Red Line

The Red Line is a Light Rail Line that is jointly owned by quadmooTransit (qT) and Kanton Light Rail (KLR). Internally, it is referred to the KLR Red Line

## History

### Perrito Wye

As part of the Brenton Line's construction, the Perrito Wye was constructed, with the third track initially opening out of revenue service in 1945, but opening to rush hour trains a year later in 1946. These rush hour trains, which headed from Brenton Terminal to Central Station, helped relieve pressure at 22 St, which was the first stop where passengers could cross over. In 1949, with the opening of the Sulky Terrace extension, the service was extended there too, and the service also expanded to all weekday hours. In 1950, this line was given the name "Perrito Line", after the wye it travelled on.

### Tinmead Caverns Shuttle and Foxwood Connection

In 1952, a single track shuttle opened to facilitate miners working at the Tinmead Mining Facility. In 1957, there were plans to open the miners line to the public while also redirecting it over the Perrito Wye. The line was retrofitted to have 2 tracks in 1958, along with Tinmead Caverns station being modified to have exits to the street, and to close off the direct entrances to the mines. In 1959, the line opened as the Tinmead Line, using a new elevated terminal at Foxwood. This station was accessed by a new connection called the Foxwood Connection.

### Light Rail Conversion and Later Works

In 1967, the Perrito Line closed as it saw lowering ridership and it was the cause of delays on the Tinmead Line. There were plans to convert the Tinmead Line into light rail, as well as extending it to Metro Center across a new bridge. The bridge opened in 1970, along with the extension. Light rail conversion concluded in 1976, with the line being renamed to the Red Line. In 1978, as part of the Guild Blvd renovation project, the Red and Brenton Lines were suspended. For the Red Line, this involved installing separate platforms from the Brenton Line. In 1981, there were talks of a Red Line extension across the Harbor Straight, and for it to use the Mercer Island Bridge, which was also in planning stages. In 1987, the Mercer Island Bridge opened, and it included a right of way for Red Line trains to use the Bridge. In 1990, the line was temporarily expanded to Metro Center, and the full extension opened in 1991. In 1994, the line was expanded again to Central Station, using the previously disused outer tracks on the Chimata Elevated. 1997 saw yet another expansion to Faymere Green station, which also saw the opening of the new depot for Mycelium Line and Red Line trains. In 1999, the Town Centre Revival Project was brought up, which sought to revive the old Town Centre Branch of the Westercoast Valley Line, which had been disused for over 100 years. In preperation for the project, the Red Line was extended to Westercoast that same year. In 2001, the Red Line was expanded to Westercoast Town Centre station, using the same brick viaduct from the 17th Century.

### Modern Expansions and the Red Line Project

In 2006, there were plans to link the commercial hub at Bridge Street to the nearby hiking destination at Greystone National Park. Though the Kanton Mainline did serve the park, service was limited. In 2009, the National Park branch opened, which ran above Greystone Avenue. It made an intermediate stop at Catorce Gorge, which was named after a nearby bar, before heading into Greystone Park. The Red Line took over the National Park Branch, while the Town Centre Branch became the Green Line. In 2011, the Red Line Project was announced, which would divert the Red Line to the northern part of Foxwood. As well as providing service, the expansion also sought to put the Mira Bridge into disuse, due to it's questionable structural integrity. In 2012, the track provisions were made at both ends. In 2013, the Red Line Project was finished, though didn't open until 2014. The new stations included, Vortex, Redwood, and Podzol Shore, the latter of which was considered as a station as far back as 1993. In 2019, the Red Line was temporarily suspended, as the Perrito Wye was being deconstructed and replaced with a smoother and more structurally supported bridge. The Bridge was completed in 2020, when the line also opened.