Text by James Bow
- Return to: Toronto’s Flexity Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs)
- See Also: Toronto Flexity LRV Gallery, 4400-4499
- See Also: Toronto Flexity LRV Gallery, 4500-4599
The last four Flexity LRV vehicles the TTC ordered from its first batch (4600-4603) were delivered by Bombardier in January 2020 and entered service less than a month later, with Flexity LRV 4603 entering service on 310 SPADINA NIGHT on February 8, 2020. At the time, the TTC had an option with Bombardier to purchase another sixty LRVs. As the TTC expected that ridership demands would require more service, and with plans still underway for an expanded streetcar network in the Port Lands, the TTC and the City of Toronto decided to exercise that option.
Early in 2021, the TTC and the City of Torontoallocated $139.752 million to Alstom (who had purchased Bombardier and now held the contract) cover the costs of 13 of those 60 vehicles; these would be delivered through 2023 and 2024. On May 12, 2021, the federal and provincial governments announced contributions of $180 million each to fund the remainder of the 60 streetcars. The vehicles were to be built at Alstom’s Thunder Bay facility, and delivered through 2025.
The TTC also received funding to expand its storage capacity, as there was limited room available at its current Russell, Roncesvalles and Leslie car barns. By the end of 2023, storage concerns at the TTC’s streetcar facilities were such that the TTC’s night car services were increased, so that more streetcars could be on the road and not taking up space on a storage track.
For the additional capacity, the TTC looked to its Hillcrest Shops. In 2024, work began on upgrading the maintenance facilities, and setting up tracks to store up to 25 streetcars. The work would take place in two phases, with phase one focusing on the storage tracks and providing temporary pre-servicing, and phase two, where the maintenance facilities could be upgraded to ensure permanent pre-servicing of vehicles, as well as an upgraded sanding system.
TTC LRV 4604 was delivered to Hillcrest on August 9, 2023 and underwent extensive texting before entering service on 504A KING on November 17, 2024. The launch was heralded by a media event at Leslie Barns. The second car, #4605, arrived at Hillcrest on October 12, 2023, and entered service on 501D QUEEN on December 3, 2023. By May 15, 2024, 15 cars had been delivered (up to #4618), and 13 were in service (up to 4616).
Flexity LRV 4600-4663 Image Archive
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TTC Flexity LRV #4600 picks up passengers westbound at Humber Loop in 501 QUEEN service, bound for Long Branch on August 23, 2020. Photo by James Bow. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4601 heads westbound on Queen approaching Bay in 501 service. This photo was taken by Andrej Feher on August 31, 2020. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4602 waits for her light at Dundas Street West and McCaul Street while operating on route 505 DUNDAS on September 19, 2020. Photo by Andrej Feher. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4603 lays over at Bingham Loop in 503 KINGSTON ROAD TRIPPER service on the morning of June 22, 2020. Photo by Glen Franks. |
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TTC LRV #4604, newly delivered to the TTC -- the first of the new batch of 60 purchased in 2022 -- operates in 510 SPADINA service, northbound at Queen's Quay station on December 11, 2023. Photo by James Bow |
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TTC LRV #4604 crosses Dundas Street southbound on Spadina operating in 510 SPADINA service on December 11, 2023. Photo by James Bow |
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Newly-arrived TTC Flexity LRV #4606 operates northbound on Spadina in 510 SPADINA service, after having crossed King Street. Roman Fomin took this shot on March 31, 2024. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4607 picks up passengers on their way to Union Station at Queen's Quay station in service on the 510 SPADINA route. This photograph was taken by James Bow on April 4, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4614 departs the northbound Harbord Street stop, heading towards Spadina station in 510 SPADINA service. This shot was taken by James Bow on April 23, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4616, newly arrived to the system, pulls into service from Roncesvalles Carhouse onto southbound Roncesvalles at Queen Street. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin on May 20, 2024. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4616 departs Main Street Station in service on 506 CARLTON, alongside TTC NovaBus LFS #8554 in 64 MAIN service. This photo was taken by James Bow on April 4, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4618 pauses westbound on Dundas Street at Spadina Avenue in service on 505 DUNDAS. This photograph was taken by James Bow on April 23, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4619 prepares to pick up passengers at Spadina station, in service on the 510 SPADINA route. This photo was taken by James Bow on April 23, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4622 in 511 BATHURST service waits for TTC LRV #4532 in 512 ST. CLAIR service entering Bathurst Station from the southbound track. St. Clair cars were diverting into Bathurst Station due to a sinkhole that needed to be repaired on St. Clair Avenue. This photograph was taken on October 21, 2024 by Damian Baranowski. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4627 waits for its passengers at Spadina Station on April 23, 2025. Photo by James Bow. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4633 crosses Lakeshore Boulevard southbound on Spadina in service on 510 Spadina in this photo taken by James Bow on April 11, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV 4634 rests briefly at Spadina station in service on the 510 SPADINA route. This photograph was taken by James Bow on April 4, 2025. |
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TTC LRV #4637 crosses Lakeshore Boulevard, operating southbound on Spadina Avenue in 510 SPADINA service. This photograph was taken by James Bow on April 4, 2025. |
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TTC LRV #4633 heads northbound on Spadina from Front Street, meeting up with southbound LRV #4640, both in service on 510 SPADINA on April 11, 2025. Photo by James Bow |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4640 pulls up to the southbound stop on Spadina at Front Street in service on the 510 Spadina route. This photo was taken by James Bow on April 11, 2025. |
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TTC Flexity LRV #4644 comes in from the rain and pauses at the northbound platform of Queen's Quay station in service on 510 SPADINA. This photo was taken by James Bow on April 11, 2025. |
