Toronto and York Radial Railway
Encyclopedia
The Toronto and York Radial Railway operated radial (interurban
) transit services outside of Toronto
. Service began in 1904 with the merger of several operators:
The railway's routes provided links to:
Unlike the city systems, the radial (interurban) operators used larger rail cars. Like the Toronto Suburban Railway
, the TYRR was taken over first by Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario as the Hydro Electric Railways: Toronto and York Division
in 1922 and then by the Toronto Transportation Commission
in 1927. A similar service was re-created through North Yonge Railways
from 1930 to 1948. The Scarborough service ended in 1936.
Radial routes ceased due to introduction of inter-urban buses and new highways that allowed for better access to many areas served by rail service.
Rail service returned to some of the communities served by the TYRR by regional rail service of GO Transit
in the 1970s.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
) transit services outside of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Service began in 1904 with the merger of several operators:
- Metropolitan Street Railway (1885)
- Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power CompanyToronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power CompanyToronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company was established in August 1892 to provide street railway service beyond the then City of Toronto, Ontario to the Township of Scarborough....
(1893) - Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light CompanyToronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light CompanyToronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company was established in November 1890 and ran until 1893 when it was merged into the Toronto Railway Company until 1903.Renamed Toronto and Mimico Railway Company in 1903 and lasted until 1904....
(1892) - Toronto and York Radial Railway (1898)
- Schomberg and Aurora RailwaySchomberg and Aurora RailwayThe Schomberg and Aurora Railway was a 36 km long railway in Ontario, Canada, running from the town of Schomberg to Oak Ridges, just south of Aurora. It connected Schomberg to the Toronto and York Radial Railway tram service running along Yonge Street, and from there into the Toronto city...
(1902)
The railway's routes provided links to:
- Mimico - 1890-1928 and replaced by TTC Mimico bus route and Lakeshore streetcar route
- Richmond HillRichmond Hill, OntarioRichmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
- 1904-1927 (TTC re-establish route 1930-1948) - ScarboroughScarborough, OntarioScarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
1904-1927 (TTC runs route until 1936 and replaced by bus service) - SchombergSchomberg, OntarioSchomberg is an unincorporated village in northwestern King, Ontario, Canada. Situated north of the Oak Ridges Moraine and south of the Holland River, the village is surrounded by natural attractions....
1902-1927 - AuroraAurora, OntarioAurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
1902-1927 - NewmarketNewmarket, OntarioNewmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
1909-1927 (TTC runs route until 1930) - Sutton WestSutton, OntarioSutton is a suburban community located nearly 2 km south of Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. The community was formerly a village but is now part of the Town of Georgina after amalgamation with it and North Gwillimbury in 1971.-Geography and information:...
1906-1930
Unlike the city systems, the radial (interurban) operators used larger rail cars. Like the Toronto Suburban Railway
Toronto Suburban Railway
The Toronto Suburban Railway was an electric railway operator with local routes in west Toronto, and a radial route to Guelph.-History:...
, the TYRR was taken over first by Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario as the Hydro Electric Railways: Toronto and York Division
Hydro Electric Railways: Toronto and York Division
Hydro Electric Railways: Toronto and York Division was the radial railway division owned by Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario from 1922 to 1927...
in 1922 and then by the Toronto Transportation Commission
Toronto Transportation Commission
Before 1954, the Toronto Transit Commission was called the Toronto Transportation Commission.-History:Toronto's first public transportation company was the Williams Omnibus Bus Line and owned by undertaker Burt Williams. The franchise carried passengers in horse-drawn stagecoaches along Yonge...
in 1927. A similar service was re-created through North Yonge Railways
North Yonge Railways
The North Yonge Railways was the Toronto Transportation Commission's brief foray into radial service. Originally an extension of the Yonge streetcar line to Glen Echo, it was extended to Lake Simcoe after the purchase of a pre-existing rail line from the Hydro Electric Commission of Ontario in 1927...
from 1930 to 1948. The Scarborough service ended in 1936.
Radial routes ceased due to introduction of inter-urban buses and new highways that allowed for better access to many areas served by rail service.
Rail service returned to some of the communities served by the TYRR by regional rail service of GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
in the 1970s.