The Official Laval Metro Extension Thread

[Tranzit]

I was surprised at how crowded it was today, but I guess the rainy weather drove most people indoors anyway, giving them an excuse to ride the Metro and investigate the three new stations. Plus, it was free!

Because it was free, right off I saw a deadbeat sitting on the inner of one of the forward-facing two-seat arrangements with his feet up on the lateral-facing single seat, thus preventing anyone else from using it. Nice guy! Lots of enthusiastic out-of-towners, too, which is always nice to see and hear!

Cool to see some different station design configurations, too--as well as (gasp!) elevators for those who need them. So now we'll just have to see how long it takes for the first escalator to conk out! Okay, so let's take bets and see who guesses which station falls victim to this aggravation.

Due to the entire project's cost overruns, I was afraid that they might have been tempted to cut corners, but apparently they didn't as far as I could see.

The bus terminal at Montmorency seems pretty adequate, although certainly not entirely weatherproof. Couldn't they have designed it completely indoors? Maybe that idea fell by the wayside after looking at the potential cost.

Anyway, bottom line is that hopefully this extension will significantly decrease road traffic into Montreal.

Time will tell.

[Matt Demers]

We just did the tour today and it was fun. Among the people who showed up were: Rocketdriver2019, stm_5307n (Steve), Guy-Concordia, SMS, Marc Dufour, David D, Ayeobe and of course, meeeeee!

We all went down to Cremazie and took tunnel pictures before our ride to Laval. At last, we boarded 79-665 and off we were. When the train started switching to the 3rd platform tracks, everyone was going "yay!", "woo!" and "oh yeeeeeah!". We reached the 3rd platform at last and we were amazed at the looks and the number of people on the platform. Then the front end driver's cabin door was left open (not the first and not the last) so several of us started filming it or just taking a peekie.

We took off for Cartier station and in less than 2 minutes, we arrived and was to be greeted by lots of people, again! Same thing applies for De La Concorde. We continued all the way to Montmorency and then got off. We took lots of pictures and videos, enjoyed the architecture. The train after us was LOADED TO THE MAX! We got free stuff like juice and cereal bars from Laval's chain of Metro Plus stores and STM gave out this neat insert about the whole extension that included pictures.

We then took off again for De La Concorde and we took pictures and explored outside including the new AMT train station. The bridge window there is odd as it bounces the oncoming train sound around so it's difficult to tell which side has the train coming! I found it kind of funny all of us with hurrying from side to side trying to see where its coming from!

Then we were off to the last of the 3 new stations, Cartier! We arrived at Cartier, took pictures and videos, visited the bus terminus and also found a Couche-Tard there. Then we went to Henri-Bourassa and took pictures and video there too from the 3rd platform. And of course, we wanted to film the moving art but people kept getting in our way too much. Then I got seperated from the group and oh well, that was it.

--

We tried all the elevators at all the stations and they all worked well. They were hydraulic powered (David pointed that out, so credit to him) and they were all made by a firm named CNIM. This feature is really useful for disabled people and...lazy people. We also visited Cartier's detention cells which was neat, a move towards strict discipline against punks. LaSalle stations need them now...

My favorite station in terms of looks were De La Concorde and Montmorency, in order. De La Concorde almost looked like Acadie Metro and it was shiny. Montmorency definately has a touch of the 70s along with a bit of modernity. Few hours ago I didn't really like it and I changed my mind now. But Concorde still comes out on top.

I'll put up my pictures somewhere soon, while you guys put your input on this! Like, what was your favorite station and most hated station aesthetically? What terminal has more useful content to you?

--

Sorry for the long post, but here, enter this neato content put on by the STM:

http://www.stm.info/english/info/iframestmen.htm

[David D.]

Cool to see some different station design configurations, too--as well as (gasp!) elevators for those who need them. So now we'll just have to see how long it takes for the first escalator to conk out! Okay, so let's take bets and see who guesses which station falls victim to this aggravation.

The first station to fall vicitim was Montmorency some time just after 3pm where the elevator on the NB platform (terminus plat) already became out of order!, And many ppl had strollers too when i saw the "Desole X" sticker on the elevator button

Then not long after the First official Laval metro interruption occured!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The line went down between Montmorency and Beaubien due to a Smoke clearing Oppuration being performed at Cartier! Cartier station had to be evacuated! I'm sure with the thousand or so or more people in it it must have been pretty scary! We were on the first train out before the incident so we just made it past Beaubien to Rosemont when the interuption happened! While we were at Montmorency though one of the train that pulled in had a LOCKED break and that might have been what caused it. There was even some smoke inside Montmorency when i was in it, and people's eyes were burning somewhat but it never reached the point where u couldn't breathe whatsoever like what happened to me on the Yellow line last summer inbetween Berri and JD . STM made a really idiotic choice to NOT pull that train OUT of service at Montmorency with a locked brake and instead chose to run it CRUSHLOADED TO THE MAX! Over 1200 people in it!

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But anyways on to the possitive experiences of the day.

There are no words in the English language and I'm sure French as well to describe what it was like to be on the first ever train from Laval at 5h24!AM!!!!!!!!!!! There were quite a few other people who had the same idea and it was an amazing experience FULL of excitement and metro exclusives! When we departed our train was full of people who have been waiting so long for this and the media etc etc. With the open drivers door we were off to HB!!!!!! On the way back, the first SPECIAL train leaving HB old platform which was at 5h45 AM we were giving an EXCLUSIVE look at the Arriere Gare and drove right up to the wall and sand pit!!!!! (Some people myself included joked Prochain Station Le Carrefour hehe). Then we reversed and performed the switching manoeuver.

Then it was Off to HB once again, this time we RAN LIKE CRAZY to the new platform and made the first ever in service metro coming from Cote-Vertu toward laval by the skin of our teeth!! The driver was running 1minute and 30seconds early! I did a STM no no and held the doors for my fellow metro fan club right infront of a STM metro cop but he didnt say anything because i think he knew why we wanted to MAKE this metro specifically. Then it was off to Montmorency on this first train, this firtst train coming from CV even had a fair amount of people on board even!!! Afterwards we began exploring each station individually starting with Monty making our way south.

Later in the morning i joined up at Cremazie with more fellow bus/metro fans at 10h30 and we were off!! Just before i met up with them though is when the CROWDS were really beginning to get fierce!! All 3 station and both directions too!!!

Today i have images forever etched in my photographic memory of seeing two full platforms at Monty and then a overhead bridge filled with a constant almost neverending flow of people. litterally thousands in the lower station area at once! Whenever a FULL CRUSHLOADED train pulled into Montmorency and emptied out and seeing the Cote-Vertu direction blanketed with people waiting at the same time it almost brought a tear to my eye!! It reminded me of those images of Berri-UQAM in 1966 when the metro first opened at it was the same thing with every station CRUSHLOADED and every train, train after train!

I was to proud to me a Montrealer today, seeing how many people in this city truly have a thing for their metro and how much EXCITEMENT it seems to bring out in people in this city it is truly INCREDIBLE! 40 years after the first opening and people are still as excited as ever whenever a new metro segment opens. This is only 3 and a half new stations yet people seemed enthralled from it. But for anyone who was there today could u blame them!?

If the crowds are anything like they were today for tomorrow, and for the average weekdays to come then u could definitly say that this extension will be a HUGE success! (And if they are anything as cold in temperature come July as they were today then i will be there everyday come summer LMAO )

Like almost everyone esle i've asked so far my favorite Station is De La Concorde, then probably Montmorency because of its extremely high ceiling and importance as a terminus and then Cartier, and finally the new areas of HB, and in that order.

What a day! What a day!! History was made and lived to-day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SMS]

I would be happy to contribute... tomorrow...

I've been on transit from 5 am to 8 pm and I need sleep.

Back to it tomorrow morning!

Bye!

[mtltransitguy]

Glad to see you guys had a good time, unfortunately I obviously couldn't join you s much as I wanted to, I had a previous engagement I could not get out of, Tomorrow will be MY day!

I hope they will still be handing out those "freebies" tmrw!?!

That exclusive arriere-gare look and "Open Cab" thing wont be occurring on Sunday, i unfortunately presume !

Sounds AMAZING in any case!!!

[David D.]

For your viewing pleasure, I would like to share with u some of my videos from this historic event:

[glaframb]

I visited the new Laval metro station as well this morning. I guess I'm the first back home.

Actually, i beat you by an hour but since i live in Laval close too the Montmorency Métro Station, you can say that you were the first montrealer back home !

We just did the tour today and it was fun. Among the people who showed up were: Rocketdriver2019, stm_5307n (Steve), Guy-Concordia, SMS, Marc Dufour, David D, Ayeobe and of course, meeeeee! ,

Don't forget I was there too with the other guys from Metrodemontreal.com. I am the big thirtysomething auburn hair white guy dressed in blue (Blue jeans , wool sweater and blue and black coat. I came at 5:24 with my dad ! My father was actually the first back home from the initial metro trip since he got back at home at 7 o'clock AM.

Does someone else other than me who was on the first train leaving de la Concorde station at 10:05 AM that goes to Saint-Jérome and back from it?

[Tranzit]

So it was an elevator that shut down--not an escalator (yet!) Well, I guess we can expect such teething problems during such debut services and "maiden voyages" a la Titanic!

Good thing I was out of there early so I missed the fiasco with the jammed brakes and station evacuation! What were they thinking!?

No need to have an orgasm over the mere opening of three stations, though: stations which the majority of Montrealers won't use anyway since it's obviously for the benefit of Laval residents. I'll be much more impressed when and if they ever run the Blue Line through the west end. Now that will be a real event!

What seems to have been overlooked or as yet unmentioned is what the contingency plan is for STL busses to replace the new Metro extension service whenever a shutdown occurs for various reasons. Presumably the STL has this worked out, but since it will be the very first time for the STL to fill in for a local Metro service, it will be interesting to see how well they cope. For that reason alone, perhaps they should rethink closing down their terminus at Henri Boo-Boo. Or is it too late?

As there should be a smaller crowd today, I may check out the line and stations again to see what I missed the first time around, since I'll rarely be using it in any case during revenue service.

Otherwise, I'm glad most of you enjoyed yourselves--especially the new visitors.

[stm_5307N]

Actually, i beat you by an hour but since i live in Laval close too the Montmorency Métro Station, you can say that you were the first montrealer back home !

I was refering to all the guys that were part of Dave's group that met up at Cremazie metro at 10:15am before heading to Laval by metro. We also ran into many FHTCQ members and other people on the M de M fourm as well during the day.

[Tranzit]

A major feature of the three new Metro stations are the internal, glassed-in platform walkovers which will prevent any would-be suicides from leaping over the sides--an oversight which hasn't really been addressed at the older stations even after 40 years!

In addition, who has already glimpsed the access tunnel located just north of the southbound Cartier platform? From what I could see, it extends approximately 100 feet west from the tunnel and ends at a large double-sized garage-type door. Presumably this will be used for maintenance vehicles and delivery purposes, but I suppose it could also be used for ambulances as well, should the need ever arise.

Perhaps someone at the STM could sent us input about these obscure features?

[SMS]

Before I make my post I want to post this!

Just like on 14 Oct 1966... they don't wanna get off the train!

[80-040_Guy-Concordia]

Before I make my post I want to post this!

Just like on 14 Oct 1966... they don't wanna get off the train!

LOL That was so true!

I went back to Laval today and I saw that all the elevators were disabled. Not one was working, all either locked, or with stickers over the buttons. This seemed very odd as I saw quite a few old people who looked like they needed elevators at times.

Like yesterday it was CRUSHLOADED!!! No matter where it was it was crushloaded.

[Ayeobe]

I was indeed with the group. I took some pics, and ill post two for now:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Tur...roDeLaval_2.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/Tur...aConcorde_1.jpg

I rather like them if anyone wants to upload them on thier site, or something of the sort, PM me.

[SMS]

While I won't write now about my metro experiences since that'll take too much time than I have energy for, I'll talk about some bus adventures. Well the last two days was busfan heaven and I took full advantage to get to know the new STL system for free. I routefanned a bunch of modified lines. Asterisks indicate that line was completed in full. Here's what I kept track of:

Yesterday

228*E - Cartier - St Vincent de Paul with 6205

50*W - St Vincent de Paul - Carrefour with 0104

903W - Carrefour - Montmorency with 0303

37*NS - Cartier - Concorde via Industriel and STL Garage with 6502

74*E - Cartier - Terminus Constant with 0307

25*W - Terminus-Constant - Cartier with 0302

Today

26W - Montmorency - A13 with 0507

20*E - A13 - Cartier with 0204

43N - Cartier - St-Martin with 0511

74S - St-Martin - Cartier with 0117

63W - Cartier - Montmorency with 0313

Montmorency-Carrefour EXPRESS shuttle with 5911

Carrefour-Cartier EXPRESS shuttle with 6205

17*N - Cartier - Terminus Bienville with 0412

39*W - Terminus Bienville - Montmorency with 0123

903*WE - Carrefour - Montmorency via St-Eustache with 0502

In regards to buses. I don't like 65XX series with Cummins engines. I'd rather ride a first generation LFS and suffer through that than ruin a Classic ride. STL buses are clean! And people offer seniors their seat! Certainly more classy than Montreal by far! Some LFS have suburban seating arrangement, but I think from 0301 it's urban (STM-Montreal) style layout.

Yeah so all things considered I felt that I got my money's worth. Taking pictures in the bus terminals was no problem whatsoever. Never met a moody driver. Most were in a good mood and some were having the usual uncaring attitude. One woman security guard at Carrefour started to bitch me out for taking pictures and I made her feel stupid after I argued her down. (Insert four letter word describing a part of the female anatomy and rhymes with the word hunt here.)

I find that layover space in the terminals are good and generous. I hope people learn that bus terminals are for buses only and that people don't walk where they're not supposed to go and stupid drivers don't bring their stupid cars in there! I feel that Cartier has the best bus terminal, is the most straightforward and least confusing.

I'm a big fan of the 903. The bus is absolutely limited stop between Montmorency and Carrefour (only one stop at Centre Laval although yesterday drivers were being classy and did local service between here); EXPRESS between Carrefour and Dagenais/A13; and local from there to Saint-Eustache. Great that it's seven days a week. And talk about fast and convenient! Sucks that sometimes it's hourly service... like on weekends... hello STL! You have the world's newest metro! Offer service better than every 60 minutes!

Among the most scenic routes that I took was the 74 and the 20. Waterfront routes are great in that regard. Unfortunately couldn't ride the mini-12 route. I certainly won't pay to ride that line!

A lot of those rides were SRO but I didn't have to stand very often. That's what you get when you offer free service! But most rides were comfortable and very acceptable.

Thanks STL!

[David D.]

I will probably make a post about my experience of the second day at a later time but for now here is another addition to my video collection, this time two trains meeting at De La Concorde

Also, thank u Ayeobe for posting that pic of the crowded Monty platform i asked u to

[Matt Demers]

I visited Montmorency for a second time on Sunday morning but this time with bus riding intentions. All I found were these strange unadvertised NAVETTE METRO buses loading at the 42 stop. How come there was a big line for this shuttle but it was NOT advertised by the AMT staff, why is that?

Then I tried out Montmorency's washrooms and the toilet stalls glow BLUE! COMPLETELY BLUE! Someone left some "business" in the toilet before me and that was blue too! I was told by someone these are made to prevent from drug addicts finding their veins to stick their syringe on, is this true?

Then I went to ride the 63 aboard 0505, not really interesting I find. Got off at Carrefour Laval terminus and immediately ran for 6410 on the 42 which brought me back to Montmorency and De La Concorde. Got off at Concorde and took the metro to Cartier. Visited the tents again for free stuff. There will be businesses like a tailor opening soon.

I went to do some errands after, went home and ate lunch, then got back out for a third and last visit (while its free) to the new stations and directly went to Henri-Bourassa's 3rd platform!

Stopped at Montmorency only this time, AMT employees were downsized now and the Couche-Tard door was blocked off because of overcrowding. The tents were empty by then. The free day was coming to it's end.

Got on the lead car back and this time some guy unlockd the driver's cabin door and everyone raced over for the view. I loved the view, it's breathtaking when I say so myself! But he had to lock it at Cartier.

Went back home and thats it for my 2nd day visit.

[David D.]

I visited Montmorency for a second time on Sunday morning but this time with bus riding intentions. All I found were these strange unadvertised NAVETTE METRO buses loading at the 42 stop. How come there was a big line for this shuttle but it was NOT advertised by the AMT staff, why is that?

It was a Last minute decision due to very "large" amount of people all wanting to go to Carrefour Laval. So the bus routes going there wasn't enough so they started running this shuttle. I rode it to CL yesterday but i rode the 42 back because the SHUTTLE wasnt going to Monty on the way back anymore due to severe overcrowding but i wanted to go there so i ran for the 42 which i knew had to go there overcrowding or not.

the Carrefour Laval shuttles was definitly organized by STL CO's last minute when they realized it would be needed. Saturday had major lines for all the routes going there but by Sunday it was insane and alot of people all had the same idea of wanting to go shopping there so it was even worse! That's why there were shuttles and that's why it was pretty much 99-100% classics!

Besides the "Navette Metro" destinations i also saw many "Express" on the luminator and that's all it said...

[mtltransitguy]

Then I tried out Montmorency's washrooms and the toilet stalls glow BLUE! COMPLETELY BLUE! Someone left some "business" in the toilet before me and that was blue too! I was told by someone these are made to prevent from drug addicts finding their veins to stick their syringe on, is this true?

Yes it is true, they can't find them, most Gas Station washrooms have this too, but that's the ONLY litghting in them so you can't see anything at all, but at least it keeps el drugos away!!!

[mtltransitguy]

DAY 2(Actually my first day...):

Went from Sauve to Monty, long pause at H-B, seems like this will be regular procedure, then on to Laval!

Operator opened the Cab door, best ride ever! Arrived at Monty Station, took elavator to try it out, slow obviously, but such a god sent gift for those with ANY kind of wheels, (bikes, Strollers, and of course wheel chairs!) then I took a tour, very informative; those benches are brilliant, the bars at the end are actually INTENDED to be sat on, designed for "les jeunes", the seats are smartly spaced out so that it becomes obvious that if someone can even REACH your pockets that something is wrong.

The deeper "anti-sucide" track bed, the glass doors to prevent people from going past the "voltage" gate, (the guide told a story about a lady who had to urinate and went behind the barier then got electricuted, he says that this will stop that since evryone would be watching), you can see the tunnel without looking over the edge, so it is unintenionaly anti-sucide as well!

Those walls over the platforms, are actually not there to prevent sucicides, althought that is the best secondary functiom, the primary one is to direct smoke to the giant fans in the ceiling so that those above track level will not get affected if (god forbid) there should be a fire etc etc....

For some reason Montmorency is actually MY FAVORITE! I just love the platform tiles and the overall look.

Favorite terminal and layout has to be Cartier. I like tha fact they treat the terminal as the seperate entity that it is, you must go through Butterfly doors then through terminal doors and finaly through the automatics before ariving outside!

De la Concorde, despite been the general fav, struck me more for it's beutiful esthitics outdoors :angry: rather than the station itself.

Buy the time I got back from route-faning the crowds were ridiculous, and cops had set up flow management! You had to go outdoors to go from metro to terminal (inside) @ monty, they weren't letting anybody in the Metro (which I later found out was due to yet another serivce disruption the second one of the day, they had even started the SPS!), been already familiar with the layout I skipped the crowds via The Parking garage Elevator and then just walking right on in as if I had actually parked a car! We were all instructed to the farthest back car possible and the amount of people was now beyond words!!! There was someone with one of those click-click couters, I thought to my self "boy I hope he has three more of those things ready to go! ",

Some of us finaly got impatient and wento for the exit, a few seconds after, the train left!

All I repeat ALL, the station elevators were INTENTIONALLY put out of service due to the crowd control, what control would you have if some people take the elevator? (This excludes the parking ones, as they knew no would think to get to the metro that way unless they had taken it previously, I outsmarted them!!!)

[SMS]

DAY 2(Actually my first day...):

Went from Sauve to Monty, long pause at H-B, seems like this will be regular procedure, then on to Laval!

I suspect that this has something to do with the collective agreement...

Given that the one that just lapsed still had Bourassa as terminus, the new arrangement must be for operators to have the usual i.e. old Vertu-Bourassa run, while another batch of operators undertake the short new Laval segment.

This is all speculation, but I think that it is a good theory.

[SMS]

Someone, either on this list or another one suggested that the different tickets for the Laval stations may have something to do with keeping track of ticket sales at those stations separately from the rest of the system...since they appear to be okay with accepting both the Laval station tickets and the ones from the rest of the system at those three stations, perhaps it's not that big of a deal, and these special tickets could be phased out in the future (I have to wonder if the Laval tickets would be accepted on STM buses if one were to buy two in advance? Since no one knows what they'll look like yet, we may not know for a few days).

On Saturday I decided to spend a few bucks and bought some STM tickets. Good for me - as a modest ticket collector (I'm not very good though since I ditched my 2005 and 2006 RTL tickets to ride the LFS artic :angry: ), I managed to snag very low numbered tickets: 000076 and 000131 for the $2.75 adult fare (yellow), and 000096 for the $1.75 children/senior fare.

Towards mid-afternoon, Cartier and Montmorency were sold out of tickets and I could only find reduced fare tickets at Concorde.

Stations have this jolly thing put up for people to read: http://stm.info/metro/titresvalides.pdf

[gmnewlook]

Then I tried out Montmorency's washrooms and the toilet stalls glow BLUE! COMPLETELY BLUE! Someone left some "business" in the toilet before me and that was blue too! I was told by someone these are made to prevent from drug addicts finding their veins to stick their syringe on, is this true?

Yes it is. A lot of washrooms, especially at Petro-Canada station have that feature.

[general682002]

Stations have this jolly thing put up for people to read: http://stm.info/metro/titresvalides.pdf

No English available?

[80-040_Guy-Concordia]

Here are all my pictures from this past weekend with a few more to come.

These were the best shots I took:

http://mtltransitgallery.fotopic.net/c1268229.html

Hope you enjoy it.

[SMS]

No English available?

Not as far as I can tell. What would you like us to translate?