The Montreal Metro subway went into operation in 1967, the year of Expo. Bus tickets were coated with a magnetic strip, but the transfers were punched with hole

The Montreal Metro subway went into operation in 1967, the year of Expo. Bus tickets were coated with a magnetic strip, but the transfers were punched with holes like computer paper tape. The holes represented the date and time the transfer had been issued. I gathered discarded transfers, studying the pattern of holes. Within a week, I had identified the coding scheme. To test my theory one day after school, I took a transfer that had been issued in the morning, taped some holes shut to represent the current time, and marched up to a turnstyle. With my heart pounding, I shoved the doctored transfer into the slot. Clunk! went the machine as it accepted the transfer and released the gate. What a thrill! I was a hit with my classmates as I issued them with counterfeit tickets. The amount saved was minor. It was the fun of outwitting the system that gave me satisfaction. I prepared a template from a folded strip of tin can. I pre-drilled all the positions, then used a 5/32" bit to punch out daily transfers. The grinding soon enlarged the holes to the point where they were out of registration, so I ordered a custom punch from the U.S.