McCaul Loop is a

turning loop A balloon loop, turning loop, or reversing loop (Glossary of North American railway terms, North American Terminology) allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to Shunting (rail), shunt or stop. Balloon loops can be u ...

and was the western terminus of the

502 Downtowner The 502 Downtowner was a streetcar route operated by the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It ran from the Bingham Loop at Victoria Park Avenue and Kingston Road in the Beaches neighbourhood to McCaul Loop in downtown To ...

until its abolition in 2020. It is located on the east side of McCaul Street north of

Queen Street West Queen Street is a major east–west thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It extends from Roncesvalles Avenue and King Street in the west to Victoria Park Avenue in the east. Queen Street was the cartographic baseline for the original eas ...

at the Village by the Grange

mixed-use development Mixed use is a type of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning classification that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions ...

, across the street from

OCAD University Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public university, public art school, art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park (neighbourh ...

. Streetcars can only enter northbound from Queen Street and exit one way to return southbound. Passengers cannot access vehicles within the loop and must use a stop outside at Stephanie Street.

History

In 1928, to relieve the congestion of streetcar operations along Queen Street, the McCaul Loop was constructed on the west side of downtown Toronto, and another on Mutual Street to the east. The Village by the Grange shopping and residential complex was built in 1976 around and on top of the loop which was now enclosed. Two Peter Witt streetcars were placed within the loop to serve as a theme restaurant, which did not succeed and went out of business. The space is now shared with OCAD University. Tracks on McCaul Street, including the loop, were reconstructed in 2012.

Services

Until September 2018, McCaul Loop was the western terminus for 502 Downtowner streetcars coming from Bingham Loop. It continues to be used to

short turn In public transport, a short turn, short working or turn-back is a service on a bus route or rail line that does not operate along the full length of the route. Short turn trips are often scheduled and published in a Public transport timetable, ti ...

streetcar service in both directions on the

501 Queen 501 Queen (301 Queen during overnight periods) is an east–west Toronto streetcar route in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It stretches from Neville Park Loop (just west of Victoria Park Avenue) in the east, ...

route. McCaul Street is not used for any other revenue service, but the connecting tracks between Queen Street,

Dundas Street Dundas Street () is a major historic arterial road in Ontario, Canada. The road connects the city of Toronto with its western Greater Toronto Area, suburbs and several cities in southwestern Ontario. Three provincial highways—Ontario Highway 2 ...

and College Street enables 505 Dundas and

506 Carlton 506 Carlton (306 Carlton during overnight periods) is a Toronto streetcar route run by the Toronto Transit Commission in Ontario, Canada. It runs from Main Street station on subway Line 2 Bloor–Danforth along Gerrard, Carlton and College Str ...

streetcars to short turn and briefly

layover 250px, Layover for buses at LACMTA's Los_Angeles.html" ;"title="Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles">Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles In scheduled transportation, a layover (also way station, or connection) is a point where a vehic ...

on the street, without entering the loop.

References

External links

*
Village by the Grange, M.T.C.C. 607
{{TTC lines and stations Toronto streetcar loops