509-Harbourfront

July 23, 2000 was the first day of revenue service on the new 509-Harbourfront line. The 509 starts at Union Station, runs south through the Bay Street tunnel to Queens Quay, and west along Queens Quay to Bathurst. It jogs up Bathurst to Fleet and along Fleet to the Exhibition. The part from Union Station to Queens Quay and Spadina is shared with the 510-Spadina route and the part between Fleet and Bathurst and the Exhibition is shared with 511-Bathurst. Only half a mile of connecting track is new to the streetcar network. This allows a direct ride, almost exclusively along private right of way, from Union Station to the Exhibition.

Many railfans joined the thousands of residents and tourists who crowd Queens Quay every summer day for the opening. The streetcars were very well used on their first day and looked good in the median zipping by traffic that was in gridlock all afternoon.