Eglinton Carhouse and Garage

This map was created based on the official Eglinton Terminal Area and Trolley Coach Overhead Plan of TTC as of January 25, 1963. All bends, seen on this plan, repeat the real configuration of trolley bus wires at Eglinton Terminal.

Text by Godfrey Mallion, photos by Roman Fomin on June 19, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

See also

Eglinton opened as the T.T.C.’s first new streetcar carhouse on December 16, 1922, replacing the Toronto Railway Company’s Yorkville Carhouse. The carhouse was located on the west side of Yonge Street, just south of Eglinton Avenue.

The carhouse continued in service, hosting radial cars of the Toronto and York Radial Railway until abandonment in October, 1948, and Peter Witt motors and trailers until the opening of the Yonge Subway on March 30, 1954.

Eglinton also hosted trolley coaches from March 7, 1954 until December 28, 1991. The NORTOWN EAST, NORTOWN WEST, YONGE, and MOUNT PLEASANT trolley coach routes made Eglinton their home.

Facilities for diesel buses opened on April 1, 1938. In 1993 Eglinton Garage operated the 5 AVENUE ROAD, 11 BAYVIEW, 14 GLENCAIRN, 19 CHURCH, 28 DAVISVILLE, 34 EGLINTON EAST, 32 EGLINTON WEST, 33 FOREST HILL, 51 LESLIE, 54 LAWRENCE EAST, 56 LEASIDE, 74 MOUNT PLEASANT, 75 SHERBOURNE, 82 ROSEDALE, 88 SOUTH LEASIDE, 90 VAUGHAN, 97 YONGE, 100 FLEMINGDON PARK, 103 NORTOWN EAST, 121 FRONT-ESPLANADE, 124 SUNNYBROOK, 126 CHRISTIE, 136 PREMIUM EXPRESS VIA WYNFORD, 141 PREMIUM EXPRESS VIA MT. PLEASANT, 142 PREMIUM EXPRESS VIA AVENUE ROAD and 161 LAWRENCE-DONWAY routes.

Near the end of service the 160,000 sq. ft. facility hosted 162 buses. Facilities included 1 wash rack, 3 fueling stations, 7 40-ft. hoists, and 6 inspection pits.

Eglinton Garage operated GMC-T6H5307N, MCI 40102N, and NFLYER LF buses when it closed on March 30, 2002 to be replaced by the New Eglinton Garage on Comstock Road.

Eglinton Garage and Bus Terminal Image Archive

	The TTC's Eglinton Garage shows off a number of GM "Old Look" buses (both for the TTC and Gray Coach) in this November 1952 shot. Note the LANGSTAFF, RICHMOND HILL and STEELES exposures for the NORTH YONGE bus, and exposures for LEASIDE and MIMICO. This image was taken on Duplex Avenue, looking northwest towards Eglinton Avenue West. Photo by James Victor Salmon, courtesy the Toronto Public Library.
	TTC Sweeper S-34 and ex-TRC car #2208 layover at Eglinton Garage circa June 1953. Image courtesy of Richard Glaze.
	A view of Eglinton's bus garage, taken on September 9, 1963 by L. Swanson, courtesy the John Knight collection.
	The main building of Old Eglinton garage. This photograph is taken on the Duplex Street side, facing south. Photo courtesy Mike's Transit Shop.
	With Eglinton Garage closed and moved to a new location, the former bus barns are now quiet. However, the garage remains a local architectural landmark.
	As low-rise residential properties have been demolished, the backside view of the main garage is temporarily opened up.
	Boarding platforms of 5 AVENUE RD, 61 AVENUE RD NORTH and 32 EGLINTON WEST buses. This photo was taken from Duplex Avenue, facing southeast.
	Platforms #1-10, as seen from the roof of the former bus garage. Although disused as an active trolley bus division since 1991, Eglinton Terminal still preserves all original trolley poles.
	The area surrounding platform #11-13 outbuilding is being used to store equipment and materials associated with a water main replacement and decommissioning project along Avenue Road and Duplex Avenue. A six-month license agreement to use this portion of TTC property was signed in December, 2011.
	The initial look of platforms was noticeably different from what is seen on this picture. Black and white tiling was a nice touch added later while art-deco glass blocks were replaced with standard windows.
	This photograph shows 1-9 bus platforms (or bays) divided into unloading and loading areas with separate staircases to and from Mezzanine level. According to original plan of Eglinton Garage, bays #2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 had trolley wires. Only two of the platforms (2 and 8) were accessible for trolley buses turning from the north side of Eglinton Avenue West. Safety mirrors, seen at bus platforms 4 and 5, probably, are not going to see any buses - at least, in this location.
	Sleek and shiny columns and glass blocks on the wall were intended to add elegance to bus platform 10. All columns are still in a good shape.
	A plan of Eglinton Garage, designed by Roman Fomin.