A reader reports that streetcars are again banned on the tracks of Queens Quay. Earlier in May, streetcar service abruptly ended when the silty soil subsided beneath the tracks around Rees Street, causing the streetcars’ brake assemblies to contact the trackbed. At the time, the TTC ground down the concrete and reinforced the tracks, but the measures would seem to have been insufficient; either that, or other problems have materialized elsewhere enroute. We are working with a reader’s observation rather than any official announcement from the TTC.

Shuttle buses are operating between Union Station and the loop at Queens Quay and Spadina, and some reports indicate that this situation will continue until the end of this week.

We will keep you posted as more details materialize.

(Update: 9:48 a.m.): Credit to the TTC for posting information on these emergency track repairs significantly more quickly than previous disruptions. A PDF describing the disruption can be found here.

509 Harbourfront streetcars are operating between the loop at Queens Quay and Spadina to the Canadian National Exhibition, with shuttle buses serving the remainder of the route to Union Station, running north on Bay and looping via Adelaide, Yonge and Wellington. 509 Harbourfront passengers at Union station must board buses at the corner of Bay and Front. Passengers will require paper transfers to switch between shuttle buses and the subway at Union, or between shuttle buses and streetcars at Queens Quay and Spadina.

There is no indication as yet of how long the emergency repairs will take.