Queen (TTC)

Queen
Location	3 Queen Street East Toronto, Ontario Canada
Coordinates
Platforms	side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	TTC buses TTC streetcars
Construction
Structure type	underground
History
Opened	30 March 1954
Traffic
Passengers (2013)	51,940 Ranked 9th of 69
Services
Preceding station   TTC   Following station King toward Downsview Yonge–University Dundas toward Finch

Queen is a subway station on the Yonge–University line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located under Yonge Street north from Queen Street to Shuter Street. Wi-fi service is available at this station.

History

Queen Station opened in 1954 as part of the original stretch of the Yonge subway line from Union to Eglinton stations. The original address given to the station, 171 Yonge Street, is still commonly used in TTC system maps, but this address is not used for any nearby buildings and points to the actual intersection. The address provided by the TTC website, 3 Queen Street East, is located across from the Maritime Life Tower, by the 1 Queen Street East subway entrance.

In 1997, this station became accessible with elevators.

On 13 December 2013, the Toronto Police were called in after gun shots were fired on board a subway train at the station. The Passenger Assistance Alarm was pressed, and the station was evacuated soon after. A man in his 20s was shot and was rushed to nearby St. Michael's Hospital in life-threatening condition, but stable on the day after. The station continued to be closed on 14 December 2013, with subway service from Bloor to Union stations being replaced by shuttle bus service.

Lower Queen

Early subway expansion plans called for an east-west subway for streetcars under Queen Street, and a lower Queen station for these was roughed in under the subway station. Priorities changed and the line was never built, but many people unknowingly pass through this lower station every day; the tunnels that go under the station so that riders can move between northbound and southbound platforms use portions of this intended station, with most of the excess infrastructure walled off.

Strictly speaking, it is only a roughed-out second set of platforms built underneath a currently-operating station. It is located directly underneath the existing station. The station was designed as part of a planned but never-built streetcar subway that would have run east and west along Queen Street. A similar station was planned underneath the existing Osgoode station (also situated along Queen Street). Although underground pipes and conduits were specifically routed around this intended site, construction was never started.

The trackway was planned for streetcars rather than dedicated subway trains, similar to the much newer streetcar-only underground track originating at Union Station used for the 510 Spadina and 509 Harbourfront routes. The Queen subway would have allowed streetcars from the Queen line (now route 501), King line (now route 504), Kingston Road line (now routes 502 and 503), and Dundas lines (now route 505) to avoid centre-city traffic, and then surface to run on regular streets in outlying areas.

The plan to build a streetcar subway under Queen Street was delayed and then cancelled in favour of an east-west line further north, which became the Bloor-Danforth line. As a result, the Lower Queen Station was never put into service. Unlike the abandoned platform at Lower Bay, this station is not used in any way save as an occasional storage facility and film set, and the aforementioned passageway.

Station description

Entrance on the north side of the Maritime Life Tower is the designated Wheel-Trans pick up location

The station lies under Yonge Street north of Queen Street to Shuter Street. The station has seven entrances from street level, which includes accessible entrances from inside the Eaton Centre and the Maritime Life Tower. Other entrances include a sidewalk staircase entrance from Shuter Street, and other entrances from 1 Queen Street East, 8 Queen Street West, by The Bay, and from the north entrance outside the Eaton Centre.

Below street level are the concourses, with one above and across the north end of the platforms and at the south there is one on each side at track level with an underpass to connect them.

The only tenant in the station is Gateway Newstands, and there is one located on both platforms inside the fare-paid area.

Architecture and art

Our Nell by John Boyle

The station contains painted murals by John Boyle at the platform level entitled Our Nell, featuring depictions of Nellie McClung, William Lyon Mackenzie, as well as the former Simpson's and Eaton's department stores.

Nearby landmarks

Nearby landmarks include the Hudson's Bay Company's Queen Street store, the south end of the Eaton Centre, the Old City Hall courts, Toronto City Hall, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, and Massey Hall.

Surface connections

Main article: List of Toronto Transit Commission bus routes

A transfer is required to connect between the subway system and these surface routes:

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A 501 Queen streetcar stops outside the station entrance

• 97B Yonge northbound to Steeles Avenue

97B southbound to Queens Quay

• 141 Downtown/Mt Pleasant Express - rushhour only, extra fare required
• 142 Downtown/Avenue Road Express - rushhour only, extra fare required
• 143 Downtown/Beach Express - rushhour only, extra fare required
• 144 Downtown/Don Valley Express - rushhour only, extra fare required
• 301 Blue Night Queen eastbound to Neville Park

301 westbound to Long Branch

301A westbound to Humber

• 320 Blue Night Yonge northbound to Steeles Avenue

320A northbound to York Mills Station

320E northbound to Eglinton Station

320 southbound to Queens Quay

• 501 Queen eastbound to Neville Park

501 westbound to Long Branch

501H westbound to Humber Loop

• 502 Downtowner eastbound to Victoria Park Avenue

502 westbound to McCaul Loop

See also

• Queen Street subway

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Queen Station at the Toronto Transit Commission
• Cygnals Complete: Queen Subway Special
• Toronto's Lost Subway Stations: Lower Queen