the platform, this is clearly the Bloor-Danforth line, at Yonge station. However, I somehow don’t think that that this was taken during the interlining period because I don’t think that the signs would have said “Westbound” at Bloor/Yonge when half of the trains went south down University. Therefore, I answer 1968.
I’ll go with 1966. And judging by the winter coats, will also guess that this photo was taken on the first day of service of the B-D line, Feb. 25, 1966.