Toronto Transit Commission 5000-5105, 5110-5115, 5200-5227

Interior layout of the TTC's G-class subway cars.

Toronto Transit Commission 5000-5105, 5110-5115, 5200-5227, collectively known as the G-class subway cars, were built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company. They were the first cars built for Toronto's subway system, for service on the Yonge subway line (Canada's first subway).

Impressed with Gloucester's bid, in particular costs and strict delivery timeline assurance, the TTC entered into a contract with the manufacturer, placing an order for 104 cars for $7.8 million (the eventual cost for all 140 cars would be $11.5 million). The first order, classified as G1 cars, were built from 1953 to 1954. The first two cars made up part of an exhibit at the 1953 Canadian National Exhibition that showcased the city's soon-to-open subway system. More cars were soon delivered and participated in a number of test runs before first entering revenue service on March 30, 1954.

Initially, the cars were semi-permanently coupled in mated pairs, as per the TTC's current practice. All the cars were 57 feet long and built with steel bodies. They had, however, proven to be greatly over weight estimations. The TTC, requested the final four cars of the order be constructed of aluminum in an effort to reduce the weight of the cars. This is the first known usage of aluminum as a structural material for a subway car. To make up a regular six-car train, the TTC ordered two more aluminum cars. These cars were classified as G2 cars.

As ridership grew, the TTC ordered 34 more cars to expand the existing fleet. Classified as G3 cars, they were not equipped with driving controls in their cabs (non-driving motor cars) to save weight and cost. They were semi-permanently coupled with correspondingly numbered G1 cars which had driving controls (for example: 5000-5201-5200-5001) in 4-unit sets. The G3 cars were also equipped with aluminum roofs to help further reduce weight.

It was opted to fit the last six cars of the G3 order with regenerative braking/dynamic braking equipment to test out its benefits. The six cars, classified as G4 cars, were designed as a a semi-permanently coupled set with regenerative braking, higher-rated motors and other unique equipment, with 5110/5115 (which were delivered as 5228/5229) having operating cabs and 5111-5114 built as non-driving motor cars. The cars were converted to "normal" configurations (equipment removed) and split up in 1966/67. The non-driving motors were used to form two four-car sets with G1s, while 5110/5115 became a married pair.

The fleet of Gloucester cars were rebuilt in from 1966 to 1973 at Greenwood Shops. They lasted in service until the Can-Car Rail H6 cars entered service in 1988 and 1989, displacing them. The last set made its final run on October 26, 1990. Four sets of cars (including three aluminum G2 sets) were converted for work train service, being retired almost two decades later. Most retired cars were scrapped by early 1991.

Cars 5098 & 5099, part of Canada's first revenue subway train that operated on opening day of the Yonge line on March 30th 1954, were donated to the Ontario Electric Railway Historical in 1991 and were shipped one at a time by rail (using CN flatcar 668146) from the TTC's Greenwood Yard to Arkell, Ontario (Mile 27.1 CP Goderich Sub), where each was then trucked to the Halton County Radial Railway. Car 5099 was delivered to the museum on August 30th 1991, and 5098 on September 13th 1991.

Fleet numbers from this retired series were reused for the new Bombardier T1 subway cars delivered in 1996-1998.

Car Orders	Built	Type/Class	Motor	Seating	Destination Sign
5000-5099	1951-1953	G1			Rollsign
5100-5105	1954	G2			Rollsign
5200-5227	1956	G3			Rollsign
5110-5115	1958-1959	G4			Rollsign

G1 Details

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Date	Serial	Division	Status/Disposal	Notes
5000					Retired Scrapped at Wilson Yard, March 1991
5001					Retired Scrapped at Wilson Yard, March 1991
5002					Retired
5003					Retired
5004					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5005					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5006					Retired
5007					Retired
5008					Retired Scrapped at Wilson Yard, March 1991
5009					Retired
5010					Retired
5011					Retired
5012					Retired
5013					Retired
5014					Retired
5015					Retired
5016					Retired
5017					Retired
5018					Retired
5019					Retired
5020					Retired
5021					Retired
5022					Retired
5023					Retired
5024					Retired
5025					Retired
5026					Retired
5027					Retired
5028					Retired
5029					Retired
5030					Retired
5031					Retired
5032					Retired
5033					Retired	Lost cab driving controls in 1967, became set 5032-5033-5034-5035.
5034					Retired	Lost cab driving controls in 1967, became set 5032-5033-5034-5035.
5035					Retired
5036					Retired
5037					Retired
5038					Retired
5039					Retired
5040					Retired
5041					Retired
5042					Retired
5043					Retired
5044					Retired
5045					Retired
5046					Retired
5047					Retired
5048					Retired
5049					Retired
5050					Retired
5051					Retired
5052					Retired
5053					Retired
5054					Retired
5055					Retired
5056					Retired	Retrofitted with light yellow interior wall panels to brighten the interior.
5057					Retired
5058					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5059					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5060					Retired
5061					Retired
5062					Retired
5063					Retired
5064					Retired
5065					Retired
5066					Retired Held for future conversion to work train cars, but were not converted. Removed from Wilson and trucked to scrap in April 1996
5067					Retired Held for future conversion to work train cars, but were not converted. Removed from Wilson and trucked to scrap in April 1996
5068					Retired Converted to work car RT-36(:2) for rail grinder service (1991) Since retired (2008), listed for disposal (12/2009)
5069					Retired Converted to work car RT-37(:2) for rail grinder service (1991) Since retired (2004)
5070					Retired
5071					Retired
5072					Retired
5073					Retired
5074					Retired Held for future conversion to work train cars, but were not converted. Removed from Wilson and trucked to scrap in April 1996
5075					Retired Held for future conversion to work train cars, but were not converted. Removed from Wilson and trucked to scrap in April 1996
5076					Retired
5077					Retired
5078					Retired
5079					Retired
5080					Retired	Damaged in vandal related fire, repaired and equipped with florescent lighting (4/1967).
5081					Retired	Equipped with florescent lighting (4/1967).
5082					Retired
5083					Retired
5084					Retired
5085					Retired
5086					Retired
5087					Retired
5088					Retired
5089					Retired
5090					Retired
5091					Retired
5092					Retired
5093					Retired
5094					Retired
5095					Retired
5096					Retired
5097					Retired
5098					Retired Donated to the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association (1991) Preserved at the Halton County Radial Railway (Milton ON).	Was one of the cars on Canada's first revenue subway train (03/30/1954).
5099					Retired Donated to the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association (1991) Preserved at the Halton County Radial Railway (Milton ON).	Was the lead car on Canada's first revenue subway train (03/30/1954).

G2 Details

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Date	Serial	Division	Status/Disposal	Notes
5100					Retired Converted to work car RT-38(:1) for garbage train service (1987). Since retired (1997)
5101					Retired Converted to work car RT-39(:1) for garbage train service (1987). Since retired (1997)
5102					Retired Converted to work car RT-34 for rail grinder service (1988) Since retired (2004)
5103					Retired Converted to work car RT-35 for rail grinder service (1988) Since retired (2008), listed for disposal (12/2009)
5104					Retired Converted to work car RT-36(:1) (1988), renumbered RT-14(:2) for tunnel washer (1989) Since retired (1999)
5105					Retired Converted to work car RT-37(:1) (1988), renumbered RT-15(:2) for tunnel washer (1989) Since retired (1999)

G3 Details

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Date	Serial	Division	Status/Disposal	Notes
5200					Retired scrapped at Wilson Yard, March 1991
5201					Retired scrapped at Wilson Yard, March 1991
5202					Retired
5203					Retired
5204					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5205					Retired 1963 Destroyed in train fire (03/27/1963), scrapped by fall 1963.
5206					Retired
5207					Retired
5208					Retired
5209					Retired
5210					Retired
5211					Retired
5212					Retired
5213					Retired
5214					Retired
5215					Retired
5216					Retired
5217					Retired
5218					Retired
5219					Retired
5220					Retired
5221					Retired
5222					Retired
5223					Retired
5224					Retired
5225					Retired
5226					Retired
5227					Retired

G4 Details

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Date	Serial	Division	Status/Disposal	Notes
5110					Retired	Delivered as 5228. Driving motor car. Later mated to 5115.
5111					Retired	Non-driving motor car. Later remarshalled as 4-car set 5030-5111-5114-5031.
5112					Retired scrapped at Wilson Yard, April 1991	Non-driving motor car. Later remarshalled as 4-car set 5028-5113-5112-5029.
5113					Retired	Non-driving motor car. Later remarshalled as 4-car set 5028-5113-5112-5029.
5114					Retired	Non-driving motor car. Later remarshalled as 4-car set 5030-5111-5114-5031.
5115					Retired	Delivered as 5229. Driving motor car. Later mated to 5110.

References

• [1] Transit Toronto "The Gloucester Series Cars", retrieved on 2010-10-17.
  
• Bytown Railway Society (2007), "Canadian Trackside Guide 2007". Ottawa, ON: St. Joseph Print.
• UCRS Newsletter, September 1991 (5098/5099 donation)
• Personal observations, CPTDB postings.