A rumbling sound. A deep resonant hum that vibrates through the ground. That’s Davisville Yard. Right here where we stand.
Davisville Yard isn’t just a place to store subway cars. It’s a silent witness to Toronto’s transit history. Opened in 1954 it served as the main maintenance and storage yard for the Yonge subway line. It was the heart of Toronto’s underground railway for many years.
Imagine the scene in 1953. Two brand new subway cars numbers 5000 and 5001 arrived. They weren’t delivered directly to Davisville. They took a rather unusual journey. First they were displayed at the Canadian National Exhibition. Then they were painstakingly loaded onto streetcar bogies. Imagine those magnificent new cars rumbling through Toronto’s streets at night. A Peter Witt streetcar towed them to Davisville Yard. This was before the subway even opened. Car 5000 even derailed on the temporary tracks built to connect the streetcar lines to the yard. Quite a dramatic entrance!
Subsequent cars arrived via the Toronto Belt Line Railway. A convenient connection that was severed later by the Spadina Expressway. The Belt Line railway itself once sought to bring fast downtown train service to North Toronto. It ultimately failed. Today only a repurposed footbridge remains a reminder of this ambitious project.
Davisville Yard wasn’t just about storage. It housed a small repair shop. It also had wheel re-profiling machines and inspection pits. Even a paint shop. Major repairs however were sent to Hillcrest Complex. This meant the subway had to be built to the streetcar gauge of 1495mm. This matched the gauge of Hillcrest’s shop tracks. A fascinating detail.
Davisville held this central role until 1966. That’s when the larger Greenwood Yard opened. Even later Wilson Yard opened in 1978. Yet Davisville remained busy. It was temporarily closed in the 1990s for retaining wall repairs. Even after repairs it stayed inactive for some time. The TTC was happy with their temporary arrangements. It was reactivated in 2002 before the opening of Line 4 Sheppard.
Today Davisville Yard continues to hum. It stores and services a portion of the TTC’s fleet. It quietly contributes to the smooth running of Toronto’s subway system. This quiet yet crucial role is a testament to its enduring importance. It’s a place where history meets the present day. This is Davisville Yard a vital part of Toronto’s transportation legacy.