Chris_the_traveller

The accident is quite unfortunate and seems like it was very avoidable. The historic catenary will probably be dismantled as a result. exo is saying the CRRC bilevels will go into service on the St-Jerome line in 2023, at which time the 700s will be retired from the Candiac line. Any word on what cars will get sent to the Candiac line? Since there are only 4 cab cars in the 2000 series, and the Candiac line needs 4 train sets, which wouldn't leave any spare cab cars leftover, I would guess the 3000s will make their return to the Candiac line. But I don't have any official info.

Strange though that they electrified on that section of track though. Were they sure that no double-stacks would need to pass there? (here's a video of the location)

Does anyone know why Gare Ahuntsic did not get a high platform for its main platform? I thought this track was considered a siding where there shouldn’t be any freight trains.

With the STM's huge deficits, and the province pressuring the STM to reduce their expenses, could we see 3-car MR-73 trains come back to the blue line in 2022 in order to save on operating costs?

At the vast majority of VIA stations, passengers can wait on the platform. At Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec, the high platforms can be dangerous if unattended. People have fallen in the space between the train and the platform before and been trapped. It's very important that the correct ramp be used according to the type of train car, and that the ramp is correctly installed. And at Toronto Union, the platform number could change up to quite soon before departure, so it's preferable for people to wait inside the concourse. Also, it's preferable to not have crowds of people close to moving trains.

Sounds like an interesting operation! Thanks for the info. Moving each of the 12 MR-90s that were being used (plus any spares) by truck must have been an expensive endeavour. I hope exo can repurpose them for another line, or sell them.

Looks like exo launched a tender to dispose of the MR-90s. Anyone have any information about this tender?

I came across this tweet and news article dated November 1, 2019, that recount how exo used a diesel train to cross the Mount Royal tunnel. I assume they took a train set from the St Hilaire or Mascouche lines.

Does Galland currently operate all of the Tremblant services?

Here are some initial reactions: The rolling stock of the REM de l’est could be built by the same supplier as the Gatineau LRT which is also in the pipeline (the Premier seemed to imply this). The door is open for a phase 3 of the REM: westbound towards Lachine, and further east to Mascouche along the CN and exo right of ways, to eventually replace the Mascouche commuter train. Once the REM opens towards Pointe-aux-Trembles, the Mascouche commuter train becomes pretty redundant. I imagine they will create a « Navette ferroviaire » between Pointe-aux-Trembles and Mascouche instead of running commuter trains all the way to Côte-de-Liesse. This is clearly a developer’s project. The choice to go east on Sherbrooke st. East will allow for development of the lands along this axis whereas if the line had taken the Via-bus de l’est corridor along the old rail line, the line would have been easier to integrate and cheaper to build however less payoff in development.

Last November they started using new tap readers. They accept Visa, Mastercard and Amex. So not to worry, you can tap your card on-board.

VIA is starting to place these signs on the aisle seats, to help enforce physical distancing.

I saw their reservation system and I am familiar with the regular schedule. I was just highlighting that this not just a one-off late train, it has been departing Montreal around 8:15pm on several Fridays.

I took a rare trip downtown today and I saw a Skyport coach bus on René-Lévesque going westbound in PM rush. It had an exo sticker on it on the door side. Is Skyport now a regular contractor for exo?

I took the VIA to Ottawa tonight, and when I boarded 1102/1103 at Tremblay at around 9pm, the pair seemed to have a problem and the train was removed from service. Service resumed using only the eastbound platform.

In recent weeks, VIA has been operating the Jonquière/Senneterre trains as an overnight service, using the regular economy class equipment. It leaves Montreal at 8:15pm and then arrives at the northern destination on the Saturday morning. The trainsets return in the night from Sunday to Monday. Not sure how long this will go on for. Not sure if this schedule change was imposed by CN.

I noticed that exo is operating F59PHs on the Mascouche Line instead of the ALP-45DPs. However the ALP-45DPs have remained on the Saint-Hilaire line. Is it more fuel efficient for them to operate F59PHs on the 2-hour long journey from Gare Centrale to Mascouche? I am not certain of what other reasons could have motivated the switch. Also the Pointe-St-Charles facility now seems to be a daytime layover spot for some trainsets.

Back in February I caught the 10:15am train from Ottawa to Montreal on a Sunday morning. This was a Renaissance consist. The 11:20am departure on the same route was an LRC consist. The LRC consist that left Ottawa at 11:20 got to Montréal about an hour earlier than my train did! Apparently, a warning light kept coming on, forcing the engineers to have to stop the train and go inspect one of the cars. After two full stops and as many inspections, we were authorized to continue to Gare Centrale, at reduced speed... From this moment I decided that the solo seat on the Renaissance cars — which I quite enjoy and find to be quite comfortable, for a 2 or 3-hour ride — is not worth it if I can ride on LRC cars instead.

Why are they using some of their newest buses for the mobile clinic?

Also quite possibly the last chance to see our dual mode locomotives used in electric mode.

I have heard rumours of VIA considering running RDCs on the routes to Sarnia or Kitchener in the Corridor, on the Skeena, or on an Eastern Canada daytime route from Halifax to NB, but none of this seems to have actually materialized. Is there any evidence that the Budd cars could come into service on any of these lines in the next few years? Here’s a pic of the Budd cars heading over to Jasper for testing on the Skeena route in 2013: http://www.railpictures.ca/upload/new-power-for-the-skeena-the-rumours-were-true-via-rail-has-sent-2-rdcs-to-jasper-for-testing-and-presumable-use-on-trains-5-and-6-between-jasper-and-prince-rupert-via-6251-and-6219-are-tacked-on

There are a handful of HEP1 cars in regular service on the corridor, so perhaps they are harmonizing the paint scheme with the new paint scheme that has been appearing on the HEP2 cars. However, I would have only estimated that there are about 10-12 HEP1 cars in service on Corridor routes and Northern Quebec routes. Given that they are refurbishing 25 cars at CAD, is it possible that VIA is preparing to replace the Renaissance trainsets in the Corridor with these newly refurbished HEP1s? I have been frequently travelling in the Corridor over the last year or so, and I have often gone out of my way to choose departures likely to have HEP1s to go from Ottawa to Montreal or Montreal to Quebec City, not only because of their old-style charm, but also because of the panoramic windows, extra legroom, and table in the 4-seater section which the service attendant often let me use to work on my laptop. The new seats for the refurbished HEP1s on VIA’s webpage look great.

If there is concern that CDPQ-Infra could condemn the Jonction de l’est and that the Deux-Montagnes rolling stock will be « stuck » on the remaining portion of the Deux-Montagnes subdivision... Maybe exo could send the 700s up there to run the rail shuttle to and from Bois-Franc, as they are nearing the end of their lifespan? If there’s any rolling stock that needs to get scrapped in St-Eustache, I imagine it would be less of a loss to scrap the 700s than the slightly younger MR-90s? This could be done once the new Chinese bilevels are delivered and tested, which should be sometime this year. Once they are ready for revenue service they could replace the 700s on the Candiac line. I think it’s realistic to think that the MR-90s could find a buyer who would operate them a few more years.

Saw the Siemens prototype in Coteau on March 11 and again on the 12th. It says "Caltrans" and "Venture Cars" on the side.