Commuter rail and transit developments in Montreal

[Bonser]

So, AMT (the commuter rail) is being partly taken over by a subsidiary of the Quebec Pension Fund ("Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec") for the REM ("Reseau Electrique Metropolitain") project to build a number of frequent electric routes. AMT already owns the Deux-Montanges line, which is electrified, and this is the trunk of the planned network.

Quebec: Pension fund turns passenger rail operator - Railway Age

Anyway, the news: CPDQ has now purchased from CN the viaduct ("Viaduc du Sud") heading south out of Central Station, as part of this.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...view/view/montreal-light-metro-agreement.html

Amtrak and VIA both run into Central Station on this viaduct. It'll be good to have it in the hands of a public transport operator -- and electrified. Even if it's only for a short distance out of Central Station.

Now all we need is an Amtrak train going into Central Station again.

 

[jiml]

Apparently thousands turned up to ride for the first time.

 

[jis]

Pretty good coverage by Reece Martin on this new system. He also has another recent video that covers each of the stations.

I always though Montreal's Metro was one of the nicer ones in North America, now they have another system they can be proud of.

Suffice it to say the traditionalists are going nuts about it, having conniptions and losing sleep. How dare they take away the right of way from a slow infrequent trundling classical railroad and replace it with a frequent convenient service

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Pretty good coverage by Reece Martin on this new system. He also has another recent video that covers each of the stations.

I didn't post that one since he used the Anglo-Colonial spelling of Amtrak.... (Amtrack????)

 

[Fenway]

The first day of revenue service didn't go well...................

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/montrea...down-on-1st-official-day-of-service-1.6500552
Montreal's new light-rail transit system had a bumpy debut on its first full day of operation as a problem with the track forced a shutdown at the height of the morning rush hour.

The Reseau express metropolitain, or REM, officially launched Monday for paying passengers after more than 120,000 people tried out the system for free over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the REM said a switch problem on the tracks caused service to shut down at around 8 a.m. before it resumed at around 9:15 a.m.

"There was a technical problem on a switch. It's part of the tracks of the REM, it was a situation that needed a field team to repair it," Jean-Vincent Lacroix said.

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/rem-montreal-day-one-service-interruption-delay
https://globalnews.ca/news/9867196/montreal-rem-launch-glitch/

 

[Fenway]

Unfortunate first revenue rush hour after months of testing

 

[Fenway]

This is a massive fail for 2023

l

 

[jis]

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/montreals-rem-experiences-bumpy-first-day/

 

[Tlcooper44]

This is a massive fail for 2023

l

I roll my eyes any time anyone complains about train noise.

Everyone in North American cities is allergic to train noise but to some, your average road, and all the noise associated with it, isn’t a problem.

 

[Fenway]

CDPQ Infra, which owns the REM, didn't provide an explanation as to what caused the incident.

"The team on the ground is confident that such an event is exceptional and will not happen again," a spokesperson wrote in an email to CTV News.

"Passengers were safe inside the train at all times. As soon as our operators spotted the passengers, they were immediately taken care of and returned to their destination."

The mishap has left a bad taste in Grégoire's mouth.

"What can I say? Things happen. No harm done, but it's quite shocking to see. What can happen next?" he said.

"To be honest, OK, it's brand new, it's fun, but I prefer to take my car."

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/montrea...s-passengers-stranded-in-the-garage-1.6503335

 

[fdaley]

CDPQ Infra, which owns the REM, didn't provide an explanation as to what caused the incident.

"The team on the ground is confident that such an event is exceptional and will not happen again," a spokesperson wrote in an email to CTV News.

"Passengers were safe inside the train at all times. As soon as our operators spotted the passengers, they were immediately taken care of and returned to their destination."

The mishap has left a bad taste in Grégoire's mouth.

"What can I say? Things happen. No harm done, but it's quite shocking to see. What can happen next?" he said.

"To be honest, OK, it's brand new, it's fun, but I prefer to take my car."

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/montrea...s-passengers-stranded-in-the-garage-1.6503335

OMG we are off to a bad start. "What can happen next?"

 

[Fenway]

OMG we are off to a bad start. "What can happen next?"

https://globalnews.ca/news/9872577/rem-montreals-light-rail-system-disruptions/

 

[jis]

Sounds almost like Amtrak

 

[Caesar La Rock]

Sounds almost like Amtrak

To be fair, Amtrak isn't brand new. I bet if they were, the samething happening with the REM would also happen to them.

 

[jis]

To be fair, Amtrak isn't brand new. I bet if they were, the samething happening with the REM would also happen to them.

Yeah. I was just being a bit tongue in the cheek there, as I find this apparent excessive bellyaching about a few teething troubles a bit over the top. But that might just be me.

 

[Fenway]

Of course Miles rode the REM

 

[Caesar La Rock]

Of course Miles rode the REM

It seems to me everybody rode it, Reece who is RM Transit on Youtube makes a hilarious cameo in the video. Going to make that something to see for myself in the near future.

 

[Tlcooper44]

I’m in Toronto these days. I’d love to ride it if I get the chance; looks like a fantastic system - issues aside.

 

[Fenway]

Yeah. I was just being a bit tongue in the cheek there, as I find this apparent excessive bellyaching about a few teething troubles a bit over the top. But that might just be me.

The REM has been running a full schedule for months without passengers and then had the free preview last weekend with no issues.

I don't think you can rule out gremlins popping up from union factions upset over the automation who perhaps waited for revenue service to begin.

The lack of English signage and announcements is a way of life in the province of Quebec. In Miles' video, the only English seen on the REM concerned wheelchairs and that might be a national requirement.

I hope REM works.

https://rem.info/en

 

[BlackDiamond]

It's odd that the media keeps calling this a "light rail" system when it is anything but. More of a Metro verging on commuter rail.

 

[Exvalley]

As an EV owner, I am very impressed with the charging infrastructure on this line. The Brossard station has 60 level 2 chargers. Level 2 works perfectly, since you can fully charge your car while you are downtown for the day.

 

[Exvalley]

I roll my eyes any time anyone complains about train noise.

I am sympathetic to this guy. I know that the REM line is for the greater good, but there are definitely some negative impacts.

 

[Exvalley]

I had a chance to ride the small open section of the RER today. (I believe that Rome was built faster than the RER.)

I was extremely impressed. Everything felt incredibly modern and the ride was very smooth.

My one complaint is that the front jump seats are obscured by large plastic humps.

The Brossard Station had ample free parking and 60 EV chargers, which was a welcome site to this EV owner. The route from Brossard is a bit serpentine, but it felt overall fairly competitive with driving.

I stayed overnight at the Courtyard hotel that is a short walk from the RER. They have free parking as well, so it’s a nice option to stay somewhere well connected to downtown.

When the system is fully built out, it will truly be a world class light rail system.

And just in case you thought that Moynihan lines were long, here is a photo of Gare Central.

 

[Tlcooper44]

I had a chance to ride the small open section of the RER today. (I believe that Rome was built faster than the RER.)

I was extremely impressed. Everything felt incredibly modern and the ride was very smooth.

My one complaint is that the front jump seats are obscured by large plastic humps.

The Brossard Station had ample free parking and 60 EV chargers, which was a welcome site to this EV owner. The route from Brossard is a bit serpentine, but it felt overall fairly competitive with driving.

I stayed overnight at the Courtyard hotel that is a short walk from the RER. They have free parking as well, so it’s a nice option to stay somewhere well connected to downtown.

When the system is fully built out, it will truly be a world class light rail system.

And just in case you thought that Moynihan lines were long, here is a photo of Gare Central.

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Great report - and gorgeous pictures! The trains look fantastic.

Interesting hearing about the parking situation. Undoubtedly a good thing for some. Did you feel that the ample free parking at all negtively impacted the land use surrounding the station, or was it a necessary thing.

 

[Exvalley]

I’d say that they are trying to strike the right balance. The next station on the line has a new massive mixed use development with lots of apartments, restaurants and stores all of which are very walkable from the train station.