Montréal Transit Developments

[Urban Sky]

Interesting article from 2019 that pretty much summarises all the concerns some folks had regarding REM's effect on the EXO network.

All the criticisms were voiced as soon as the REM proposal fell from the sky (on April 22, 2016) as the new gospel and god’s own words.

Article mentions something about an A40 station acting as the new station for VIA HFR. First time hearing about this.

REM will kill Mascouche commuter train, critics predict

"Without a direct connection to downtown, a lot of people are probably going to end up taking their car."

montrealgazette.com

Yes, it was studied, but there simply isn’t enough space at A40 station to duplicate all the facilities to act as an intercity rail terminus. Plus, the access to MMC (with switch of direction at Ahuntsic station and then right through Taschereau Yard) would have been extremely awkward…

 

[Bojaxs]

Yes, it was studied, but there simply isn’t enough space at A40 station to duplicate all the facilities to act as an intercity rail terminus. Plus, the access to MMC (with switch of direction at Ahuntsic station and then right through Taschereau Yard) would have been extremely awkward…

So then what does this mean for VIA rail's HFR going into Montreal? I'm assuming there's no longer any room for Via's trains at Gare Centrale.

 

[nfitz]

So then what does this mean for VIA rail's HFR going into Montreal? I'm assuming there's no longer any room for Via's trains at Gare Centrale.

There's plenty of room at Central Station. Most of the platforms are still solely used by VIA.

It's the line from Central Station, through the tunnel, to TMR (Canora) that's the issue.

 

[ARG1]

So then what does this mean for VIA rail's HFR going into Montreal? I'm assuming there's no longer any room for Via's trains at Gare Centrale.

As @nfitz pointed out, the problem isn't platform capacity at GC, but rather where the train goes from there. Realistically GC will only be used for terminating, so both as the terminus of the line when Phase 1 is finished (without QC), and for trains from Toronto that won't be going all the way to QC (I doubt that every train will run the full length, and that we'll see equal headways on both TOR <--> MTL and MTL <--> QBC). For trains that are passing through Montreal, they will likely just stop at a new station at Canora or something, and force people to transfer to the REM. Its by no means ideal but its also not the worst thing in the world (its not worse than the situation Ottawa has itself in).

 

[Urban Sky]

For trains that are passing through Montreal, they will likely just stop at a new station at Canora or something, and force people to transfer to the REM. Its by no means ideal but its also not the worst thing in the world (its not worse than the situation Ottawa has itself in).

I’m sorry to say this, but you have no firm grasp of what you are talking about. Having trains to Ottawa and Toronto depart from two different “downtown” stations is a horrible idea (and much worse than anything the people unlucky enough to travel to/from Ottawa must endure), as every single of these trains should stop at Gare Centrale under all circumstances. Where passengers travelling from Quebec City disembark for Montreal or connect for Ottawa/Toronto is an entirely secondary question. As any look at the gravity model will confirm, MTRL-OTTW/TRTO is the cake and QBEC-OTTW/TRTO are the crumbs and the latter should never be allowed to take the former hostage. If people in Quebec City don’t like transferring in Montreal, they may complain to the morons who surrendered the Mont-Royal tunnel to the CDPQi and are now standing empty-handed…

 

[Bojaxs]

For trains that are passing through Montreal, they will likely just stop at a new station at Canora or something, and force people to transfer to the REM. Its by no means ideal but its also not the worst thing in the world (its not worse than the situation Ottawa has itself in).

How is this NOT worst than Ottawa? I took VIA rail from Union Station to Tremblay on only one train.

You're saying I have to switch from one VIA rail train to another in the middle of Montreal to continue on from Union Station to QC? That's a big problem. I would rather fly than take the train if that's what's being suggested.