The Toronto-Barrie Toll Cable

U R I N G 1937 a 60-mile toll cable was completed between Toronto and Barrie which, in several respects, is unique. Among the interesting features in the design and construction of this toll cable were the use of non-quadded exchange cable and loading, a 60-mile repeater spacing, planning for future carrier operation, and extended pole spacings. Prior to the installation of this toll cable, the territory to the north and northwest of Toronto was served by three open-wire pole lines. Figure 1 shows these lines and the territory served by them. The Toronto-Owen Sound lead entering Toronto through a 7-mile entrance cable was poorly located in towns and on highways, and was paralleled by power lines which caused considerable noise on the longer circuits. The Toronto-Collingwood and Toronto-Barrie lines, which were common for some distance north of Toronto on a 6- and 5-arm lead, entered Toronto through an 11-mile entrance cable which had been in place about four years, and contained a number of spare conductors due to its having been designed for two additional lines. It was realized that, if open wire were to be continued, circuit growth would require a new line arranged for carrier operation and a general rebuilding, rerouting and retransposing for carrier operation of the existing lines. In addition, carrier operation would necessitate expensive carrier loading of the entrance cables at Toronto, and the length of these entrance cables would limit the length of the carrier circuits for operation without intermediate repeater stations.