First Day of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT:

 

Prologue:

 

            In 2011 the TTC and Metrolinx began building a light rail line under Eglinton Avenue. The initial portion of the line would go from Kennedy Station on the Bloor Danforth subway to Mount Dennis which is east of Weston Road in Toronto.

 

            This line and the Finch West line were part of the Transit City plan of 2007 that was ruined in 2010 by then mayor of Toronto Rob Ford who I despised.

 

            The line was supposed to open in 2021, but then it kept getting delayed. 2021 became 2023 which became 2024 which became 2025. Eventually 2025 became 2026. The Eglinton line became the subject of investigations into the delays

 

            Eventually TTC announced that the Eglinton line which will be called Line 5 would finally open on February 8^th. I actually had a shift at work, but it was in the evening and I figured if I went in the morning I could swing it. I also arranged to meet up with my friends Mark and Jason for the first day.

 

February 8, 2026:

 

            I left home around 10:00 am. I walked to Don Mills in freezing cold weather. I got there and I noticed an information board that said line 5 had regular service. This eliminated any remaining doubt that the opening of the line was NOT delayed at the last minute! I photographed the sign.

 

 

            I then went onto the subway. I had just missed a train. I waited for the next train and when it came I rode to Sheppard-Yonge and transferred to the Yonge line. I boarded a southbound train and rode three stops to Eglinton. Once I got there I met Jason by the entrance to line 5.

 

            We then headed down and I saw TTS president Kevin Nicol. We also found out Mark was coming on the next eastbound train. When it came in, I photographed it.

 

 

            Mark was on the train. We ended up waiting for the next eastbound train. When it arrived, I photographed it.

 

 

            We got on and the train departed. The line runs underground east to Laird. East of Laird the line comes to the surface running in the median of Eglinton. We stopped at Sunnybrook Park before going underground again to Don Valley Station.

 

            Don Valley station was originally named Science Center as it was close to the Ontario Science Center. The Science Center closed in June of 2024 when the government announced the roof panels were deficient. However the roof has weathered many snowstorms including the most recent storm which dumped over 40 cm of snow which people are doubting the concerns as the same government was pushing for its relocation and the land is valuable as is it not only close to the Eglinton line, but will eventually be close to the Ontario line when it’s built.

 

            East of Don Valley the line once again runs in the median of Eglinton Avenue. At one point we were pacing Nova LFS #8738 on route #34. The bus accelerated faster but the train was able to catch up and keep up with the bus. Passengers on the train were cheering for the train.

 

            The line went underground just before Kennedy. When we got there I photographed the train.

 

 

            The Eglinton line uses Bombardier LRVs similar to what runs in Kitchener with ION. As with the cars’ cousins used on the legacy streetcar network, Bombardier was slow with delivery of the cars. Some wondered if the line would be finished before sufficient cars were delivered. That is why TTC and Metrolinx went to Alstom for cars for the Finch West LRT. However with all the other delays to the line, the slow delivery of cars wasn’t really an issue.

 

 

The cars of ION are similar to what runs on Eglinton.

 

            Mark, Jason, and I waited for the next train to arrive. When it came in I photographed it.

 

 

            We were going to ride to the other end of the line. Between Laird and Keelesdale the line is underground. West of Keelesdale, the line goes outside where it ends at the line’s western terminal of Mount Dennis. The yard for the LRT is also there.

 

            I got off the train and photographed it.

 

 

            Mount Dennis station had a large terminal for TTC buses as well as a connection to GO Transit’s Kitchener line and the Union Pearson Express. The station minus the LRT opened in late 2025. Jason and I passed through the station on New Year’s Eve.

 

            I took some more photos in the station.

 

 

 

 

            Even before the line opened the TTC has already begun the early stages of extending the line west of Mount Dennis. The extension will end at Renforth Station which has connections to GO Transit and Miway buses. Renforth is located just south of Pearson Airport so there’s potential for a further extension to the airport in the future.

 

            I then walked to the bus terminal and photographed various TTC buses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed the LRT yard.

 

 

            I have heard that TTC plans to run an express bus (route #901) from Mount Dennis to Pearson Airport. I looked for any bus bay for the #901 but couldn’t find it. I would learn that #901 won’t start for awhile; possibly as soon as October.

 

            I eventually made my way back to the line 5 platform. I took some pictures.

 

 

 

            I knew I had to leave soon to be able to get to work on time. I said goodbye to Mark and Jason and got on a train to Eglinton. I got off and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I filmed the train pulling out. I filmed the next westbound train coming in. I then attempted to photograph it.

 

 

            I then went up to line #1 and boarded a northbound train to Sheppard-Yonge. I then transferred to the Sheppard line and rode to Don Mills. I photographed YRT D40LFr #1110.

 

 

 

            I then headed back to my apartment and went to work later. I mentioned the Eglinton line was open to my coworkers.

 

Conclusions:

 

            After multiple delays the Eglinton LRT is finally open. Already it is doing better than the Finch West LRT which opened just under two months prior.

 

            What some may or may not know is that the western portion of the Eglinton LRT from Mount Dennis to Cedarvale was originally to be a 4.6 km subway. Early construction began around the time of the Sheppard Subway but political changes resulted in the line being cancelled.

 

            There are several transit projects on the go at this time. The most likely project to be finished next is an eastern extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway into Scarborough to replace the Scarborough RT which closed in 2023. There is also the western extension of line #5, the Ontario line which will go from the Don Valley Station on the Eglinton line to the Exhibition Grounds, and a northern extension of the Yonge Subway to Yonge and Highway 7 which would bring the subway to my old neighborhood. There is also an LRT line being built in Mississauga as well. Until next time…