What Is Moscoe Smoking?

He wants to spend $750 million to automate subway trains so they will not need drivers and guards. Let's put the fact that we don't have $750 million aside for one moment and ask him how many union members will be laid off, what is the annual operating cost of the computer system, what is the payback, etc. etc. Any bets that in the next round of labour negotiations this will be a bargaining point by the unions?

A computer driving our subway trains?
Automated control: A `bargain' at $750M
Nov. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM
DAVID BRUSER
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

A computer driving our subway trains?

Driving them closer together and sometimes in opposite directions on the same track?

TTC chair Howard Moscoe thinks so.

He calls it automated train control and the only thing separating the city from his driverless subway idea is $750 million. That's also the cost of building only three kilometres of subway with three stations, Moscoe said, adding that his plan would immediately boost rider capacity without sinking a shovel.

The money would cover retrofitting the entire subway with a computer system that tells the train how far it is behind the train in front, when to slow down and when to speed up.

It would allow running trains closer together.

Moscoe says automation would increase rider capacity on the Yonge line by at least 40 per cent.

And there are other interesting possible benefits too, including all-night service and something he calls the "democratization" of subway station management.

Moscoe suggested it's a more economical way to immediately boost ridership than building more subway lines and stations.

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