Montréal Transit Developments

[NoahB]

I see nobody posted these so here they are.

REM officials say the south leg is on track to open on time. Opening in 'weeks'.

Montreal's much-delayed REM almost ready to roll, officials say

Here's everything you need to know about the $6.9-billion train network that will eventually be almost as long as Montreal's métro.

montrealgazette.com

Exo hopes to relocate buses from the Champlain Bridge to increase service on the South Shore. 25 bus routes will connect with the South Shore stations. This change can be done with a flip of a switch that will be timed with the REM opening.

REM will free up buses to serve thousands of new South Shore riders: Exo official

Roughly 20,000 people who currently have no access to local bus lines or live too far away to make them convenient will soon have a transit option.

montrealgazette.com

CBC goes to Brossard Station

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2197062723865

CAQ Transport Minister promises that the Rem East 'will happen' by the next election in 2026. They clarified saying that is when they will probably finalize the details of the project. More information is expected in June after a committee report. That report would have the choice of mode and route. They call the project Projet structurant de l’Est, or PSE.

REM de l'Est will happen by 2026 election, transport minister pledges

“It’s sure, sure, sure” the project will go ahead, Geneviève Guilbault said, but would not commit to a timeline for “shovels in the ground.”

montrealgazette.com

Random redditer get's night footage of the REM train on the Champlain Bridge

https://www.reddit.com/r/montreal/comments/12mku3j

 

[drum118]

Montreal light rail plans summer opening, promises no more delays - Trains

MONTREAL — The first segment of the much-delayed Réseau express métropolitain light rail system will open this summer, says the head of operations for the company building the 42-mile, 26-station system. The Montreal Gazette reports Denis Andlauer, vice-president of operations for CDPQ Infra...

www.trains.com

 

[just east of the creek]

I am in Montreal again and was crossing the Champlain Bridge today a couple of times and was lucky enough to be passed by a REM both times - testing I am sure. I was in traffic so it was hard to gauge speed, but both units appeared to be moving at speed. Can I ask what the posted speed limits for the REM will be, or perhaps just an average speed? And does anyone know how those speeds might compare to the projects currently under development (endlessly in some cases) in Toronto? And apologies if this has been discussed, just point me in the direction.Thanks

 

[treplow]

I see nobody posted these so here they are.

REM officials say the south leg is on track to open on time. Opening in 'weeks'.

Montreal's much-delayed REM almost ready to roll, officials say

Here's everything you need to know about the $6.9-billion train network that will eventually be almost as long as Montreal's métro.

montrealgazette.com

“We want to make sure we offer dependable service from Day One — that means it doesn’t break down and it serves customers the way we want to serve them,” Andlauer said.

Wonder if this is a dig at Ottawa's LRT.

 

[NoahB]

“We want to make sure we offer dependable service from Day One — that means it doesn’t break down and it serves customers the way we want to serve them,” Andlauer said.

Wonder if this is a dig at Ottawa's LRT.

It most likely is.

 

[NoahB]

I am in Montreal again and was crossing the Champlain Bridge today a couple of times and was lucky enough to be passed by a REM both times - testing I am sure. I was in traffic so it was hard to gauge speed, but both units appeared to be moving at speed. Can I ask what the posted speed limits for the REM will be, or perhaps just an average speed? And does anyone know how those speeds might compare to the projects currently under development (endlessly in some cases) in Toronto? And apologies if this has been discussed, just point me in the direction.Thanks

From the REM site:

The average speed in motion will be 51 km/h. The REM will be able to reach its maximum speed of 100 km/h at a number of locations, such as on the Samuel De Champlain Bridge and on the West Island.

It says that they will reach the max 100 km/h speed on the Champlain Bridge. This probably be when catching up after a delay. Trains rarely run at max speed as part of regular service for wear and tear reasons.

For comparison, the Crosstown's Flexity Freedom will have a max of 80km/h. But In operation, it has a 60km/h limit according to the EA. The train will be allowed to reach 80km/h in the tunnels and 60km/h on-street. But the average (these always include stop times) will be about 28km/h.

In Vancouver, Expo and Millennium Lines average 40 km/h; Canada Line averages 32 km/h but reaches 80km/h in certain sections. It can go up to 90km/h in 'catch-up mode'

Montreal Metro has a top speed of 72km/h but averages 40km/h.

Toronto Subways average about 32km/h, max vehicle speed of 88km/h, and max service speed of 75 km/h.

The REM's average will always be higher because of the large station spacing.

 

[p_xavier]

Another delay for the REM, but it's in days or couple of weeks. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/...ise-en-service-du-rem-de-nouveau-reportee.php

 

[NoahB]

Why parking at Kirkland REM station will be off-limits for some West Islanders

The City of Kirkland's plan to create 200 parking spots at its REM station—reserved solely for its residents—is not sitting well with neighbouring West Island communities. The REM station, located at Jean-Yves Street and Sainte-Marie Road, is part of Montreal's light rail system, which has been...

montreal.ctvnews.ca

The Mayor of Beaconsfield is not happy that the Kirkland Station's 200 parking spots are reserved only for Kirkland residents. Says the bus service in his area isn't good enough to be usable to get to the REM station. Says people will just use the Exo instead because of the inconvenience of not having enough parking. Was hoping for a thousand spots.

---
It boggles my mind that someone would think parking is "critical" for a commuter metro. When even a 1000 parking spots would at most fill two trains, you need more ways to get them to the station that doesn't involve storing a 2-ton machine for the whole day.

This guy is the mayor. Maybe he can spend more time advocating for improved bus service? There will be bus loops at Kirkland and Anse-à-l'Orme stations.

 

[ARG1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1663935245266173952

 

[Northern Light]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1663935245266173952

Not a great take from Jonathan.

Yes, costs are too high on our projects, and I've explained some of why that is in the recent past, so I won't be repetitive.

In the case of REM there are multiple factors at play.

- Lower per hour passenger capacity vs Ontario Line (REM - 12,000-14,000 per hour vs OL at ~30,000)
- Existing ROW for much of the route (far less land costs)
- A very sweet deal from the gov't controlled pension fund building it.
- Majority of the line is above-ground/elevated.

Let's note the REM extension through DT Montreal was nixed, because people would not tolerate that over a main street in downtown.

The costs were also considerably higher already, when you didn't have a pre-existing ROW in place.

 

[ARG1]

Not a great take from Jonathan.

Yes, costs are too high on our projects, and I've explained some of why that is in the recent past, so I won't be repetitive.

In the case of REM there are multiple factors at play.

- Lower per hour passenger capacity vs Ontario Line (REM - 12,000-14,000 per hour vs OL at ~30,000)
- Existing ROW for much of the route (far less land costs)
- A very sweet deal from the gov't controlled pension fund building it.
- Majority of the line is above-ground/elevated.

Let's note the REM extension through DT Montreal was nixed, because people would tolerate that over a main street in downtown.

The costs were also considerably higher already, when you didn't have a pre-existing ROW in place.

Ye, I do wonder if a better comparison would be GO Expansion when that final cost is calculated (although I imagine a 10 year time gap could make comparisons tricky)

 

[Steve X]

It’s more like an upgrade or major overhaul than something entirely new.

 

[nfitz]

I'd be shocked if those REM numbers include the new span over the St. Lawrence River. Yeah, it was part of the new bridge construction, but the LRT is on separate spans than the two spans for the "north" and "southbound" traffic. And the piers wouldn't have had to be as expensive either.

 

[robmausser]

Not a great take from Jonathan.

Yes, costs are too high on our projects, and I've explained some of why that is in the recent past, so I won't be repetitive.

In the case of REM there are multiple factors at play.

- Lower per hour passenger capacity vs Ontario Line (REM - 12,000-14,000 per hour vs OL at ~30,000)
- Existing ROW for much of the route (far less land costs)
- A very sweet deal from the gov't controlled pension fund building it.
- Majority of the line is above-ground/elevated.

Let's note the REM extension through DT Montreal was nixed, because people would not tolerate that over a main street in downtown.

The costs were also considerably higher already, when you didn't have a pre-existing ROW in place.

Yeah right? haha, just make sure your city has an already built tunnel through the heart of it to inherit. Then transit will be cheap.

 

[robmausser]

Ye, I do wonder if a better comparison would be GO Expansion when that final cost is calculated (although I imagine a 10 year time gap could make comparisons tricky)

Yes exactly. GO Expansion is a better comparison, but its being built piecemeal so its apple and oranges to compare.