Since opening in November 2002, the Sheppard Station has been providing fast, reliable service to five subway stations running under Sheppard Avenue East, between Yonge Street and Don Mills Road. Trains run every five to six minutes. All stations on the Sheppard Subway have elevators and are fully-accessible.

Sheppard Station, served by both the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway and Sheppard Subway, is now called Sheppard-Yonge Station. A new fully-staffed entrance to Sheppard-Yonge Station is open, with access from the north and south sides of Sheppard Avenue West, near Beecroft Road. At Sheppard-Yonge Station, Leslie Station, and Don Mills Station, all buses enter the fare-paid area for a convenient transfer between bus and subway.

THE CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGE
The Toronto Sheppard Subway Line was constructed through a densely populated residential area. There was a requirement to construct an economical track tie system with minimum vibration transmission.

THE PROJECT
The precast concrete double tie option was able to meet the criteria. The precast work required the double precast rail ties to be designed to sit on the concrete tunnel structure via four circular elastomer pads each 300mm in diameter and 75mm thick. These pads, the size of giant hockey pucks isolate the vibration of the rails and rail ties from the subway structure as the subway trains pass over to dampen the vibrations.

The ties were lowered down into the subway tunnel via a number of portals along the route. Each double rail tie was then moved into position with a forklift truck. The ties were butted end to end for the length of the tunnel. This meant the ties had to be manufactured to exacting tolerances due to the potential cumulative effect over the entire length of the tunnel.

THE TRIUMPH
State-of-the-Art precast design in conjunction with isolation bearing pads provided the ideal solution allowing speedy construction with minimal disturbance to the surrounding neighbors.

THE DETAILS
Precast concrete double rail ties: 8012 units
High early strength concrete: 8000 meters
Reinforcing steel: 850 tones

Contractor/Owner: Toronto Transit Commission
Precaster: RES Precast Inc