Montréal Transit Developments

[nfitz]

First, REM is a subway /Metro in every definition of the word, Eglinton is an LRT.

The REM website literally calls it "Light Rail". The Eglinton East extension website literally calls it "Subway". There's all sorts of definitions we can throw at things - but surely the local branding is paramount.

Second, GO will not be near as successful in Toronto as REM will be in Montreal because GO has no fare integration with the TTC.

I'd think that a bigger reason would be more convenient station locations and interchanges between Bois-Franc and Griffintown, as well as better frequencies on the central section. I'd be very surprised if we don't see reinstatement of fare integration between TTC and GO by 2030 - perhaps even equal fares. Though all the new central Toronto GO stations will significantly increase demand.

That's all fine and good, but I guess you missed the part where I said this:

I saw it - but I wasn't counting stations - just kilometres.

 

[Xav]

Mont-Royal metro becomes 20th accessible station on the network!

'So much more freedom': Mont-Royal becomes Montreal's 20th accessible métro station

"I used to take it when I was walking — now I can take it while I’m not," said wheelchair user Marie-Eve Veilleux.

montrealgazette.com

11 more stations are currently having elevators installed (opening from 2022 to 2025), with 4 more projects being planned to start soon. By 2025 a little less than half the network will be fully accessible, including all terminal (except Saint-Michel, because it won't be a terminal after the Blue line extension) and interchange stops.

 

[nfitz]

By 2025 a little less than half the network will be fully accessible, including all terminal (except Saint-Michel, because it won't be a terminal after the Blue line extension) and interchange stops.

I hadn't realize the Blue Line extension was going to be opened by 2025! I've lost track on that - is this the one-station extension to Pie-IX, or the the full 5-station extension to Anjou? Presumably the tunnelling has begun to at least Pie-IX.

Hopefully, they are thinking about the bigger picture too; I came out of the supposedly accessible Bonaventure station with an unusually large suitcase just before Covid - and while getting from the station to the Concourse was easy - I couldn't figure out the path to Central Station. Perhaps I zigged instead of zagging, and missed the signage.

 

[Xav]

I hadn't realize the Blue Line extension was going to be opened by 2025! I've lost track on that - is this the one-station extension to Pie-IX, or the the full 5-station extension to Anjou? Presumably the tunnelling has begun to at least Pie-IX.

I love your optimism. Unfortunately it's only going to open in 2029. Maybe STM should have included Saint-Michel in their plans had they known about all the delays (the current phase of the Accessibility program covers 2017-2025 and does not include that station). It is in the "higher complexity" category, which means retrofit costs more than 18M. Mont-Royal is also in that category.

Hopefully, they are thinking about the bigger picture too; I came out of the supposedly accessible Bonaventure station with an unusually large suitcase just before Covid - and while getting from the station to the Concourse was easy - I couldn't figure out the path to Central Station. Perhaps I zigged instead of zagging, and missed the signage.

Hehe, that's because that elevator project was done by Exo, since it connects to a metropolitan bus terminal. Not the same program, not the same budgets, not the same care for design apparently. Sucks that it's one of the more important stations in the city.

 

[felix123]

Phases de test | Le REM traverse le pont Samuel-De Champlain pour la première fois

CDPQ Infra a annoncé mercredi soir qu’un wagon du futur Réseau express métropolitain (REM) a traversé pour la première fois le pont Samuel-De Champlain, à quelques mois de l’ouverture prévue de l’antenne de la Rive-Sud.

www.lapresse.ca

REM crosses the Samuel de Champlain bridge for the first time. Considering that this phase of the line is set to open this fall, I was a little surprised that this is only the first time, though there does not seem to be any indication that there will be a delay.

 

[Allandale25]

REM arrives at the Central Station for the first time! - Julien Hurel on LinkedIn

REM arrives at the Central Station for the first time!...

www.linkedin.com

 

[nfitz]

Phases de test | Le REM traverse le pont Samuel-De Champlain pour la première fois

CDPQ Infra a annoncé mercredi soir qu’un wagon du futur Réseau express métropolitain (REM) a traversé pour la première fois le pont Samuel-De Champlain, à quelques mois de l’ouverture prévue de l’antenne de la Rive-Sud.

www.lapresse.ca

REM crosses the Samuel de Champlain bridge for the first time. Considering that this phase of the line is set to open this fall, I was a little surprised that this is only the first time, though there does not seem to be any indication that there will be a delay.

I'm surprised. Line 5 Eglinton (Crosstown) has been running the full length since November 2021 - and the opening in at least 2023 (if not later).

This sounds like Ottawa all over again, without an adequate full-service test period.

 

[NoahB]

I'm surprised. Line 5 Eglinton (Crosstown) has been running the full length since November 2021 - and the opening in at least 2023 (if not later).

This sounds like Ottawa all over again, without an adequate full-service test period.

They have been testing the trains since December 2020 between Brossard station and Milan Boulevard. The trains should be fine and now they are testing the track.

 

[felix123]

I'm surprised. Line 5 Eglinton (Crosstown) has been running the full length since November 2021 - and the opening in at least 2023 (if not later).

This sounds like Ottawa all over again, without an adequate full-service test period.

My thought is that of the 2 potential negative outcomes, the tight testing schedule for REM is more likely to result in a delay, rather than major failures at opening, as was the case with Ottawa.
What gives me hope is that REM is about 95% similar to Sydney Metro, same fully automated trains, automated signalling, same mix of converted, existing rail lines (irrelevant until the next phase) + new construction, platform screen doors etc. On that point, Sydney Metro did not complete full testing of the line until 5 months prior to opening and did not have major issues at opening.
The Ottawa transit thread indicates multiple points of failure but the gist is that a low-capacity system was made to act as a high-capacity one.
In any case, we shall see at the end of this year.

They have been testing the trains since December 2020 between Brossard station and Milan Boulevard. The trains should be fine and now they are testing the track.

Good point, though it still seems like a short timeframe to me for the the bridge to gare centrale section. Regardless of my thoughts on testing, I do hope REM is a success, and that it runs quickly like the existing métro does.

 

[nfitz]

They have been testing the trains since December 2020 between Brossard station and Milan Boulevard. The trains should be fine and now they are testing the track.

I wouldn't have thought that it would be either the trains or the track (or the power systems) that would be the weak points - it's the signals and controls system.

Look at Waterloo, they were testing the cars on the track before they'd even installed the ATC systems in the cars! Line 5 has had trains running on part of it since 2019.Line 6 already has single cars running on part of it already (I'm not sure there's been any sightings of trains yet).

Still seems fast to me - especially while the lessons of Ottawa are still being assimilated.

 

[p_xavier]

December 1st 2022 is a placeholder date for the REM. There's lots of - if all testing is conclusive - throughout the text on their website. I would not be surprised if it's pushed back to April 2023. I'm still really mad about the cancelling of the REM de l'Est, hopefully that the province will see that the ARTM/city of Montréal are a bunch of incompetents and will restart the project.

 

[felix123]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1558162958542376960

Recent, short video of a REM test.

 

[felix123]

Great walkthrough by Reece Martin.
A cool feature he explains is how the train-car capacity indicators will work. I had thought capacity would simply be shown on the typical info screens in the station, but in fact there are indicators built into the wall above corresponding platform screen doors.

 

[NoahB]

The REM team uploaded a video today announcing that launch beams Anne and Marie have finished their work.

Video in French.

 

[felix123]

I don't know how much, if any clout the 2 urban development organizations named in the article have, but they are pushing for the REM de l'Est (if it ever actually goes ahead) to maintain its initially-planned direct connection with the downtown core.
For context, the REM de l'Est was scrapped because a group of nimbys crushed the project, and now they have no train at all. The QC gov took over the project from the CDPQi, and their amended plan sees the line terminating east of the city centre, as a connection to the Metro Green line.

There's A Proposal For A New REM Line In Montreal & It Looks A Lot Like The 'Pink Line'

Here's where it would go.

www.mtlblog.com

Edit: I've added a link that outlines the proposal in more detail: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/groups-...treal-s-eastern-rem-light-rail-line-1.6042371