webfil

Never mind, just saw that Saaremaa is back from PEI.

If the Saaremaa lease is maintained, this brings major flustercuck to STQ fleet management, as all of these ships are out of service, due to repairs or operational stoppage :

• MV Radisson ("not available", per the STQ, moored at port of Québec)
• MV Félix-Antoine-Savard (OS, port of Québec)
• MV Alphonse-Desjardins (OS, port of Québec)
• MV Svanoy (dry dock, port of Gaspé)
• MV Joseph-Savard (status unknown, port of Québec)

Without any of these available for the essential Isle-aux-Coudres―Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive ferry, Lomer-Gouin has been requisitionned leaving only the tiny, pedestrian-only, leased AML Levant to run between Québec and Lévis.

Les Promenades de l'Estrie to take over transit operations in Saint-Hyacinthe starting next Tuesday. The Swiftrans subsidiary will operate blank G5's and C2's out of an old gas bar on highway 137, where is also located the Meridien school bus division. Previous operator is Compagnie de transport maskoutaine, who followed for about 20 years Société de taxi Windsor in the early 2000's.

https://www.st-hyacinthe.ca/communiques/2022-10-25/changement-flotte-autobus

Unveiled, but certainly not inaugurated. A one-year, empty-running test phase is programmed before commercial service. 

Scalded cat fears cold water. They seem to want to avoid the Tecnobus Gulliver fiasco.

On 6/20/2022 at 11:44 AM, webfil said:

So the "transit" agency that was created ex-nihilo and given every power possible to deliver a metro system on-time and on-budget will deliver 4 years late and at least $1.5B over budget.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rem-delay-cdpq-infra-1.6494398

Financial and real estate interests were given every power to deliver a transit project on-time and on-budget. They won't, they don't give a crap about mobility, as their core business is not transit, and they are not imputable since they do not depend on public administration.

Long story short : REM is delayed. Again.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rem-south-shore-montreal-delayed-1.6624247

8 hours ago, Bus_Dealership said:

They should've brought back the 505 brt line they took it off back in 2012

It's light rail they should have built.

Also, in case you were off to another planet over the 14 last year during which they overhauled the 505 R-Bus service and infrastructure, the Pie-IX BRT is the result of the overhaul of the 505 service and infrastructure.

13 hours ago, Frozen Yogurt said:

I hope they program the destination signs accordingly, it'll be a joke if they simply use the "X ligne courte" code. There's room for improvements.

It is not a custom of the house to bear clear d-signs with their actual destination.

Pie-IX BRT: commissioning slated for November 7

https://www.stm.info/en/press/press-releases/2022/pie-ix-brt--commissioning-slated-for-november-7

EDIT : I looked into the schedules to understand the works of it. 439, which has about 20 departures/day (6-9 AM/3-6 PM only), will get about 10-17 departures/hour during peak, 6 departures/hour off-peak. To the south, service will be extended to Notre-Dame street (½ departures, 20 min frequency). To the north, there will be split frequency with short turns at Henri-Bourassa for half of the off-peak runs. Service to and from Laval will be maintained as is (20 min frequency).

I saw STQ's MV Saaremaa I downstream on the St. Lawrence yesterday night, en route from Trois-Rivières. Marine Traffic indicated she was headed towards Caribou, NS.

Radio-Canada confirmed this morning that she would relieve the MV Holiday.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1903106/location-contrat-traversier-matane-godbout

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A train has crossed the bridge for the first time yesterday.

Picture by CDPQ

Any baseball fans here? I've been following Frontier League since the Can-Am merger. The Frontier has an agreement with Flosports to broadcast Cable TV-quality coverage for the 16 teams, but each are still allowed to broadcast audio signal on the medium of their choice.

I've listened to most Québec Capitales games on the radio, whether it's local FM broadcast or over the internet, from visiting ballparks. I've also tuned in to some Trois-Rivières Aigles games, but I haven't been able to pick up the signal from the Ottawa Titans games. Both stations that have play-by-play description (CJFO, in French and CKDJ, in English) turn blank when it's playball. 

Even if the FL is devoid of such thing, it reminds me of the MLB rights management, which prohibits internet broadcast of the games (it's exclusive to TuneIn ), even though the AM waves emitted from Boston (WTIC), New York (WCBS, WFAN), Toronto (CJCL) and even Cleveland (WTAM) travel easily to the Québec City area by clear nights.

I love me a good MLB game playing on my old pickup's radio while sipping a cold beer on the tailgate on a hot night. But nothing beats a minor/indie league stadium.

What's your favorite way to catch a baseball game?

Despite inception of the REM, Ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will continue to operate route 96S to Terminus Centre-Ville at least until 2023, possibly further beyond.

https://sjsr.ca/communique-2022/mise-en-service-du-rem-maintien-du-circuit-96-en-direction-de-montreal/

20 hours ago, Chris_the_traveller said:

Some articles appear to say 6 months of testing is required before a segment goes into service.

We are less than 6 months away from December 1st, and trains still haven't been able to be tested up until Central station. So is it really realistic that the REM will open in 2022?

Also, Griffintown—Bernard-Landry station seems to not be very advanced in construction. Will the work start to accelerate this summer, or will this station open late?

The catenary is not up from Brossard all the way to Central station, so that's a good sign.

Since the deal was closed quite late in the process (location, design, funding), the Griffintown station was already deemed to open after the commissioning of the South shore line. According to this article about the testing phases, the testing and completion of work can be concurrent (except for one month this summer), so it's still plausible to see inception of service before December. The trial run in normal commercial conditions but without passengers will occur this fall, for a full month, before the opening to general public.

1 hour ago, 2044 said:

Nothing seems to ever get built on time or on budget.

Indeed. That's why the general public gains nothing from giving the keys of the city to financial interests in order to build transit that's not even designed to meed demand, rather suck profits off real estate.

So the "transit" agency that was created ex-nihilo and given every power possible to deliver a metro system on-time and on-budget will deliver 4 years late and at least $1.5B over budget.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rem-delay-cdpq-infra-1.6494398

On 5/17/2022 at 11:13 PM, Viafreak said:

Not sure if there would be any purpose to extend the Ethan Allen Express further north than Burlington (for example Montreal) as that area already has daily Amtrak service to Montreal via the Adirondack using the former Delaware & Hudson. In fact, I would hope that Amtrak would show a seasonal connection to the Adirondack at Burlington for ferry service to Port Kent where the Adirondack stops in the summer. 

Current plans call for the extension of the Vermonter. The main issue is customs preclearance at Gare Centrale.

1 hour ago, ZümmyZüm said:

@2044 is referring to the rear door seating, at some point a passenger must of had their arm hanging over or elbow and the door whacked them. Hence why they closed it off pending a probably modification to raise that barrier

Now I see it. Sorry about the kerfuffle.

12 hours ago, 2044 said:

I believe the STM still orders this type of modesty panel with longitudinal seating.

Haven't seen "beggar's seats" in a while on a STM bus, since they are not standard on new orders since the inception of 3rd generation LFS.

A mandatory boarding by the backdoor was in effect for some time in 2020. Since the reinstatement of the front door boarding, it is forbidden for a customer to stand or sit further up front than the center of the front wheel well. A beggar's seat on pre-2009 models would be condemned anyway, if not for the risk of injury but for COVID protection.

Also, I believe most if not all buses ordered by the STM since 2009 come with 75/25 doors to accomodate front-door accessibility ramps. When the ramp is not in use, there is little reason to operate the smaller flap of the door — so even if my memory plays tricks on me about the seating, the risk of injury on a customer seating beside the door is reduced.

16 hours ago, Loud-Invero said:

Why aren't "Low Ground Clearance" signs a thing anywhere in Canada?

Per section 3.22 of the MTQ signage manual, D-180-7 is standard where required in Québec.

On 3/3/2022 at 4:14 PM, eclair14 said:

Well Flexibus service will begin Monday March 6 2002, so here is the rundown for now

I hope there will be none of that "residents only" bullshit like the taxibus services.

Boischatel dumped the RTC and its dial-a-bus gimmick in 2019. PLUmobile is now servicing the suburb with a free shuttle that runs continuously from 7AM to 11PM with connection at Chute-Montmorency (metrobus). A second shuttle is operating during peak period, starting at 5:30AM. Before COVID, ridership grew by 75% while the pricetag was slashed 350k$/year compared to RTC services .

I find it interesting that you did not read the reasons why they were denied, which I have taken some of my free time to translate?

So I've broken down the proposed timetables for the Ottawa-Montréal corridor :

Montréal-Ottawa

Ottawa-Montréal

L : local · X : express · Y : via YUL Airport · K : via Kirkland

It's clearly an improvement for riders versus previous Greyhound services (2020 timetables for express, local service). However, the proposed schedules just don't complete each other; they compete ― and I doubt that's viable for Maheux. I would not be surprised if they sought to modify the permit, sell it to Orléans or abandon it.

The race for Montréal-Ottawa permits is over. The contestants : Trentway-Wagar, Rider Express, Orléans Express and Autobus Maheux.

• Trentway-Wagar's request for the express route via 417 and service to YUL was denied, due to multiple failures : no estimated ridership, no customer profile, no estimated revenues, no estimated charges (decision 2022 QCCTQ 0296). Its proposed termini in were Saint-Laurent station in Ottawa, terminus Les Promenades in Gatineau and the Megabus curbside stop in Montreal;
• Rider Express' requests for the express route via 417, the 148 route, service to YUL and a Toronto-Montreal route were denied due to failure to present a schedule (decision 2022 QCCTQ 0295). Its proposed termini in were Central station in Ottawa, terminus Les Promenades in Gatineau and Gare d'autocars de Montreal;
• Orléans Express' request for the express route via 417 (with service to YUL and/or Kirkland) was approved, but was denied semi-express routes via highways 148/50 or 417 (decision 2022 QCCTQ 0285). Orléans proposed stops in Vaudreuil and Rigaud for the 417 semi-express, and Saint-Eustache, Lachute and Montebello for the 148/50 semi-express. The commission deemed the semi-express services proposed by Orléans not attractive for actual and potential riders. Termini in Ottawa (uOttawa, train station), Gatineau (place du Portage, Promenades Gatineau) and Montréal (Gare d'autocars, Beau-Soir in Kirkland) will be maintained.
• Autobus Maheux had a some requests, 3 of them denied (decision 2022 QCCTQ 0286). Maheux is allowed to operate routes with all bus classes, from 15-seater minibuses to highway coaches comprising a toilet :
  • Regional north (request # 801267) : approved
    • 2 × daily return service between Montréal and Ottawa via Gatineau (highway 148), 4 h 48 min trip with regular fares from $8.34 to $54.83
    • Stops at : Montréal (Gare d'autocars), Laval (Cartier metro station), Saint-Eustache, Lachute, Grenville, Fassett, Montebello, Papineauville, Plaisance, Thurso, Masson-Angers, Gatineau (Promenades), Hull (Place Cartier, Place du Portage) and Ottawa (uOttawa, Train station)
  • Express north (request # 801269) : approved
    • 3 ×  daily return service between Montréal and Ottawa via Gatineau (highways 148 and 50), 3 h 35 min trip with regular fares from $47.13 to $54.83
    • Stops at : Montréal (Gare d'autocars), Laval (Cartier metro station), Gatineau (Promenades), Hull (Place Cartier, Place du Portage) and Ottawa (uOttawa, Train station)
  • Regional south (request # 804138) : denied (failure to present market and feasability studies)
    • 2 × daily return service between Montréal and Gatineau via Ottawa (highway 417)
    • Stops at : Montréal (Gare d'autocars), Kikrland, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Rigaud, (further stops undisclosed).
  • Express south (request # 804143) : denied (failure to present market and feasability studies, failure to demonstrate support from community and partners, failure to provide estimated ridership and profitability)
    • 6 × daily return service between Montréal and Gatineau via Ottawa (highway 417)
    • Stops at : Montréal (Gare d'autocars), Kikrland, (further stops undisclosed).
  • Express to YUL (request # 814564) : denied (failure to present a valid contract with the airport)
    • Concomitant with Express south

Maheux is not happy, as it planned to finance the regional routes with the profits from the express routes, especially the southern route.

On 2/4/2022 at 3:36 PM, Shaun said:

What was wrong with the bridges that where there previously? Are the stations along this line in good condition?

Like I said, the line is subject to maritime conditions (coastal erosion, saltwater corrosion, washouts and windsweeps during storms). They were in state of disrepair, because of negligence by former owners (CN, SCFQ) especially following some early 2000-2010's hurricanes . The line, critical for the transport of gross and manufactured goods (windmill blades, cement mix, lumber), was bought by the governement in 2015.

For the stations, in 2013, most of the remaining stations along the Halifax and Gaspé lines in Québec were closed (La Pocatière, Rivière-du-Loup, Trois-Pistoles, Mont-Joli, Bonaventure, Port-Daniel, Barachois, Grande-Rivière) or became bare shelters with no services (Rimouski, New Richmond, Chandler).

Gaspé station was severely damaged by a fire in the early 2010's. Via replaced it by trailers. City of Gaspé built a station of its own, instead. It still sits at the end of the line and is used as a tourist info centre, waiting for the trains to come back. The new station was some tourist train terminus for a couple of years before the line was damaged again; the tourist train engine was dismantled and carried by truck to New Richmond to be put back in service but the cars still sit in Gaspé. Left is a picture I took exactly 10 years ago, right is a picture from 2017 (CC BY-SA 3.0, Ymblanter).

I remember from my last trip along the line (2012) that New Carlisle station was in a good shape, despite having its original interior, windows, doors and seats.

I went to New Richmond in early 2018. Took some pictures around the station. Part of the building is used as an office for SFG, the line operator.

Chandler station is now a ticket office for Nova Lumina, a multimedia experience.