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The Transportation Committee, York County Council. Mr. F. A. Lundy, Newm Gentlemen â€"- . Acting under instructions received from your committee on August let 1929, to report on the Metropolitan Railway operating from the city terminus at Stop 26, North Yonge Street. to Sutton on Lake Simcoe, a distance of 48.66 miles, I beg leave to report briefly as follows: I have not had time to investigate fully certain phases of the operation of the railway, but at a later period I hope this opportunity will be afforded. The action of your committee in seeking a report and more information on the o eration of the Metropolitan Electric Railway, was caused, I believe, by the ecommendation of the Toronto Transportation Commission to Mr. Samuel McBride, Mayor of Toronto, and members of the Board of Control, in letterrof May 2151:, 1929, to the effect that the Metropolitan Railway should be abandoned on Segtemher 30th, 192?. ,_ h_.,.,.w..m+. nnnfirmml hv statute re- my . “en”.-- York County Council have certain agreements connrmea oy Statute re- garding the operation, rights, privileges and franchises of this railway line. The original MetrOpolitan Street Railway Company of Toronto was incorpor- ated in 1877 for the purpose of constructing and operating a street railway in the City of Toronto and adjoining municipalities, and was one of the first to be constructed on this continent. In 1886 the Metropolitan was extended up Yonge Street to Glengrove. In 1890 an agreement was signed between the County of York and the Metropolitan to extend the service to York Mills. In 1889 by an agreement with the County of York, an extension was authorized l- om‘MMA nm In 1893 the company was authorized and empowered to 1889 by an agreement with the County of York, an extension was authorized to Richmond Hill. In 1893 the company was authorized and empowered to extend and operate their line of railway within the County of York to Lake Simcoe. " In 1898 the railway was incorporated under the name of the Tor- onto and York Radial Company. The municipalities particularly interested, through which the railway passes, are the towns of Newmarket and'Aurora and the villages of Thornhill, Richmond Hill and Sutton. The townships ad- jacent to the line and. particularly interested are North York, Markham, Vaughan, King, Whitehurch, North Gwillimbury and East Gwillimbury. The accompanying plan, reduced in scale from a plan of the railway ob tained from the Toronto Transportation Commission, shows the location of the line and the approximate population in the territory served. The total permanent population equals approximately 20,000, of which 17,000 are locat- ed on the section of the railway from Newmarket to the City of Toronto. There is a large summer population of approximately 9,500 tributary to the line on Lake Simcoe from Sutton to Keswick, a distance of eleven miles. There is also a considerable summer population in the vicinity of Bond Lake Park, about four miles south of Aurora. This railway serves a splendid permanent and summer population from Hm: north citv boundary to Lake Simcoe. The summer resort facilities and An n_A.....:A Park, about tour mues souui ui nuwm. This railway serves a splendid permanent and summer population from the north city boundary to Lake Sinicoe. The summer resort facilities and attractions on Lake Simcoe are equal to any in the Province of Ontario, are located at a reasonable distance from the City of Toronto. The towns and villages located on the railway and the rural population tributary thereto comprise a splendid section of the Province of Ontario. The Metropolitan Railway, therefore, is an important agency of transport- ation between the expanding City of Toronto on the south. a popular summer resort on the north and a permanent population of 20,000 people. Many homes and permanent reisdences'have been built in the area near the railway by reason of its operation; and if the railway be abandoned, these people will suffer hardships and financial loss never anticipated. In the early years of operation, highway traffic was relatively unim- portant. ' Horse~dravm vehicles operated Within a radius of eight to ten milâ€" es and there was no long haul competition on the highways. The Toronto and York Radial Railways included not only the Metropolitan Division, but also the Mimico and Scarboro Divisions. The Metropolitan Division, as such included the Schomberg and Aurora Division, a branch line of fourteen miles operating to and from Schomberg and Aurora Junction. In the “Mackenzie Clean-up Deal" of 1920. the City of Toronto purchasâ€" ed the Toronto and York Radial Railways as an adjunct of the major pur- chases made at that time of the Toronto Street Railway System, an electrical power plant and other concessions and franchises. When the radials were purchased, the southern terminus of the Metropolitan Division was on Yonge Street at Farnham Avenue about three miles south of the present terminUS at the city. boundary, Stop 26, North Yonge Street. When the radials were purchased it was generally knoxwx that as comâ€" mercial undertakings, they Were not producing handsome profits. But they were part and parcel of the “Cleamup Deal." and were puchased for the price A: an or“: mn no The “moanâ€"1m Deal". as a whole, has resulted in many When the radials were purcnaseu it was 5 ........ _, .._., mercial undertakings, they were not producing handsome profits. But theyi were part and parcel of the “Clean-up Deal,” and were puchased for the price of $2,375,000.00. The “Clean-up Deal", as a whole, has resulted in many benefits to the citizens of the City of Toronto. including very substantial sav- ings. in the cost of electrical energy. The radials were not purchased on their merits as revenue producers. but as necessary parts of one large deal, al- though it was thought that the radials would be selfesustaining. The City of Toronto acquired the radial lines on December lst, 1920. The old management continued operation until November 1st, 1922, when the city handed over actual control and operation of the lines to the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. In the rehabilitation and extensions of the old Toronto Railway system by the Toronto Transportation Commission. North Yonge Street was widenâ€"- ed an double-tracked, and the terminus of the Metropolitan Railway was pushed farther north from Farnham Avenue to the city boundary at Stop 26, a distance of about three miles. In other words', the southerly three miles of the radial were absorbed by the Toronto Transportation Commission from Famham Avenue to the city boundary. This section of the radial line that was absorbed by the city system was the best paying part of the Metropolit- an Division and practically carried the financial burden of all the radials ac- quired by the city. In 1922. the earnings on these three miles of the radial ‘ Were approximately $400,000.00, which earnings are about fifteen times greater per mile than the average earnings of the line. So far as the Metro- politan Railway‘was concerned, having consideration to the purchase price and annual fixed charges, the loss in earning power on these three miles of radial line changed the selfâ€"sustaining railway into a railway having large annual deficits. .The City of Toronto through the operation of the T.TfiC. e now get the benefit of this profitable temtory served by T.T.C. cars. right of the T.T.C. to absorb these three miles of radial has been conntested in. the Courts by the County Council, and the matter is now in abeyance for final adjustment between the city and the county. If the revenue taken by the city from this section were credited to radial operation there would be no deficits on the radial line. When the Hydro-Electric Power Commission assumed the control and operation of the radials, they immediately requested funds for the rehabilitâ€" ation and improvements of the line at an estimated cost of two million dollars including the purchase of new and modern passenger cars. , Due to delays and mistakes in city by-laws. etc., the Commission only carried out a part of this programme of betterments and improvements; the old, noisy obsolete cars continued to operate, the revenue did not increase as estimated, and the operating expenses were high. _ on the. three radial Under Hydro operation in 1924. the gross revenue I lines was reported as $761,137.00; the expenses: taxes, etc., $812,809.00; inteâ€" rest on the investment, $182,920.00; and a deficit of $234,593.00. I In September, 1925, with the 1924 deficit on the radials under consxderâ€" ation, the Board of Control requested _ _ particulars of any financial or other advantages that might accrue to the City from the operation of the radial railways by the T.T.C. which were then op- erated by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission. _ The T.T.C. recommended that the gauge of the Metropolitan be changâ€" ed from standard steam gauge. 4 feet 8% inches to city street car gauge of 4 feet 10 7-8 inches, claiming that the alteration of the gauge to conform to the city standard would permit of “through” operation of cars, and thus elimin- ate the transfer of passengers at the city limits from the radial cars to the city cars. The T.T.C. anticipated substantial economies in operation by linking up the management of the radials with the city system and expressod the belief that the deficits would be eliminated after making certain changes and a complete reorganization. In fact. the T.T.C. report at this time. datâ€" ed October 20th, 1925, to the Board of Control. indicates a strong desire on behalf of the Commission to take over the control and operation of the radial lines; and it is difficult to reconcile their recommendation for abandonment of the Metropolitan line leSs than four years later. On January 11th. 1927. the control and operation of the radials Were transferred from the Hydro-Electric Power Commission to the Toronto Tranâ€" sportation Commission, to be operated by the latter on behalf of the City of Toronto. The T.T.C. changed the gauge of the Metropolitan DivisiOn early in 1927, and in the same year abandoned the branch line from Aurora Junc- tion to Schomberg. The recommendation to give a “through” radial service to downtown Toronto was not carried into effect. By changing the gauge of the Metropolitan. it was impossible to have a freight interchange with the strum roads as under Hydro operation. On June 24th. 1927. the City Council authorized the advance of capital funds to the extent of $430,000.00 for radial improvements made up as t'oliows: r . .. , ,.. smsonooo ation, the Board OI UODCI'DI l‘cquwawu v.“ - . _ a _, , particulais of any financial or other advantages that might from the operation of the radial railways by the T.T.C. wi erated by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission. The T.T.C. recommended that the gauge of the_ Metr: ed from standard steam gauge, 4 feet 81/2 inches. to City str feet 10 7-8 inches, claiming that the alteration of the gauge city standard would permit of “through” operation of cars ate the transfer of passengers at the city limits from the city cars. The T.T.C. anticipated substantial economie linking up the management of the radials with the city sys the belief that the deficits WOuld be eliminated after makir In fact. the T.T.C. repori and a complete reorganization. ed October 20th, 1925, to the Board of Control. indicates a behalf of the Commission to take over the control and oper lines; and it is difficult to reconcile their recommendation of the Metropolitan line 1eSs than four years later. On January 1_1th_._1£227,_t‘he control and operation of “and” an\n\:uclnn tn RAGEisg Report on Metropolitan Radial Railway to Transportation Committee, York County. Council. Of these funds, cprtaip w cars were ‘The history [me appm‘en 'Track, new construction, etc. . New cars and remodelling cars Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1004 Excelsior of By W. B. REDI-‘ERN. B. A. Sc. JAMES, PROCTOR & REDFERN. Limited. Consulting Engineers, pu’rchased. of radial operation since Newmarket, Chairman Life Building. Toronto. Ontario real improveme .tensions of the old Toronto Railway system ommission. North Yonge Street was w1den-- erminus of the Metropolitan Railway was lam Avenue to the city boundary at Stop 26, In other words', the southerly three miles of Toronto Transportation Commission from ndary. This section of the radial line that was the best paying part of the Metropolit- ad the financial burden of all the radials ac- ! earnings on these three miles of the radial , which earnings are about fifteen times a warnings of the line. So far as_the Metro- 1004 Excelsior Life Building. Toronto, Ontario September 24th, 1929 $430,000.00 were made for trackwork, etc, but 1922 seems to indicate that when nents to-be made to the service, authorized the advance of capital adial improvements made up as ration of the radials were mission to the Toronto 'Ih‘anâ€" Lter on behalf of the City of Metropolitan Division early inch line from Aurora Junc- 'e a “through” radial service By changing the gauge of freight interchange with the sumed the control and Eunds for the rehabilit- it of two million dollars cars. the Commission only and improvements; the nue did not increase as $105,000.00 300,000.00 25,000.00 indecision and (lcubt crept in and the old UHan'ltlng' servncc prcvuueu. LIIL‘IU i has been a lack of continuity of policy in their operation. For the Metropolitan Division, the audited statement for 1927 shows a deficit of $327,019.92. This amount includes debentures interest of 81.35.367.14 and provision for redemption of debentures of $128,153.62. The fixed charg- es therefore amount to $263,520.76. During this year. extraordinary expen- lses were incurred on the Metropolitan Division by reason of changing the Igauge of the railway line. These extraordinary expenses would amount to about $60,000.00. Excluding fixed charges and extraordinary expenses dur- ing 1927, the revenue on the Metropolitan line‘ exceeded the c0st of ordinary operation. In a letter dated May 2lst, 1929, from the T.T.C. to the Board of Control, the loss in1928 is given at $381,044.38, and the annual fixed charâ€" ges are stated to be $271,542.00. I have not been able to obtain an audited lstatement for 1928, which is information pertinent to this report. In letter from Mr. Harvey, Manager of the T.T.C., he states that the cost of operation for 1928 is $482,217.33 as against $494,462.26 for 1927. notwithstanding ex- traordinary expenses of about $60,000.00 included in the operating expenses of 1927. In the audited statement for 1927, expenditures on ways and struc- ture are given at $91,874.43; equipment, $87,988.56; power, $90,589.04; con- duct ng transportation, $162,822.25; general and miscellaneous, $32,497.48; and administration, $13,915.27. I have not been able to obtain detailed in- formation on these lump sum figures for the different items,â€"â€"information that has an important bearing on this question. Operating expenses for ,first eight months of 1929 is given at $237,886.00, which averages about $10,- 1000.00 per month lower than 1928. _ . 1.. n... annual Cnvnrnmpnf. rpturns to the Ontario Railway and MuniCIp- qu.uv ycl nun-u. "1"“. w..." -v_y. In the annual Government returns to the Ontario Railway and Municipâ€" al Board for 1928 for the three radial lines, as constituted at that time, re- pair of roadbed and tracks is given at $69,911.73; repair of cars. $65,952.61: the repair of electrical equipment on cars. $26,675.75; the cost of electrical motive power is given at $147,508.06, and the c03t of conducting tranSport-I ation. $244,618.86. In the statement of assets. the passenger cars and other rolling stock and electrical equipment of same are given a valuation of 8134- ,854.00. You will see from the above that the cost of repairing cars and the electrical equipment during 1928, is nearly 68 per cent. of the value of this equipment. ‘ In the Government return of 1927, under T.T.C. operation, the repair to cars is $104,282.18. and repairs to electrical equipment of same, $31,079.09, and the repairs to roadbed and track, $101,302.74. For the years 1926â€"25â€"24‘ ‘under Hydro operation the cost of repairs to cars according to Government returns averaged about $37,000.00 per year, and repairs to track about $90,- l000.00 per year. These returns include the three radial lines. According to these figures. the cost of repairs to equipment and repairs to roadbed and ,track under T.T.C. operation appear to be excessive, but for lack of detailed Iinformation we are not able to make any further comments. I If the City Council intend to abandon the operation of the Metropolitan Railway line, I think all detailed figures relating to the operation of the line should be furnished by the Toronto Transportation Commission, on account of the large number of people who are vitally interested in the operation of this railway. On behalf of the parties interested ’i‘\ the continued operation of this line, I think it is fair to say that the impression appears to be general along the line of the radial that the T.T.C. are not interested in trying to make the radial line pay. . At this juncture, the question of bus competitioin c‘omes prominently in' to the picture. Undoubtedly motor cars, motor trucks and motor buses have made very serious inroads into the revenue of the radial line, and will continâ€" ue to do so. So far as privately owned motor cars are cncemed, this compeâ€" tition is legitimate and no one has any complaint. but with the motor coach or tmotor bus it is different. Since February of this year, the T.T.C. have opâ€" ;erated a line of coaches to and from Newmarket and intermediate points; al- so the coaches operating to Barrie and Orillia call in at Newmarket and‘ stop lat Aurora, Richmond Hill and Thornhill, etc. The result is that there is ex- ,ceSS transportation service and the coaches are in competition with the elec- ltric railway, and tend to take the “cream” of the traffic from the railway. The summer schedule shOWS that six motor coaches arrive at and leave New- market daily on the regular service as well as the coaches from Orillia-. and certain additional service on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. All this, in At this juncture, the question of bus compecm to the picture. Undoubtedly motor cars, motor tru made very serious inroads into the revenue of the r: ue to do so. So far as privately owned motor cars tition is legitimate and no one has any complaint. b1 motor bus it is different. Since February of this 3 erated a line of coaches to and from Newmarket at so the coaches operating to Barrie and‘ Orillia call i ml. A addition tofi'vtrhe regulgn‘yadial seryice. Lne narrow Duwvo “autumn”, -m, -___, m large expenditures will have to be made to widen important streets and cut through new highways to take care of the even increasing mozor traffic. As a lesson from the past. it will be of benefit to the city to have the deva- ment of a wide thoroughfare on Yonge Street north of the city limits. Generally speaking, the radial line now serves a class of people who do not own or operate motor cars and who prefer radial transportation to motor coaches. In spite of the great increase in the number of motorcars, there will always be a large population who cannot afford to have the same, and consequently the radial is assured of a permanent transportation constitu- ency. Also if the service on the radials were made more attractive, it is our opinion that, on account of the increasing difficulty and expense of parking motor cars in the heart of the city, more people would use the radials. The present radial cars, or most of them, have been in service for more than tWen- ty years. The antiquated electrical equipment is obsolete. The cars are noisy, unattractive, heavy, uneconomical vehicles of transportation and should be replaced by medium weight attractive modern passenger cars of one-man type operation. New modern cars would be much more economical to oper- ate, more pleasant and attractive to ride in and cost conSiderably less for re- pairs. According to official returns, the cost of power per car mile on the 1Metropolitan is a little over 8 cents, which is nearly double the cost per car mile for electrical energy for the city cars. If the Metropolitan radial line is abandoned, no doubt it is the intention to supply the traffic demand with motor coaches, at least as far north as lNe‘vmarket. and probably to Sutton in the summer months. There are no lfigures available for this report as to the financial aspect: of the operation of the present motor coaches. If the radial is not paying, are the motor coachâ€" es on these interurban routes paying any better? To the casual observer, these motor coach lines operating up and down Yonge Street are relatively not so fully occupied as the radials, and the cost per passenger mile on the motor coach is basically higher. The cost per car mile on the radials is aâ€" bout 45 cents,â€"â€"i. e., the unit cost for operating a radial car a distance of one mile. On the motor coach the cost per coach mile. I believe, is about 35 cents. The radial car, on the average, will carry about three times as many and doubt crept in and the ol_d upiqviting s‘efrvico prevailed. There THE LIBERAL, RICHMOND HILL. ONTARIO passengers as a motor coach. Con equently, the cost of carrying a passeng- er one mile on the radial car is conaiderably lessâ€"about 40%â€"â€"than the cost of carrying a passenger one mile on a motor coach. Many bus and motor coach lines have failed and one bus line operating in the vicinity of Toronto has deficits every year. The rapid development of motor coach transportation on this cntinent since 1920 has been very great. But we question very much if the long route motor coach lines will show earn- ings over a period of years, when proper allowances have been made for de_ preciation, renewals and obsolete models. The fashions change quickly in the design of motor coaches, as with automobiles. and the figures for depreci- ation are very high. On January lst, 1929, in the United States, according to reliable statis- tics, there were 40,801 miles of electric railway track; in 1928, 41,739 miles; 1927. 42,405 miles; 1926, 42,743 miles; and in 1925, 43,106 miles. In 1925 there were 82,446 electric railway passenger cars; and in 1929, 80,014 cars. On January 1st, 1925 there were 53,200 motor buses in operation; and in 1929 92,400 buses. The large increase in the number of buses has been accomp- anied by the abandonment of less than 6% of the electric railway mileage. No one can, therefore, contend that the buses are replacing electric railways all over the country. Of the 92,400 buses, electric railways and subsidiaries own and operate 10,062 to act as feeders and in conjunction with the rail service. About 50 companies out of 350 have adopted this bus feeder system. Buses for tranâ€" sporting school children, operating‘ in connection with 15,929 schools, are in use to the number of 40,875â€"«nearly half of the total buses in operation. Sight seeing service accounts for 2,750 buses, and steam railroads and subsidâ€" iaries use 1,256. In the City of Chicago. the present of total pas's'engers car ried by buses has not increased since 1925. Our conclusion is that buses are not replacing properly located electric railways, but are operating more and more in conjunction with them, and in other special fields of service such as transporting school children and supplying carrier service to new sub-divis- ions for ‘which‘they. are particularly adopted. If the radial line is abandoned, and if, "on account of operating losses, the future policy of the T.T.C. were to discontinue the operation of motor coaches, the district served by the radial line Would suffer a very serious set back. The only investment the T.T'.C. has in the motor coach service is in the coaches themselves, and garage and repair facilities. The policy of the Commission might change overnight and the present territory served by the radial line would suffer. If the radial line were abandoned, it would not be reconstructed, and before any such abandonment takes place, I think the op- erating results of the motor coaches on Yonge Street in the territory served by the radials should be available. According to Mr. Harvey‘s-figures, the revenue passengers carried on the Metropolitan Radial are as follows: Year ending October 31, 1923, . . . .-..._..-...... 1,969,800. Year ending October 31, 1924, ... . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . 1,752,791; Year ending October 31, 1925, . . . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . 1,786;2 ; . Year ending October 31, 1926, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,5165,0 .fi ear ending October 31, 1927, . . . . . . . ....-. . _. .. . . 1,7505 4 Year ending October 31, 1928, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,689.1 8 Months; January to August 1929. . . . . 999,012. (bd's‘cdrp’ etition) The decrease from 1923 to 1928 is about" 15°73 ‘ Our opifiidn'“ ' these results IS that, considering the service and the obsolete crease is no more than could be expected. carried stands at about the irreducible mini equipment, the de- Today the number of passengers mum. sewn...“ “nu-u. According to Mr. Harvey. the debentures outstanding against 1 ropoIiLan Division total $2,510,000.00, which debt Will be repaid with according to city by-laws covering the debentures issues by about 19‘ annual fixed charges for payment of interest and repayment of prii mounts to $271,542.00. For the relatively short period of nepaymer debt the annual principal payment would naturally be high. By ah the city will own the radial line free of debt. A railway line propel ated and maintained is in the nature of a continuing property. It s as valuable, if not more valuable, in 1940 than it is today. In 1940 ‘ual interest and sinking fund payment would be only for debenture p for improvements to the service between now and 1940. The anni , "17., . e . u u u v-nvI-LLC yaynncuw Ior improvements to the semce between now and 1940. The annual fixed charges are hea vy now on account of the comparatively early cancellation of the debt. We have not had time to make a detailed inventory and valuation of the existing Metropolitan line with al 1 equipment, property and facilities. In its present truncated formâ€"that is, minus the fourteen miles of the Schomberg line and the three miles on Yonge Street absorbed by the city system, we are of the opinion that the outstanding debentures of $2;51‘0‘,000.00 represents a valuation much greater than the actual or fair value of the line. The “fair value" of the railway line today, as a going concern, would be the cost of re- construction new less accrued depreciation. and less deductions for Obsolete en‘rrfm-nonf, and Infinian ecluippjgnt and buildihég The accrued depreciation would be heavy. In the “Clean-up Deal" of 1920, all the radials comprising the equal of some 96‘ miles of Single track, were purchased for $2,375,000.00. After nine years of‘ operation, the Metro. politan radial alone, comprising the equal of some 57 miles of single track, has debenture obligations of $2,510,000.00. Capital expenditures have been made, but the same cars are in operation. This figure of $2,510,000.00 is obviously much too high, considering the condition of the railway. If the “water” be taken out of the debenture obligations we do not think the fair value would exceed $950,000.00. “On this valuation. annual fixed charges ov- er a longer period of time would not exceed $85,000.00. This would reduce the annual fixed charges now charged against the Metropolitan radial from what it should properly carry, according to an approximate estimate of its valuation, by an amount of $186,500.00. As a result of this calculation, if $186,500.00 were deducted from the reâ€" ported deficit of $327,019.92 on the Metropolitan Division in 1927, the deficit would be reduced to $140,000.00. And~during this year there were extraord- inary expenses on account of changing the track gauge, etc., of $60,000.00. which under ordinary conditions would bring the deficit down to about $80,- 000.00. And this, with the high operating cost of antiquatedand worn-out equipment. Of course we appreciate the fact that the city has the annual fixed char“ ges to pay no matter what the conditions are relating to the railway line. The figures above quoted should be taken into consideration in considering the operation of the railway line on its own merits- . Our opinion is that if the service on the Metropolitan radial be improv- ‘ed by the purchase of new modern cars, by the co-ordination of a bus service to act as feeders to the railway line, and not in competition with it; and if the ‘line be given sympathetic operation and the competing motor coach lines be ‘removed, the revenue will considerably more than pay operating expenses. lAnd with an increase in the population and development that might be eX- ‘pected along the territory served, it has a good chance of meeting reasonable annual fixed charges. The uncertainty regarding the policy affecting the operation of the radial line has militated against the ,development of the area tributary to the radial; and with the uncertain conditions prevailing it is use- less for us to develop flow and mileage diagrams with future estimates Of revenue, operating expenses, etc. We are more interested at the present time in facts and figures as relating to the_past operation of the radial line and the present motor coach competing sex-Vice. In considering the route of the radial line. it is well to remember that large investments have been made in property and buildings along the line 0f the radial by reason of its operation. If a definite decision be made that the radial service will be improved and continued, it will, we believe, stimulate more development in the territory served and Will benefit the operation of the railway. v, _-...._.w,- molre development in the territory served and will benefit the operation of the nu way. Considering the question broadly, what will the City of Toronto gain by abandoning this line? The fixed charges, amounting to $271,542.00, will have to be paid anyway, whether the cars operate or not. In our opinion, a rehabilitated radial line with new cars, will considerably more than pay op- erating expenses. As a result. the city Will not lose any more money per annum by the operation of the line and the district served will greatly benefit The motor coach development is of such recent years, it should not be adopt- ed to replace the radial line in the present uncertain transportation period. Interurban electric lines have an assured place in the transportation field for fundamental reasons of economy and mass transportation, and the trend is not in the direction of replacing interurban lines with motor coach operation. Motor coaches are finding a wide field of service as feeders to railway lines and in the development of suburban districts where radial lines do not oper» ate. The City of Toronto surely has Metropolitan obligations beyond the city boundary. The city needs the good-will and business of the suburban districts, ,and the district tributary to this radial line. and similarly, this district needs the City of Toronto. The summer resort facilities at Lake Simcoe and Bond Lake are an asset to the City of Toronto, and will be a greater asset if cheap transportation be furnished on a modern electric rail‘ way. This service is especially valuable to those who cannot afford motor cars, If the radial line is abandoned, there will be a. loss to the city in that the people living in the territory near the radial line will not have the same economic access and business contact with the Toronto business and commer- cial interests. The T.T.C. city system also obtains a considerable amount of business from radial passengers, additional street car riders. when they come to and go from Toronto. In the case of the Mimico-New Toronto line, this additional traffic was estimated to equal $125,000.00 per year to the To. ronto system, and would be a considerable amount from the Metropolitan radial. In conclusion, we wish to state that if'the Metropolitan radial line con- tinues in operating, in our opinion the Railway should be operated by the To- ronto Transportation Qommission. The T.T.C. have the facilities, we think to make this railway line a success by cqâ€"relating the electric railway service with motor coach feeder service and city street cars. The T.T.C. have a splendid reputation for efficiency and successful management; and if the same efficiency and enthusiasm be applied by the T. T.C. in the operation of the Metropolitan Railway, we have no fears as to the ultimate success and serviceability of the railway. tdlals comprising the equal of some 96' miles of I for $2,375,000.00. After nine years of‘ operat alone, comprising the equal of some 57 miles 1 obligations of $2,510,000.00. _Capital expendit are in operation. Thi‘s figure‘iif $2,510;6Bb.vo5“i‘s' , considering the condition of the railway. If the the debenture qbligetioris we do not think the fair nnn AA «A THURSDAY. OCTOBER 3rd. 1929 tentures {Ssues by about 1940. The rest and repayment of principal a- y short pvn'od' of repayment of the naturally be} high. By about 1940 railway line properly oper- ng property. It should he 5 today. In 1940 the arm" fly for debenture payments 1940. The annual fixed ...... 1,969,800. - ~ - - - v ...... 1,7862. 2. ...... 1,7650 p; ...... 1,7505, 4. . . . . . . 1,689,772. 999,012. (b;k$'com ‘gtitiom . Our opinion"" these the Met- interest