Sometime in late 2021, passengers will travel above, along and below the surface between Mount Dennis and Keelesdale stations on the Crosstown LRT line, now under construction along Eglinton Avenue in Toronto.

Rendering of the elevated guideway and west portal, image, Metrolinx

While those future passengers will ride in comfort and style aboard Bombardier Flexity Freedom cars, UrbanToronto recently took the same short trip, but on foot: the two stations are about 850 metres (2,789 feet) apart.)

The west end of the elevated guideway, near Mount Dennis Station, photo, Ryan Debergh

Staff from Crosslinx Transit Solutions — Richard Ferrier, deputy area director, and Luis Fernandez, project manager — led the tour. (Crosslinx is Metrolinx' contractor for the project.)

East of Mount Dennis, the LRT guideway extends over an elevated structure that will carry the trains across busy Black Creek Drive. After crossing that six-lane thoroughfare, the structure allows trains to descend to surface level on the north side of Eglinton Avenue West. The elevated guideway features subway-like tracks, with concrete ties to absorb vibration as the trains quickly move along the tracks at high speed.

Poles between the tracks will eventually support overhead wiring to power the cars, photo, Ryan Debergh

Poles between the tracks are to support catenary overhead wiring that will supply power to the train sets. The trains will use pantographs, Z-shaped structures at the top of the cars, to transmit the power from the overhead to their motors. (You can see pantographs on top of the newest TTC streetcars or view the photos of the future Crosstown cars elsewhere on UrbanToronto, for example, here and here.)

After travelling on the surface briefly, the trains will enter side-by-side twin tunnels that extend about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) eastward past Yonge Street to Brentcliffe Road (west of Leslie Street). Each of the twin tunnels has an internal diameter of 5.7 metres (18.7 feet). The sides of the tunnels include spaces for attaching future cabling, including the overhead catenary that will power the trains underground.

Inside one of the twin tunnels, looking toward Keelesdale Station, photo, Ryan Debergh

Close-up view of the tunnel wall, photo, Ryan DeBergh

Previously in this series: Mount Dennis Station.

Next in this series: Keelesdale Station.

What do you think of Crosslinx and Metrolinx progress on the project. Add your comments in the space provided on this page, or join the discussion in our Forum.

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