More detail information on the Yonge Line as well the other lines can be found on My Subway History Page

Yonge Street (pronounced "Young") was one of the busy north south roads running from the waterfront to Rainy River, on the border between Ontario and Minnesota. It was the longest street 1,896 kilometers long know as highway 11 up to 1998, formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Construction of Yonge Street got underway in 1775 and was name after the British Secretary at War, George Yonge.

Major of Toronto Streets are name after major leaders and statesmen.

From 1849 to 1954, various types of vehicles operated on Yonge Street starting with Williams Omnibus Bus Line.

1861 to 1891, Streetcars were under contract with Toronto Street Railway Company.

The first subway line came into existent for the City of Toronto on March 30, 1954 with the opening of the Yonge line running from Union Station on Front St to Eglinton Station at the s-w corner Eglinton Ave and Yonge Street for a distance of 7.4 kilometer (4.6 mile).

The line was originally to open in 1953, but the Korean War cause a shortage of material again.

The Union Station was built under front street between York Street and Yonge Street between Royal York Hotel and the new railroad Union Station.

At the time of building this line, streetcars service a large portion of Toronto including Front Street and Yonge Street.

In the late 30's, Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC) revisited the subway again as the service on Yonge Street was poor with streetcars that had trailer would be found bunching up one after another with the car traffic interfering with the service. Simple put, the City was choking on traffic. It is still today.

The plan to build the subway was put on hold again in the early 1940's cause by World War II.

On January 1, 1946, again the voters were asked to vote on a referendum for this subway and this time the voters approved the plan.

Construction final got under way September 8, 1949. Steel beams were pile driven next to the foundation of the existing business on Yonge street from Front Street to Wellesley Ave. Steel beams were attach to these piles to support a temporary wood deck for TTC streetcars and traffic while excavation took place underneath it. Building of the tunnels and station took place without interfering of traffic and pedestrian.

Station were to be built at King Street, Queen Street, Dundas Street, College Street, Wellesley Ave, Bloor Street, Rosedale Ave, Summerhill, St Clair Ave, Davisville Ave, and Eglinton Ave.

Concourse single fare areas were built for most stations except Rosedale, Wellesley, Dundas and Summerhill. Wellesley, Rosedale and Davisville had a grade level entrance connected to a bus loop. St Clair had an entrance at the streetcar loop off St Clair and another at bus loop off Pleasant Ave.

King, Queen, Dundas, College and Eglinton station had a stair well entrance at each corner of the intersection. The stair wells are open with a pole holding a TTC logo sign at one end. Most of these stairs have been replace by stairs inside of new development that have replace existing buildings around these stations.

Union and Eglinton stations were the only stations with a centre platform since they were the end of the line at that time. This allow for faster turn around at the end of the line by having one train ready to go after the other train clear the crossover.

There was an Environmental Analysis (EA) underway for the extension of the Yonge line from Finch to Richmond Hill Centre in York Region. The EA was completed in 2009. Under Ontario Move2020 list, the government is picking up 2/3 of the full cost with the balance to come from the Federal government and there no sign they are prepared to pickup that 1/3 cost. At the same time, Metrolinx has to do a business case to see if this extension should go ahead as well if it will be a subway or an LRT and that schedule in 2009.

Another way to help to deal with the overcrowding of the station is to build the long over due DRL (Down Town Relief Line) starting somewhere in the east around Pape or Coxwell running to the city core like was plan back 100 years ago. In fact this DRL could become part of the Don Mills LRT plan for Transit City Plan. From my point of view, the DRL should run all the way up Don Mills to Sheppard Ave as it will take the pressure off the Yonge line by 20,000 riders at peak time. The DRL is another story and look for more info under DRL.

On October 14, 2010, TTC unveil the new Toronto Rocket train to the media and the public at the Downsview Station. The train was pushed into the station from the north trail tracks by 2 T1 cars since no one is qualify to operate these new trains at this time and TTC only took delivery of this train during the week of October 1st, 2010 with 5392 being the first car.

They were late in arriving due to the fact that Curtis Doors went bankrupt 2009, forcing Bombardier to find a new supplier for the doors of the new TR. The first train is to go into operation on the YUS line either before the year is over or earlier in 2011 once testing has been completed on the line as well training operators and staff.

Distances between stations and ridership on each line. Ridership is from station unless noted. Daily Ridership is based on TTC information for the year 2009-2010.

Yonge line: 26.1km (12 miles) servicing 16 station today with 6.2km to come as well 6 more stations

© All Rights Reserved and Copyrighted by David Fisher  2009-2010