The Toronto and York Radial Railway was a transit operator providing services to the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was a subsidiary of the Toronto Railway Company. The company was created by merging four Toronto-area interurban operations. The company was part of the empire of railway entrepreneurs Sir William Mackenzie and Donald Mann which included the Canadian Northern Railway and the parent Toronto Railway Company. The line was abandoned by the TTC in 1948.
Lines
The table lists the 4 lines composing the T&YRR. Each line became a separate division of the T&YRR except for the Schomberg and Aurora which was a branch of the Metropolitan Division. Click on the predecessor company name for further details about each line. In 1904, the four predecessor companies were merged to form the Toronto and York Radial Railway.
Timeline
Pre-T&YRR era (1885–1904) Events prior to the merger creating the T&YRR in 1904 In 1885, the Metropolitan Street Railway Company of Toronto (incorporated March 2, 1877, renamed Metropolitan Railway Company in 1897) started a horsecar line on Yonge Street.
On September 1890, electric service began on the Metropolitan line.
On 16 July 16, 1892, the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company (incorporated November 14, 1890) began initial service between Sunnyside (Toronto) and the Humber River.
On July 1, 1893, the Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company (incorporated August 18, 1892) started electric, radial operations.
On July 5, 1893, the Toronto Railway Company acquired controlling interest in the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company.
On July 10, 1893, the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company extended service from Humber River to Mimico Creek, and further to Etobicoke Creek (Long Branch) on September 29, 1893.
On March 6, 1895, the Toronto Railway Company acquired controlling interest in the Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company.
By 1899, the Metropolitan line was extended to Aurora and Newmarket.
In 1903, Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company changed its name to the Toronto and Mimico Railway Company.
Mackenzie & Mann era (1904–1921) Events when the T&YRR was under the control of William Mackenzie and Donald Mann On August 1, 1904, the T&YRR merged four rail operations, converting them into three T&YRR divisions, with the Metropolitan Division having a branch line:
Metropolitan Street Railway to become the T&YRR Metropolitan Division
Schomberg and Aurora Railway to become the Schomberg and Aurora Branch of the Metropolitan Division Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company to become the T&YRR Scarboro Division Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company to become the T&YRR Mimico Division
In 1904, regular passenger service started on the Schomberg and Aurora Branch of the T&YRR's Metropolitan Division. At this time, the line operated with steam trains.
On December 24, 1905, the Mimico line was extended from Long Branch to Port Credit.
On June 1, 1907, the T&YRR opened a extension of the Metropolitan line from Newmarket to Jackson's Point.
On January 1, 1909, the T&YRR opened a extension of the Metropolitan line from Jackson's Point to Sutton.
On June 25, 1915, a City of Toronto work team ripped up the tracks of the Metropolitan Line along Yonge Street from the CPR crosstown line north to Farnham Avenue. This was a result of a dispute between the city led by Mayor Tommy Church and the T&YRR. Mayor Church complained about the "inadequate services provided by the Mackenzie-Mann traction companies" which included the Toronto Railway Company as well as the T&YRR. This was the first contraction of the T&YRR, albeit only long.
In 1916, electrification of the Schomberg and Aurora Branch was completed.
In 1921, a plebiscite approved the purchase by the City of Toronto of the Toronto Railway Company and the T&YRR. The Toronto Transportation Commission was to operate all radial lines within the city limits.
On September 1, 1921, the TTC took over operation of all streetcar operations in the city, and shortly after took control those portions of the Scarboro and Mimico radial within the city limits.
By fall, 1921, the TTC took over the portion of the Metropolitan line on Yonge Street south of Glen Echo Road (at the city limit).
Hydro Electric era (1922–1927) Events when the T&YRR was managed by Hydro-Electric Railways In August, 1922, the City of Toronto formally acquired the T&YRR lines.