TTC Line 2 signalling upgrade awarded to Hitachi

The TTC Line 2 signalling upgrade will bring Hitachi Rail’s SelTrac communications-based train control system to Toronto’s Bloor-Danforth subway, targeting greater capacity, reliability and operational flexibility.

The Toronto Transit Commission has awarded the contract to Hitachi Rail Canada, which will replace the line’s fixed-block signalling with a system that continuously tracks train positions and automatically manages speed and separation. The TTC contract announcement⁠ says this should allow shorter headways, more frequent service and fewer signal-related delays. Comparable automatic train control has operated on Line 1 Yonge-University since 2022. 

TTC Line 2 signalling upgrade begins with Toronto engineering

Hitachi Rail will design, test and deliver the technology from its Canadian headquarters in Toronto. Work is scheduled to begin in 2026, while initial design and engineering will continue through 2028. Installation will then proceed in phases, with completion planned for 2037.

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The company’s Scarborough operation serves as its global signalling competence centre and employs more than 1,100 people. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the project is also expected to support 200 local jobs. 

Hitachi Rail says SelTrac could increase Line 2 capacity by up to 40% compared with current peak levels. The existing route covers 26.2 kilometres and serves 31 stations, while the Scarborough Subway Extension will add another 7.8 kilometres to the east-west corridor. 

TTC Line 2 signalling upgrade replaces 1960s technology

The project will retire signalling equipment that has operated since Line 2 opened in 1966, as the TTC prepares the route for new subway trains and long-term ridership growth. CBTC provides more precise real-time information than conventional fixed blocks, allowing controllers to manage service more closely while preserving safe train separation.

SelTrac was developed in Toronto approximately 50 years ago and is now used on major urban rail networks, including New York’s Flushing Line, parts of the London Underground and Singapore’s North-South and East-West lines. Hitachi Rail is also investing C$100 million in its next-generation SelTrac platform, including AI, 5G and advanced algorithms. 

The TTC said it will publish project updates and notify riders before any planned closures or service changes during the phased implementation.