Did anybody chance to hear the wicked fight going on in the staffed control booth to the blue line in Snowdon station yesterday afternoon? I could hear it way down the opposite platform. The hollering, the slamming...I couldn't tell if the minutes-long disruption became a scrap, although it sure sounded like it was one.

Plus just how many more year-long licenses is that beligerent Russian(?) busker going to be entitled to?! All he does is play the first few bars of what sounds like For He's A Jolly Good Fellow on his cello, and then shakes his stick at every passerby for not tossin' coinage into his cardboard plate, badgering away in his native tongue. His shtick used to be amusing :ohno:

Is the Laval extension paying for itself, or, are the cars not being filled? I hope that that extension is a success and Montreal moves on to its next project. Sounds like the Blue line extension eastward would be the priority. I imagine if this recession lasts longer the feds will be willing to pony up more funds for environmentally friendly projects such as transit.

I read an article in the Toronto Star a few weeks ago where the head of London, England's Piccadilly Line was in Toronto and really appreciated a lot of Toronto's bus/subway stations. He stated that the design of these stations really makes it easier and more comfortable to tranfer from the subway to a bus or vise-versa. Does Montreal have these type of bus/subway station? I was only in the downtown core last summer so I didn't expect to see stations downtown have such large bus terminals. Toronto doesn't have too many of these type of tranfer points in it's downtown core either but, they are getting more common outside of the core espessially with our Station Modernization Program. I would think that the Laval bus terminals are designed to encourage transit use as well. If you could fill me in that would be great.

http://images.nycsubway.org/maps/fournier-montreal-track.gif

Who has subway envy? I do. :yes: Whereas Toronto refills its excavations for cancelled lines with dirt (Queen, Eglinton West), Montreal has preexisting tunnels just waiting for the stations to sprout up.

I just wonder if there's any intention/demand for an extension of the Green Line past Angrignon? It's just that a park makes for an odd terminus point.

Is the Laval extension paying for itself, or, are the cars not being filled? I hope that that extension is a success and Montreal moves on to its next project. Sounds like the Blue line extension eastward would be the priority. I imagine if this recession lasts longer the feds will be willing to pony up more funds for environmentally friendly projects such as transit.

I read an article in the Toronto Star a few weeks ago where the head of London, England's Piccadilly Line was in Toronto and really appreciated a lot of Toronto's bus/subway stations. He stated that the design of these stations really makes it easier and more comfortable to tranfer from the subway to a bus or vise-versa. Does Montreal have these type of bus/subway station? I was only in the downtown core last summer so I didn't expect to see stations downtown have such large bus terminals. Toronto doesn't have too many of these type of tranfer points in it's downtown core either but, they are getting more common outside of the core espessially with our Station Modernization Program. I would think that the Laval bus terminals are designed to encourage transit use as well. If you could fill me in that would be great.

The Laval extension is extremely popular GTS and the blue line extension is long overdue. The Pie IX station is by far the most essential next station.

There are big bus transfer stations such as Angrignon, Honoré-Beaugrand, Lucien-l'Allier etc. De la Concorde, Parc, Vendome, Lucien l'Allier and Bonaventure are intermodal stations: train, bus, subway as will be the Pie IX and eventual Bois-Franc stations.

Who has subway envy? I do. :yes: Whereas Toronto refills its excavations for cancelled lines with dirt (Queen, Eglinton West), Montreal has preexisting tunnels just waiting for the stations to sprout up.

I just wonder if there's any intention/demand for an extension of the Green Line past Angrignon? It's just that a park makes for an odd terminus point.

Although there seems to be some controversy DENTROBATE, I honestly don't think that the tunnels extend beyond the dark lines on the map.

I would love to see the blue line loop around and hook up with the green at Angrignon, but that's just a dream. I'm anxiously awaiting news that the blue line is heading east.. finally!

Although it seems wierd that the green line ends at Parc Angrignon, the density beyond the park (and it's a huge park) probably didn't, and still may not warrant further expansion.

I wish that all municipalities would include ongoing subway/LRT expansion in their annual budgets. Imagine if Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal had committed to a one station per year expansion 20 years ago instead of our current, 'beg for a one-shot expansion then start the begging process over again' mentality. It should be something that we just do..

You'd think that with the enormous success the Laval extension has been having, other extensions would get their approval/funding from the gov't alot sooner!?!?

Thanks for the info. Next summer I will try and check out some of those stations when my wife and I are in Montreal. She lets me check out transit in every city we go to. I am particularily interested in the intermodal stations you mentioned. I like to see how different cities design their mobility hubs and how easy it is to tranfer.

Thanks for the info. Next summer I will try and check out some of those stations when my wife and I are in Montreal. She lets me check out transit in every city we go to. I am particularily interested in the intermodal stations you mentioned. I like to see how different cities design their mobility hubs and how easy it is to tranfer.

Go to Longeuil on the South Shore GTS. The terminal is like an airport over there!

I think Montreal has done a better job of serving the inner city with Metro than Toronto has done with it's subway. This is due to political interference with the Sheppard "stubway" and the SkyTrain-like Scar RT. At the same time Toronto had more vision keeping the Red Rockets.

Toronto has it's TransitCity with set timelines................which Metro ext are ready to be completed by 2020? Any ext underway right now? Also does MUC have any other rapid transit tech besides subway and commuter rail?

I think Montreal has done a better job of serving the inner city with Metro than Toronto has done with it's subway. This is due to political interference with the Sheppard "stubway" and the SkyTrain-like Scar RT. At the same time Toronto had more vision keeping the Red Rockets.

Toronto has it's TransitCity with set timelines................which Metro ext are ready to be completed by 2020? Any ext underway right now? Also does MUC have any other rapid transit tech besides subway and commuter rail?

BY 2020, I'd say that the Blue line will be extended eastwards towards Anjou. The Orange line will loop around in laval and join up in Ville St-Laurent.

Those are the most likely scenarios. We might see an extension of the Yellow line in Longueuil.

The Metro and commuter rail are the only ones. Of course there are the Bus routes, but that's not the same!

Thanks.

No actual set timelines or more-or-less just hoping?
BTW..........is the line across the St.Lawrence to Longuei {sp?} also Metro?

It certainly is, the line goes under the river.

I read an article in today's Montreal Gazette that state that the fares are going up again for the 12th year in a row. A monthly pass is increasing by $2.25 to raise it to $68.50 while the student/senior fare goes up by $1 to $37.00.

Here in TO I pay around $100 for my monthly pass.

is that 100$ pass, for suburban travel also?

We have a 109$ pass here that lets you go to Laval and Longeuil too.

The $100 pass is just for Toronto itself which includes the inner suburbs of Scarborough and Etobicoke. If you want to travel to an outer suburb such as Ricmond Hill, Vaughan or Mississauga for example, you would need extra fare.

is that 100$ pass, for suburban travel also?

We have a 109$ pass here that lets you go to Laval and Longeuil too.

The cost of the passes that would allow you to do that is astronomical. I think it is about $150 a month. Steve Munro writes about it here (http://stevemunro.ca/?p=390).

Just another way in which Greater Montreal's transit beats ours.

It can be quite expensive here too, here's a complete map of the pass system (8 levels of them):

http://i40.tinypic.com/2r6pdhu.jpg

It looks like on that map that their are different zones on the Island of Montreal itself. I thought that Montreal would have been all one Zone. Here in TO the city proper which includes Scarbourough and Etobicoke are all in the single fare paid zone-no extra fare required.

I just read a good news article in today's Montreal Gazzette- it stated that Montreal is getting extra service on 26 routes during rush hours. The article lists the different routes getting the extra service, the number of trips and it's ridership numbers. Toronto did the same recently, unfortunately the route I use mostly didn't get any extra buses- it is still crush loaded during rush hour- maybe next year. I am sure some of the people on this thread can point out some of the routes that needed improvements as well in Montreal that might have been overlooked.

The island of Montreal holds around 17 different cities.

The pink in the middle of the map on the island is for when you take the commuter train, a normal pass in that zone allows you to take the bus and metro though.

Cool map Malek! Thanks for posting it!

This map really shows us how the southern part of Montreal isn't as developped as the north-west and the north-east. The Southern suburbs only extend outwards to about 25KM's from the downtown core, whereas the North-eastern and the North-western burbs extend out to 45km's from Downtwon!

I always thought Montreal had a super cheap transit system. I always just assumed that the basic monthly pass of $70 would cover all of the Island of Montreal.
It looks like your zone 3 pass of $105 is the equivaslent of the TTC pass of $106 or the Translink Zone 2 of $100. Basically all three of these cover the city and inner suburbs and cover the Subway/Metro/SkyTrain.

It nice if you live downtown but isn't near as cheap as I thought.

at 109$ its still a joke

at 109$ its still a joke

Yes, Middle Class tax payers should subsidies everything, that is the Quebec model. Doesn’t matter that the province still rings up record debt every year. Let someone else worry about it, eh malek?

Yes, Middle Class tax payers should subsidies everything, that is the Quebec model. Doesn’t matter that the province still rings up record debt every year. Let someone else worry about it, eh malek?

euh? can't be more middle class than me. Whats your point?

It's cheap compared to paying for gas and parking in downtown.

My point is that the vast numbers of people in Quebec expect the Government to subsidized everyone and everything. People always have their hand out. Yet it is the Middle Class that provide the bulk of the funding for the Quebec model and receive the least amount of benefits. Nobody ever talks about the provincial debt, it is just swept under the carpet for future generations to rectify. I find that lots of people in Quebec live in a bubble without a grasp on reality. /rant.

^In essence all the provinces tend to operate that way so I don't see how Quebec is unique in that respect.

Québec's Debt to GDP ratio is shrinking, its all you should worry about.

As for the middle class paying the bulk, yes you're right, thats because the middle class is the most numerous.

But i wouldn't say no to a tax break.

I enjoy discussions about Montreal's Metro and transit so lets keep on topic guys.

I always just assumed that the basic monthly pass of $70 would cover all of the Island of Montreal.


It does. The island of Montreal is divided in zones only for commuters (trains, bus going in the suburbs). I own a monthly pass and I did travel in every corner of the island, from Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue to Pte-aux-Trembles.

I know this isn't an article in the Gazette about the Metro but rather an item about some commuter trains- it is still transit. Some of the new cars passenger cars that were purchased from a New Jersey transit co. don't have doors that properly work at train stations around Montreal. I am sure this is a minor problem that can easly be rectified. Commuter Rail is very important for public transit hear in the Greater Toronto Area as well and I am glad that both of these cities are investing in this infrastructure. Commuter rail here in TO is mostly done by GO Transit and VIA Rail.

I enjoy discussions about Montreal's Metro and transit so lets keep on topic guys.

I agree.

This post is about Montreal transit- AMT in paticular. The Montreal Gazette is reporting that Premier Charest promised during the last election to give $200M to AMT so that it can add 230 departures per week. The article also gave some background showing that the AMT commuter trains are packed and unreliable- not getting people to work on time. Hopefully these crowding and scheduling issues are resolved so that more people start using transit to commute.

I read about the Conservative budget and was hoping their would be funds earmarked to expand the Metro in Montreal. Their is some money that says it is specifically for something called "Green Infrastructure". Maybe the different metropolitan areas across Canada could interpret this phrase mean public transit- especially electric rail such as the Metro since it is relatively "Green" compared to other forms of transit.

This budget sadly does not focus enough on Mass Transit. I'm sad to say far to few dollars if any will be going to the Metro.

YEah, My guess is that the money earmarked for Public transportation will be minimal, and therefore will not do much to help the subway systems in both Montréal or Toronto!?!

^It is so wrong. :no:

Although there seems to be some controversy DENTROBATE, I honestly don't think that the tunnels extend beyond the dark lines on the map.

I would love to see the blue line loop around and hook up with the green at Angrignon, but that's just a dream. I'm anxiously awaiting news that the blue line is heading east.. finally!

Although it seems wierd that the green line ends at Parc Angrignon, the density beyond the park (and it's a huge park) probably didn't, and still may not warrant further expansion.

I wish that all municipalities would include ongoing subway/LRT expansion in their annual budgets. Imagine if Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal had committed to a one station per year expansion 20 years ago instead of our current, 'beg for a one-shot expansion then start the begging process over again' mentality. It should be something that we just do..

Conceivably, the Blue and Green Lines could be linked on both ends, creating a massive loop much like the eventual loop of the Orange Line subway through Laval. The Yellow Line could also be expanded, infilling a new stop on Old Montreal's waterfront and adding a couple more stops in Longeuil.

^^I think the Blue Line eastward has the most need and then expand the Yellow Line deeper into the South Shore. I would eventually like to see the Orange Line loop closed because that might help tighten up headways and make that heavily used line even more efficient by moving even more people per hour.

I think that it is also necessary a metro line or train to the airport....it too far

How far is Trudeau from downtown? Is it on the Island?

How far is Trudeau from downtown? Is it on the Island?

It is on the island, I think the blue line is the closest to it if they're planning to expand a line to the airport.

How far is Trudeau from downtown? Is it on the Island?

Yes, it's on the Island. About 12 KM's west of Downtown. Along highways 13 and 520!

I read this news article about the airport link to the Montreal transit system in today's Gazette. It stated:

"Development of a bicycle path and sidewalks along Dorval Ave. to allow safe movement between the north and south parts of Dorval, including accessing the Dorval commuter rail station and the Montreal Transit Corp. bus station."

"Relocating the Dorval VIA Rail station closer to the airport."

Their is a list of a lot of highway and road improvements as well but the ones that caught my eye were the ones regarding public transit.

Yes, it's on the Island. About 12 KM's west of
Downtown. Along highways 13 and 520!

Edit.

I think that it is also necessary a metro line or train to the airport....it too far

I think a Metro line would be to expensive, an above ground train would be more cost efficient. :)

I know montreal's Metro uses rubber wheels. Just wondering why this mode or was it just because Paris did it? Also how do they handle the snow?

I know montreal's Metro uses rubber wheels. Just wondering why this mode or was it just because Paris did it? Also how do they handle the snow?

i think i mentionned it earlier in this thread. Rubber wheels can climb steeper inclinations, steel wheels can't.

And we have steeper tunnels because of the geology of Montreals underground... but i'm sure you could find more info if you googled it.

I know montreal's Metro uses rubber wheels. Just wondering why this mode or was it just because Paris did it? Also how do they handle the snow?

The whole system is underground. :cheers:

The whole system is underground. :cheers:

Also how do they handle the snow?


Exactly, our Metro system never goes outside, so snow is never a factor!

I know montreal's Metro uses rubber wheels. Just wondering why this mode or was it just because Paris did it?

Not only can rubber wheels climb steeper inclines, but it is a quieter and smoother ride than steel wheels!

I know montreal's Metro uses rubber wheels. Just wondering why this mode or was it just because Paris did it? Also how do they handle the snow?

Paris does not get the same kind of weather that Montreal does.

Also I know I have read multiple times that technology like that used on the MM is highly susceptible to weather. I would make no sense for the STM to put any new Metro in the same position as the SRT in Toronto.

I would like to think that transit officials in Montreal have the smarts to learn from our mistakes.

Actually, the metro trains could go outside, the only problem is that the ventilation system (placed on top) are not weather proofed...

I am envious of the Metro for being 100% underground. I think with the weather that Montreal and Toronto gets that in the end the extra expense of having them completely underground would be worth it. I am not sure how well the rubber tires would perform outdoors as well. They might have to switch tires each season for safety reasons. One other thing about the rubber tires is that the trains aren't as large and heavy as Toronto's cars. I read somewhere, I can't remember where, that the rubber tired cars are smaller and lighter then Toronto's heavy rail cars because they use rubber tires. Our train sets on the Yonge-University-Spadina line and the Bloor-Danforth lines are six car sets, and I noticed when my wife and I were in Montreal last summer that the STM runs the Metro with 9 car sets. So in the end I think both systems move comparable amounts of people-the TTC with larger cars and the Metro with more cars in a train set.

Montreal Gazette had an article that stated the city is trying to trim $40Million from the STM's operating budget! I think that during this recession transit is even more vital in helping us get around in all cities. I know that this money is municipal and is separate from the monies used to expand, which comes from provincial and federal sources but I hope the Public Transit systems in all of Canada's major urban centers gets some major investments during this down time.

Actually, the metro trains could go outside, the only problem is that the ventilation system (placed on top) are not weather proofed...

Are you sure? I always read it was the rubber tires that prevented the metro from going outside. This reason would also make sense to anyone who has ever tried to drive a car up Montréal’s icy streets. Even the slightest gradient is enough to prevent you from moving forward.

I’m sure it would not be too difficult to make the ventilation system weather proof.

Are you sure? I always read it was the rubber tires that prevented the metro from going outside. This reason would also make sense to anyone who has ever tried to drive a car up Montréal’s icy streets. Even the slightest gradient is enough to prevent you from moving forward.

I’m sure it would not be too difficult to make the ventilation system weather proof.

i'm almost certain. Steel would be even worse because they can't do any climbing at all, ice or not.

i'm almost certain. Steel would be even worse because they can't do any climbing at all, ice or not.
Well considering 99.9% of the worlds trains, trams and light rail all run on steel wheels, in all sorts of weather, I think maybe you should rethink your position.

:ohno: it's old i tooth it's better than i've see :ohno:

An article in today's Gazette reported on the plans for Windsor Station to be developed. The plans include a new train station alond the Dorion-Rigaud line and still they are hoping that the planned Peel LRT gets the go-ahead. I imagine that along with some bus routes, the future Peel LRT and the commuter Dorion-Rigaud line- this Windsor Station, it all goes ahead, will be a real inter-modal transit hub. Here in Toronto we have Transit hubs as well, stations with commuter rail, commuter buses, RT's or Subways as well as city buses. These type of stations make commuting much easier. I greatly appreciate that Canada's major cities are really starting to smartly invest in our transit sytems.

It is great that FINALLY Canada's transit systems will have a bit of a rennaisance decade as it's well overdue.
BTW, how large is the Montreal commuter rail system?

It is great that FINALLY Canada's transit systems will have a bit of a rennaisance decade as it's well overdue.
BTW, how large is the Montreal commuter rail system?

What do you mean exactly? How many passengers or how many lines?

here's a map of the commuter train lines!

http://www.amt.qc.ca/tc/train/images/plans/Carte_Train_2009.pdf

Habsfan, I looked at that commuter rail map and where abouts is this planned Windsor Station going to be, which line and where on it as well? Hopefully it is near the Metro to help with transfers between the two systems. I think that kind of accessibility would increase ridership.Here in Toronto we have lots of transit news, with Subway expansion to York U. and Vaughn underway and some of out LRT routes getting their funding and other news as well. I read the Montreal Gazette every morning, I am originally from Montreal, looking for news about Montreal's own expansion plans for it's own system. I was proud to see that the Metro was expanded to Laval but, what are the future plans. I would like to see the Yellow line get some more stations into Longueuil, that is where I grew up. I have read though that the their is more need to extend the Blue Line eastward a few stations. I heard as well that PET airport will get a commuter rail link- how frequent will the trains be...every 15 min. perhaps?

5 Existing lines, 1 under construction, ridership in 2007, line lenght:

Dorion-Rigaud Line, 3,267,900, 64.4 kilometres
Deux-Montagnes Line, 7,757,000, 31.1 km
Blainville-Saint-Jerome Line, 2,114,900, 62.1 kilometres
Mont-Saint-Hilaire Line, 1,503,600, 34.9 kilometres
Delson-Candiac Line, 591,100, 23.3 kilometres
Repentigny-Mascouche Line (construction), 51 kilometres

Their was a short article in Today's Gazette that said the group, The Quebec Bureau d'Audiences Publiques sur l'Enviornment that the rail line serving the airport and the eastern cities of Mascouche, Terrebonne and Repentigny should be an electric rail line. If it is electric I wonder what the planned frequency of this line will be? With Quebec's massive hydro power it would be good if more of its transit needs taps into this resource.

Its great to see Montreal is expanding its commuter rail and thanks for the stats. I didn't realize it was that extensive and had such high ridership levels.

Habsfan, I looked at that commuter rail map and where abouts is this planned Windsor Station going to be, which line and where on it as well? Hopefully it is near the Metro to help with transfers between the two systems. I think that kind of accessibility would increase ridership.Here in Toronto we have lots of transit news, with Subway expansion to York U. and Vaughn underway and some of out LRT routes getting their funding and other news as well. I read the Montreal Gazette every morning, I am originally from Montreal, looking for news about Montreal's own expansion plans for it's own system. I was proud to see that the Metro was expanded to Laval but, what are the future plans. I would like to see the Yellow line get some more stations into Longueuil, that is where I grew up. I have read though that the their is more need to extend the Blue Line eastward a few stations. I heard as well that PET airport will get a commuter rail link- how frequent will the trains be...every 15 min. perhaps?


Windsor Station already exists. It's right next door to the Bell Centre in Downtown Montreal.

I know that talks about a quick link between Dorval International Airport and Downtown is in the works and that the commuter train line with the eastern suburban cities of Repentigny and Mascouche is almost ready to start construction, but I don't have any more details.

As far as the metro is concerned, the Blue line will probably be the next line to be extended(eastwards) to St-Leonard and Anjou(about 5-6 stations). My guess is that it should be done within the next 3-5 years. There are also talks about expanding the Yellow line into Longueuil (about 5 stations as well). the Longueuil Mayor has been talking about it more and more over the past couple of years!

There are also serious talks about getting an LRT on the ice Bridge next to the Champlain Bridge towards Brossard. These are all possibilities that have been studied and are still being studied by the provincial transit agency(Ministère des Transport du Québec) Things are moving very slowly, but at least they are moving in the right direction!

Its great to see Montreal is expanding its commuter rail and thanks for the stats. I didn't realize it was that extensive and had such high ridership levels.

Yeah, commuter rail lines have been around for a while! I do believe the AMT(Agence Métropolitaine de transports) has order a whole bunch of double decker cars to increase capacity on the busiest lines(Deux-Montagne).

Thanks for the info. Habsfan. I heard long ago about the needed extension of the Blue Line to Anjou area in the underserviced northeast section of Montreal. I was born and raised in the Longueuil area and I hope the short little Yellow Line gets some investment. I think with fuel prices rising it is wise for Quebec to tap into into its vast hydro resources and use some of that energy for transportation. Here in Toronto we are finally getting some investment in our own transit system, some subway extensions, LRT and regular streetcars. We are even getting a whack of new buses from a Winnipeg manufacturer.

I hope that this isn't just a flash in the pan and all Canadian cities start some long-term and sustained funding for all types of public transit. My old home is finally getting Richmond linked and its airport to Vancouver rapid transit link. Later this year they will have beat us to the punch of having a airport link with its rapid transit network. I hope all the different plans you mentioned Montreal has on the burners come to fruition.

I was on another website called Urban Toronto and it had a discussion forum call "Montreal to have the largest Subway system in Canada". This forum has some good talk of all the plans Montreal is planning to expand it's subway system such as extending the Yellow Line by 4 stations eastward 5.3 km, extending the Blue Line eastward as well 5.1 km to Anjou, Orange Line to looped 10.0 km. I hope that Montreal puts together a real good proposal that the feds go for. Vancouver got funding for its Richmond project and here in Toronto we are getting funding for an extension to York U and then into Vaughn, we also got funding for three different LRT lines. I hope that the city I grew up in, Montreal, gets funding for all these proposal they are talking of on the other websit I am on.

The website is www.urbantoronto.ca and the forum is called "Montreal to have the largest Subway system in Canada". join in the conversation and throw in your own two bits to the dialogue.

I was on another website called Urban Toronto and it had a discussion forum call "Montreal to have the largest Subway system in Canada". This forum has some good talk of all the plans Montreal is planning to expand it's subway system such as extending the Yellow Line by 4 stations eastward 5.3 km, extending the Blue Line eastward as well 5.1 km to Anjou, Orange Line to looped 10.0 km. I hope that Montreal puts together a real good proposal that the feds go for. Vancouver got funding for its Richmond project and here in Toronto we are getting funding for an extension to York U and then into Vaughn, we also got funding for three different LRT lines. I hope that the city I grew up in, Montreal, gets funding for all these proposal they are talking of on the other websit I am on.

The website is www.urbantoronto.ca and the forum is called "Montreal to have the largest Subway system in Canada". join in the conversation and throw in your own two bits to the dialogue.

Yup, they were talking about this in today's papers. The Mayors of Montreal, Longueuil and Laval have been talking for the past few months about this huge extension of the Metro system 20+ Km's. Extending the Yellow line 5km's further east into Longueuil(4 new stations). Extending the Blue Line 5 km's north-east towards Anjou(4-5 stations) and finally, closing the "loop" of the orange line into Laval with a second tunnel going under the Rivière des Prairies 10KM's (about 3 stations). All this would be completed before 2020 and would cost approx. 3 billion$.

For once the 3 mayors of the 3 largest municipalities in Greater Montreal agree on something and have a common front with the Provincial and Federal gov'ts.

I really hope this works out. After the huge succes experienced by the first Laval extension, these new extensions should be no brainers!

by 2010?? That is in like 7 months? Considering they took like 1 year to install elevator, I doubt we will be seeing this till 2015.

by 2010?? That is in like 7 months? Considering they took like 1 year to install elevator, I doubt we will be seeing this till 2015.

Oops! My bad. I meant to say 2020 (in 10 years)!

By the way, I visited urbantoronto and was surprised to see that a discussion about Montreal had 4 pages of responses. I wasn't surprised to see all the negative and condescending remarks made about MTL, but Like I said, I was expecting that! ;) ;)

One thing is for certain, and that is that both projects(extensions in Toronto and Montreal) are great news for the 10 million people who live in the two largest cities in Canada! Both cities will have 80KM+ of metro/subway lines!

This isn't Metro news but it is public transit news for Montreal, the Star is reporting that the some merchants are considering cable cars for old Montreal to help it attract tourinsts. I wonder which Metro station these cable cars would serve so tourist and people of Montreal can get to this old area of Montreal? My wife and I were their last summer and I wonder if the horses in the area might get hurt on the rails tracks if they were put on the street.

I can't stand it when governments use precious transit dollars to build systems that are geared for tourists. Transit is an essental service for the citizens of their city not the city's tourism board.

I just read that Cadillac Fairview just bought Windsor Station. I wonder if they have any plans for this station. I read something a while back that said AMT was going to have their rail link to PET Airport from Windsor Station. If their are frequent trains to the airport I wonder if a new train platform would be needed at Windsor Station to handle the increased capacity.

Actually, the metro trains could go outside, the only problem is that the ventilation system (placed on top) are not weather proofed...
I doubt it -- the wheel trucks probably aren't designed for outdoor usage -- filmy condensation on the tracking easily interrupts service.

I have ridden Montreal, Boston, Washington, Paris, and Clevelands systems. Paris I think had the best system because it was always on time, but I do like montreals metro.

I do have to disagree with this though

Boston's are by far the best. The subway cars are air conditioned, and it covers the whole city well. .

I have been to boston many times, and ridden the T, and think it needs major improvement, one of the stations I was in was falling apart, and the trains on the system travel very slowly. Also sometimes a wait for trains is ten minutes or more. The trains also serve Boston well, but not much of the suburban area...

Montreal is proposing constucting a Tram network connecting the downtown with Old Montreal and continuing Cote des Neiges Rd. until Jean Talon St. according to the Montreal Gazette. The proposed tram is to run along Peel, De La Commune and Berri Sts. and Rene Levesque Blvd. and then take Guy and Cote des Neiges until Jean Talon St. This article is in today's Gazette and it states it hopes the project is completed by 2013. Sounds like some very possible good news for transit in Montreal.

Does any one have any idea where the Tram line would link up with the existing Metro? Hopefully it is a nice transfer like Lionel-Groulx. That is a really well designed transfer.

I doubt it -- the wheel trucks probably aren't designed for outdoor usage -- filmy condensation on the tracking easily interrupts service.

Slap some all season tires on them , then there good to go. :)

Montreal is proposing constucting a Tram network connecting the downtown with Old Montreal and continuing Cote des Neiges Rd. until Jean Talon St. according to the Montreal Gazette. The proposed tram is to run along Peel, De La Commune and Berri Sts. and Rene Levesque Blvd. and then take Guy and Cote des Neiges until Jean Talon St. This article is in today's Gazette and it states it hopes the project is completed by 2013. Sounds like some very possible good news for transit in Montreal.

Does any one have any idea where the Tram line would link up with the existing Metro? Hopefully it is a nice transfer like Lionel-Groulx. That is a really well designed transfer.

The initial network will have 3 lines: Côte-des-Neiges line, Parc line and Downtown line.

Côte-des-Neiges line will be 8.4km long and will run between Jean-Talon street to Berri st. along Côte-des-Neiges, Guy and René-Lévesque.

Parc Line (6.9km) will run from Jean-Talon/Parc to Guy/René-Lévesque along Parc, De Bleury and René-Lévesque.

Downtown line will be a 6.6km circular line running on Sainte-Catherine, Berri, De la Commune and Peel.

At the beginning there will be a mix of Côte-des-Neiges line and Downtown line. Tramways will run the whole Côte-des-Neiges line, then run on Berri, de la Commune and come back on René-Lévesque via Peel.

There are also plans for extensions toward Verdun, Notre-Dame st. Mont-Royal ave. Pie-IX blvd, etc.

Another good news story in the Montreal Gazette about possible Metro expansions which I hope becomes reality. The different mayors in the Montreal region came up with 3 main metro extensions that could happen simultaneously. The one considered a priority is extend the Blue Line eastward to the Anjou area, another extension is extend the Yellow Line a number of stations to the CEGEP area and a third extension of the Orange Line so that it's western arm extends to Laval as well.

I hope Montreal, my birthplace, gets some federal dollars as well as provincial funding to make these plans reality. I lived many years in Vancouver, that is where I got hooked on transit, and they have just gotten lots of federal money to extend their own system to Richmond and the airport. I live in Toronto now and we are getting federal dollars to extend the subway from Downsview Station to York University and then into Vaughn. We are also getting federal money and provincial money to start building 3 LRT lines. I hope Montreal gets some funding for its own proposals.

I do hope that the metro will be expanded... Montreal really needs something like this to attract people.

Montreal already has a relatively complete transit system compared to most north american cities, so I don't think an expansion would actually attract people... or a least not a significant amount of people.

Montreal already has a relatively complete transit system compared to most north american cities, so I don't think an expansion would actually attract people... or a least not a significant amount of people.

Agreed. The Montreal Metro system already has 68 stations in it. If this proposal does get approval from the Federal and Provincial Gov'ts, it wold increase the Métro from 68 to close to 90 stations. It woulso add about 20Km's of new Métro tracks. It would be a significant increase, but the Montreal public transportations sytems carries already 1 million passengers per day, which is significant!

Slap some all season tires on them , then there good to go. :)
Better somehow glaze over those ceiling fans too -- bring back dem wagon heaters too if you're a softie like me :)

BTW (just to clarify all this extensions-speak), the prov govt simply asked the three mayors for their input. Prov law (mandate) still has it that l'AMT has the final word and the clout it would take to execute the feasibility studies, etc., etc.

Are there illustrations of what these extensions would look like. I haven't lived in Montreal in years so I'm having trouble placing some of these places where the extensions will occur. I've reproduced the map from post #1.

http://stm.info/English/metro/images/planmet2004.gif

So, the Blue line will travel a few stops past St. Michel, the orange line might eventually loop up, and the yellow line might extend further into Longueuil? This would be great, but I really think NDG and points further west should get subway service too. 90 km and 90 stations would be fantastic for Montreal.

I hope one day that the blue line will go further east of the island. This would be for me at least very easy to reach St-leonard without driving my car.

Its great to hear about your expansion plans and I hope they come to fruition.
Whatever you do DON"T replicate Toronto's TransitCity which is getting worse as the days pass. The stops are so close that the so-called "rapid transit" will run at a blistering 23km/hr.........they hope. The only exception is the Eglinton line which has further station spacing and a 12km tunnel.
You seem to be on the right track.

I'd have to say, that although Transit City is an improvement over what Toronto has now, it's a compromise. I'd much rather see subway extensions like Montreal is proposing. I'm always so envious of Montreal's Metro system. 4 lines in a city two-thirds the size of Toronto. We're stuck with 2.5 lines. Sheppard? Really now.

"4 lines in a city two-thirds the size of Toronto. We're stuck with 2.5 lines"

There is a reason for that. Montreal and Toronto are completely different shapes, so the 2.5 lines in Toronto are much longer than the shorter crisscrossing lines in Montreal, and with a longer total of track. To get from one end of Toronto to the other requires a long run. Do you think you would want to keep changing trains to get from Kipling to downtown, or further east? There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems, but if you are going the long distance, like from Royal York to Pape, you would be thankful for one long track.

"4 lines in a city two-thirds the size of Toronto. We're stuck with 2.5 lines"

There is a reason for that. Montreal and Toronto are completely different shapes, so the 2.5 lines in Toronto are much longer than the shorter crisscrossing lines in Montreal, and with a longer total of track. To get from one end of Toronto to the other requires a long run. Do you think you would want to keep changing trains to get from Kipling to downtown, or further east? There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems, but if you are going the long distance, like from Royal York to Pape, you would be thankful for one long track.

So what if the TTC has longer lines, we still only have 2 measly lines in a city of 6 million people. Sheppard barely can be considered at all. It's a short desolate line to nowhere. I find it really amusing how some Torontonians try to gloss over the fact that the subway here is shockingly under built. Our subway barely ranks as a 'system' at all.

I don't care if the Bloor line goes all the way to bloody Detroit, there's still only one east west line in the whole damn metropolitan area. There should be at least another 2 east west lines south of Bloor alone, another one at St. Clair, another one at Eglinton, a few more north-south lines, and maybe one that cuts diagonally.

Try 7 or 8 lines and 250 km of track Toronto. Good grief! 2 lines and 68 km of track is beyond embarrassing for a rich global city of 6 million people. Even Oslo can beat that.

:rofl:

This is akin to explaining to a European that an 8 floor building isn't a skyscraper.

whatever, isaidso. Not only did you miss what I was trying to say, you steamrolled right over it. I was not saying we do
not need more lines, I was pointing out that there was a reason why the lines are laid out differently in the two cities, but there is no point trying to discuss it with you.

Are there illustrations of what these extensions would look like. I haven't lived in Montreal in years so I'm having trouble placing some of these places where the extensions will occur. I've reproduced the map from post #1.

http://stm.info/English/metro/images/planmet2004.gif

So, the Blue line will travel a few stops past St. Michel, the orange line might eventually loop up, and the yellow line might extend further into Longueuil? This would be great, but I really think NDG and points further west should get subway service too. 90 km and 90 stations would be fantastic for Montreal.

Yes. The orange line will complete the "loop" and connect on it's western side. The Yellow line will go further into Longueuil and the Blue Line should be extended by about 5 stations towards the east into St-Leonard and all the way to Anjou.

Thank you, that's promising news that these extensions are being considered. Getting around Montreal by subway is a treat.

whatever, isaidso. Not only did you miss what I was trying to say, you steamrolled right over it. I was not saying we do
not need more lines, I was pointing out that there was a reason why the lines are laid out differently in the two cities, but there is no point trying to discuss it with you.

The point wasn't lost on me, but I will apologize. I've allowed a frustrating personal situation to spiral and taken it out on you. I'm very sorry. I hope you will accept my expression of regret.

Hey, no problem at all. :) I think we would all love to have a few extra subway lines. I wish
there had been an East-West line on Queen Street. I know the lower level platform was built, but I wish they had carried through with the line.

Thank you for being so gracious. I'm rather embarrassed that I lashed out at you. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that Toronto will take the plunge again as far as new lines are concerned.

Pfft. Nothing at all! I am frequently cranky myself! :D

Another article in the today's Montreal Gazette about Metro expansion. Transport Minister Julie Boulet is going to announce that the Metro gets expanded by 20 km! The province is going to pay for the tunnelling and new Metro cars, estimated at over $3B, while the municipalities would be on the hook for operating costs and some cost overruns.

The extensions talked of in the article are extending the Blue Line 5 km to Anjou with a station at St. Leonard, the Orange Line would be extended from Cote Vertu to the Bois Franc area and then to Laval, and the Yellow Line would be extended 8km with 5 new stations in Longueuil.

They are going to make this announcement today at the Berri UQAM Metro Station this afternoon. I am very happy for Montreal and its Metro system, such a huge investment and big expansion, congratulations. I personally am glad for the Yellow Line expansion as I was born and raised on the South Shore and always hoped for more stations and better access to the Metro for my old environs.

I read about it in this morning's Gazette. This is great news! A great way to attract more new commuters to public transit!

Here's a link to the Article!

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/M%C3%A9tro+network+extended/1997703/story.html

The planned extension of the Blue Line east to Anjou has been on the table for a while. Does anyone know if they have already done EA's and maybe some initial designs. If that work is already started it will save both time and money on these plans finally becomming reality.

The planned extension of the Blue Line east to Anjou has been on the table for a while. Does anyone know if they have already done EA's and maybe some initial designs. If that work is already started it will save both time and money on these plans finally becomming reality.

I can tell you that most of the tunnel for the Blue Line extension east has been tunnelled already. The tunnel is already in place. I think it was done in the 80's!

So all extensions of the metro will be some kind of enclosed tunnel, correct?

is it just an urban legend that the trains aren't suitable for outdoor use or is it true?

^^One of the reasons that the Montreal Metro is 100% underground is that the Metro's cars have air-filled rubber tires which wouldn't be suitable for the outdoor use I read. Their are advantages and disadvantages for this type of train. One disadvantage is that the trains can't be as large as the steel-wheeled Toronto cars are. One of the advantages of rubber-tired metro cars is that they can climb steeper grades then a steel-wheeled subway can. On another note having the whole system underground has one advantage and that is, even though it is more expensive to build initially, the metro has a longer shelf life for its Metro cars. The cars last a lot longer if they are never exposed to the elements when doing their routes. Their are other advantages and disadvantages as well and I am sure other people could enlighten you. I always appreciated the fact that the Metro is completely underground and enjoy the system everytime I visit this city.

I hope the extensions planned are kept completely underground as well.

Does anyone have a link or a publication, something official saying that the blue line might be extended till St-leonard?

Does anyone have a link or a publication, something official saying that the blue line might be extended till St-leonard?
Click on the PDF-labelled "PTI 2009-2010-2011" document link at the following web page of the AMT's: http://www.amt.qc.ca/corp_template.aspx?id=1062&terms=pti

There's something queer about that publication of the AMT's. When it was released online toward the end of last winter, I could swear that it mentioned only extending the metro network by three stations; now it seems that a whole bunch have appeared (i.e., Edition #2?!?) Maybe its 'update' stems from some provincial minister's having asked the Montreal, Laval and Longueuil mayors some weeks ago to look into extending the metro into Anjou (St-Léonard), Laval and St-Laurent, and Longueuil (but not the downtown extension....). FYI, a guest on anglo news radio here last month criticise these proposals as still being insufficient in that by the time they'd be commissioned into service, they'd already be redundant. These extension-metro proposals amount to nothing more than politics and green-posturing, plus the province held its municipal elections last Sunday -- I wouldn't hold your breath, coz it's just talk-talk.

One disadvantage is that the trains can't be as large as the steel-wheeled Toronto cars are.
They could were the cars shorter (and articulated?) -- it's all about axle load, which is comparatively minimum when it comes to nitrogen-filled tyres.



One of the advantages of rubber-tired metro cars is that they can climb steeper grades then a steel-wheeled subway can.
This is no longer true, coz major advancements with steel-to-steel technology have been made the past several years. Mind you, I'd rather rubber-to-concrete traction because they don't cause the ground to rumble and vibrate.



I always appreciated the fact that the Metro is completely underground and enjoy the system everytime I visit this city.

I hope the extensions planned are kept completely underground as well.
I don't and I don't, coz I so much miss watching urban settings from my trains, and especially more so after watching this just two weeks ago:
9v8u6W1JHDo

This covered elevated right of way appears promising. For years I've been lazily daydreaming how to take our metros outdoors whilst sheltering them from our harsh climate.

I don't and I don't, coz I so much miss watching urban settings from my trains, and especially more so after watching this just two weeks ago:


Agreed. I do not like looking at blackened walls while riding a metro. Elevated transit lines can really add to the urban landscape if done right.

This is a significant failing of Toronto. It seems to me the city will never build at grade subways, even if the alignment will allow it.

They could were the cars shorter (and articulated?)



I don't and I don't, coz I so much miss watching urban settings from my trains, and especially more so after watching this just two weeks ago:
9v8u6W1JHDo

This covered elevated right of way appears promising. For years I've been lazily daydreaming how to take our metros outdoors whilst sheltering them from our harsh climate.

Problem: If you look at the end of the video, as the elevated portion approaches the tunnel, the plexiglass windows of the elevated structure are covered with graffiti on the outside. Such a structure would be expropriated by "artists" and gangbangers in no time.

^^ to you maybe, not necessarily to others -- besides, it'd just be a matter of time that plastering ads over layers o' graffiti would become customary -- or, better yet! transparent grafitti paint'd be all the rage beforehand

Is it just me or is the Guy-Concordia station one of the worst in the city? You can see mold growing on the walls and water is leaking everywhere. It's really surprising that they haven't fixed this yet (putting buckets won't solve the issue guys), considering how it's one of the most active stations.

^^ it might be you or just your U.S. upbringing (e.g., mould is the Cdn spelling) -- besides, placing drip-catching pails here and there is no foreign practice for the busiest of islandbound malls here

What is the current status with regards to the new rolling stock for the metro? Last I read, Alstom and Bombardier were bidding on the chance to build the new railcars.

^^ announcement of specs of new fleet were supposed to be released no later than last week

^^ it might be you or just your U.S. upbringing (e.g., mould is the Cdn spelling) -- besides, placing drip-catching pails here and there is no foreign practice for the busiest of islandbound malls here

US upbringing? I lived in Montreal all my life :lol: I only started going to an English when I reached CEGEP so I never learned all of the different spellings in the English language. I try to use the British Spelling though, but I always wrote "mold" without the u.

Honestly I don't care what others country do. All I know is that Guy Metro seems to be the most degraded Metro Station in Montreal

http://www.24hmontreal.canoe.ca/archives/24hmontreal/actualites/media/2008/12/20081210-145310-g.jpg hee hee http://www.24hmontreal.canoe.ca/archives/24hmontreal/actualites/media/2008/12/20081210-145310-g.jpg hee hee http://www.24hmontreal.canoe.ca/archives/24hmontreal/actualites/media/2008/12/20081210-145310-g.jpg
24 heures' 10-December-2008....errrr . . report (http://www.24hmontreal.canoe.ca/24hmontreal/actualites/archives/2008/12/20081210-145310.html)

whether above rendering a proposal or the adoption itself still not apparent...no mention of bringing back suspension either
...photo was republished Monday (25 Jan 2010) to which I can't locate 24 heures' article...can any of you tell where the hatchets and extinguishers'd be housed, coz I can't?!

Is it just me or is the Guy-Concordia station one of the worst in the city? You can see mold growing on the walls and water is leaking everywhere. It's really surprising that they haven't fixed this yet (putting buckets won't solve the issue guys), considering how it's one of the most active stations.


I do agree, and since I live close by I use this station a lot, it is really awfull, you can see mices close to the benchs and trashcans, yeap I saw several times, it's really bad, licking everywhere, it smell really bad because of the beggars who use the benchs as toilets, the automatic stairs that where replaced/renovated not long ago are always broke, holes on the wall everywhere where you can see pipes licking, not to mention it is really dirty, the ventilation is not good too, the station looks like a boiling pan no matter the temperature outside, in other words, it is one of the worst stations in Mtl, still one of the busiests :(

^^ no matter, we passengers descended to the rats plaguing Vendôme station that Sept day back in '81 on its first day of service (yeah, all before that sorta critter started shrinking due to enviro pollution)

^^ lemme tell ya, plenty of tourists aghast by this country's homelessness wonder why so many of them -errrr- bog down us canuckeroises (probably all after scratchin' their heads for the same reason comin' from yanks' turf...)

Est-ce que quelqu'un aurait un plan du métro avec la correspondance des rues en surface s'il vous plaît ? J'aimerais voir la distance entre les stations et entre les lignes.

^^ Je crois que le Plan du réseau de la STM (http://www.stm.info/info/reseau2009.pdf) vous aidera; je pense que Google Maps illustre les lignes du métro.

Metro open all night Saturday 27 February 2010, again (http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-10/a-co100225.htm) -- my! were passengers ever so different 3:30AM, same event, last year, compared to the metro's regular hours of operation; quite the eye-opener, it was! :shocked: Platforms and trains were crowded/jam-packed.

New bid arises for métro cars (http://www.montrealgazette.com/arises+m%c3%a9tro+cars/2620166/story.html#ixzz0glN9sQsY)

Spain's CAF rides in: Muddies waters of STM's contentious contract

By François Shalom, The GazetteFebruary 27, 2010 10:26 AM

http://www.montrealgazette.com/arises+m%c3%a9tro+cars/2620166/2510196.bin
Société de transport de Montréal's original 336-car deal has grown to at least 765 cars at least and perhaps 1,053. Photograph by: Allen McInnis, Gazette file photo

MONTREAL – For a contract that started out as a no-bid handout to local train-maker Bombardier Inc., the field of bidders for the Montreal métro car replacement deal sure is getting crowded.

Spanish train manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles SA (CAF) announced yesterday it will file a last-minute expression of interest for the contract that began in 2005 as a 336-car, $1.2-billion deal, but has multiplied in size either two-fold or three-fold since then.

That late entry roils the water even more for a contract that had a rocky start, but had settled down, until December at least, to the prosaic business of producing subway cars.

Jesus Esnaola, general manager of CAF's international division, told reporters that he and Julen Barrutia, area director of the international subsidiary, had a "very courteous" hour-long morning meeting with the Société de transport de Montréal after filing their thick, three-binder proposal to renew Montreal's métro cars ahead of Monday's deadline.

The issue has been controversial from its launch, when the STM announced Bombardier would be awarded the sole-source contract without going to tenders. That was overturned when Paris-based Alstom SA sued in Quebec Superior Court, and won its demand to be let in.

That seemed to be that for several years - until December, when Chinese firm C.S.R. Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. demanded to be allowed to bid. It contended that the contract had never been open to international bids and that Alstom had simply latched on to the original closed bid. That forced a stunning reversal by the STM last month, when it halted the exclusive talks with the Bombardier/Alstom consortium and called for international tenders. It appeared all the more surprising since everyone involved had been saying for weeks that the results of the two-year-long negotiations - on price, the numbers of cars and many other details - had been finalized and would be announced within days.

Zhuzhou further muddied the waters by preparing a lawsuit to rescind the requirement in the STM's public request for proposals that the cars' wheels be made of rubber.

Glen Fisher, Zhuzhou's Canadian representative, claimed that pneumatics are increasingly antiquated technology and that the requirement is a transparent ploy to exclude Zhuzhou, which is proposing steel wheels.

STM spokesperson Odile Paradis would only say that "we did receive CAF's expression of interest and we're going to proceed with the analysis of the documents that they submitted to us under the public notice of intention, which ends on Monday at 3 p.m."

"We'll verify to see if they conform with our requirements. But we don't know, will there be others (interested by Monday)?"

Asked why CAF had waited until the last possible instant to make its interest known, Esnaola replied that it was because the contract had multiplied since its inception. The dollar amount of the contract has not been disclosed by the STM, but Paradis did confirm that it was now for 765 cars at least and perhaps 1,053, three times the original number.

"Actually," Barrutia said, "the STM published its (second) notice of intentions of interest only on Jan. 22."

Esnaola said that CAF did not bid on the original deal because "we had work on many other contracts before."

CAF has done rubber-wheel subway contracts in Santiago, Chile and in Mexico City, either as lead contractor or a partner. In Mexico, the lead builder was Bombardier, but CAF has not partnered with Bombardier on projects, unlike Alstom, Barrutia said.

Esnaola said that to respect the 60-per-cent Canadian-content threshold requirement, CAF would build a plant "somewhere in Quebec" and use many of the same local sub-contractors that do business with Bombardier and Alstom.

"We have done the same thing in Brazil, where we are working on the Sao Paulo métro," Esnaola said.

But Esnaola and Barrutia would not be drawn out on whether the Montreal métro could switch to steel wheels, as Zhuzhou is proposing to do.

CAF has a factory in New York and has worked on mass-transit systems in Houston, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.

The company does not make mass- transit engines and would have to outsource the powertrain component for the Montreal contract.

Esnaola said that despite being present in Asia, CAF has no interest in bidding on contracts in China, which is set to build more than 70,000 kilometres of train lines that will require thousands of trains during the next decade.

"We think Chinese companies will win those contracts," Esnaola said.


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/arises+m%c3%a9tro+cars/2620166/story.html#ixzz0glN9sQsY

Unreal :ohno:

What garage would accommodate the extra few hundreds' worth of cars? :uh:

^^That is a different perspective by representatives of the company Zhuzhou of China calling the pneumatic tires that the Metro uses 'antiquated'. Their are certain benefits to having rubber tires and the main one that I can think or it allows the Montreal Metro to climb higher grades the a typical steel wheel on steel rail subway. Steel on steel though causes less friction meaning less energy needed to propel a similar sized rubber tired car. Their are a few systems in the world that use rubber tires but they are definitely a minority.

^^ steel-to-steel tech has caught up, although I reckon tyred metros to still be the most urban form of mass transport coz they don't transmit vibrations to nearby terrasses or buildings.....the Mercedes steel-wheeled work trains transmit much noise and rumbling when they do their rounds nighttime after the network's closed for the day

Another article in the today's Montreal Gazette about Metro expansion. Transport Minister Julie Boulet is going to announce that the Metro gets expanded by 20 km! The province is going to pay for the tunnelling and new Metro cars, estimated at over $3B, while the municipalities would be on the hook for operating costs and some cost overruns.

The extensions talked of in the article are extending the Blue Line 5 km to Anjou with a station at St. Leonard, the Orange Line would be extended from Cote Vertu to the Bois Franc area and then to Laval, and the Yellow Line would be extended 8km with 5 new stations in Longueuil.

They are going to make this announcement today at the Berri UQAM Metro Station this afternoon. I am very happy for Montreal and its Metro system, such a huge investment and big expansion, congratulations. I personally am glad for the Yellow Line expansion as I was born and raised on the South Shore and always hoped for more stations and better access to the Metro for my old environs.

any update about the montreal metro extension ?

[INDENT][INDENT]New bid arises for métro cars (http://www.montrealgazette.com/arises+m%c3%a9tro+cars/2620166/story.html#ixzz0glN9sQsY)
Spain's CAF rides in: Muddies waters of STM's contentious contract

http://www.montrealgazette.com/arises+m%c3%a9tro+cars/2620166/2510196.bin

:runaway:

any update about the montreal metro extension ?
1970s, '80s, '90s : no update, which I'd bet must mean the same for noughties.

Plan du métro avec les stations en projet :

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/images/bizphotos/569x379/200909/17/108960.jpg

Plan du métro avec les stations en projet :

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/images/bizphotos/569x379/200909/17/108960.jpg

J'aimerais bien voir ces nouvelles stations de Métro d'ici 10 ou 15 ans. ON parle de 10-11 nouvelles stations, ce qui est intéresant!

Wow! The yellow line is to have a station in Chambly, where I was born and raised. That would be great if some of these extensions you showed in your map become reality. I hope Quebec uses some of the money they are going to make selling hydro to the northeastern part of the States to fund more transit expansion in Montreal and Quebec City. I think even new bus stations in smaller cities would be a good investment of these funds that are going to start coming after that new hydro corridor is paid for.

Wow! The yellow line is to have a station in Chambly, where I was born and raised. That would be great if some of these extensions you showed in your map become reality. I hope Quebec uses some of the money they are going to make selling hydro to the northeastern part of the States to fund more transit expansion in Montreal and Quebec City. I think even new bus stations in smaller cities would be a good investment of these funds that are going to start coming after that new hydro corridor is paid for.


GTS, that Metro station would not be in the City of Chambly, but on Chemin Chambly in Longueuil!

^^ steel-to-steel tech has caught up, although I reckon tyred metros to still be the most urban form of mass transport coz they don't transmit vibrations to nearby terrasses or buildings.....the Mercedes steel-wheeled work trains transmit much noise and rumbling when they do their rounds nighttime after the network's closed for the day

yes, and anyone that has ever seen those in person, when the last metro passes, can attest that they are indeed, insanely loud!

Im a big advocate for the rubber tyre option. have you ever ridden in steel wheeled trains? even the most modern ones are unconfortable compared to OUR rubber tyre metros from 30-40 years ago.

and the zhouzhou lawsuit is a joke. We want rubber tyres, they cant make them, they sue us so we change the whole metro system's layout for them to bid. WTF. just another episode in the never ending (sad) saga of our metro system.

in 10 years most of our trains will disintegrate and they will still be in court bidding...

Plan du métro avec les stations en projet :

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/images/bizphotos/569x379/200909/17/108960.jpg

how is a station on boul Rolland terrien at StHubert airport? the street ends before it reaches the airport?

how is a station on boul Rolland terrien at StHubert airport? the street ends before it reaches the airport?

I don't think that the proposed metro station on Roland-Therrien would go all the way to the Airport in St-Hubert!

have you ever ridden in steel wheeled trains? even the most modern ones are unconfortable compared to OUR rubber tyre metros from 30-40 years ago
I can't agree, I'd rate the smooth riding of our fleets Aabysmal, e.g.:

the more recent one of our pair of fleets isn't equipped with any suspension (whereas the older fleet is);
have you ever ridden the Class 313 out of London's Moorgate station up to Welwyn Garden City or to Hertford North? That fleet hails from the late '70s and is equipped with highly inflated air-filled rubber membrames between the underframe and the wheel truck, and offers smooth riding that (seriously) is out of this world (it made me feel like I must've been on some episode of Space 1999)...here:
dGX1L2gjzdg
Even Toronto's streetcar fleets hailing from the '80s are equipped with this kind of suspension, and (were it not for their crummy tracking back in the Noughties, offered fair- enough smooth riding).

I can't agree, I'd rate the smooth riding of our fleets Aabysmal, e.g.:

the more recent one of our pair of fleets isn't equipped with any suspension (whereas the older fleet is);
have you ever ridden the Class 313 out of London's Moorgate station up to Welwyn Garden City or to Hertford North? That fleet hails from the late '70s and is equipped with highly inflated air-filled rubber membrames between the underframe and the wheel truck, and offers smooth riding that (seriously) is out of this world (it made me feel like I must've been on some episode of Space 1999)...here:
dGX1L2gjzdg
Even Toronto's streetcar fleets hailing from the '80s are equipped with this kind of suspension, and (were it not for their crummy tracking back in the Noughties, offered fair- enough smooth riding).
i cant say i have ridden in those particular trains you speak of. I take your word from it. but from my experience, trains in NY, steel wheels were pretty unconfortable.

But beside the ridership confort, isnt it aso an issue of vibrations? the rubber tyres absorbing them more than the steel counter parts? I guess there are a few negative stereotypes towards steel wheels, but some of the advantages of an all underground/rubber tyre combination are undeniable.

i just found it was funny that zhouzhou sues over something like this. the bottom line is that itll cause yet another delay in a process that has dragged on for too many years.

I don't think that the proposed metro station on Roland-Therrien would go all the way to the Airport in St-Hubert!

well its what i keep reading on the news pappers, and hear on tv: "desservir l'aeroport st-hubert". I allways found that was a bit odd, seeing as the immediacy of the airport is rather barren. I figured they had some sort of industrial development in mind for the aerospace industry allready in place.

trains in NY, steel wheels were pretty unconfortable.
Lousy tracking's found coast to coast to coast to coast 'round yankeeland (no offense, I'm just tired of this N American train docket perpetually disintegrating [or whatever they term that around here...]). The MTC's maintenance programme is stellar, mind you. The thing about underground NYC subway routes is the omission of any ballast that'd create some baffling against the deafening din they create worming their ways undertown there.

Nouvel appel d’offres pour les voitures de métro: Rien n’est encore joué (http://www.journalmetro.com/montreal/article/514298--nouvel-appel-d-offres-pour-les-voitures-de-metro-rien-n-est-encore-joue)

http://media.metronews.topscms.com/images/1c/00/b1d2be214a07994ee8f7118fee22.jpeg

La Société de transport de Montréal (STM) s’est montrée très prudente, mercredi, en commentant la possibilité de lancer un nouvel appel d’offres afin d’octroyer le contrat pour le renouvellement de 765 voitures du métro.

Contrairement à ce qui a été avancé par Le Devoir mercredi, la STM a indiqué ne pas avoir reçu le rapport final de la firme Hatch Mott MacDonald, qui est chargée d’étudier la proposition de l’espagnole CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). La porte-parole de la STM, Odile Paradis, a indiqué que le rapport n’était attendu que dans quelques jours.

«[Mercredi], nous avons eu une rencontre en comité restreint avec les experts du groupe Hatch Mott MacDonald, a précisé Mme Paradis. Les gens ont échangé et ils ont peut-être demandé des ajouts d’information [à CAF]. Ce n’est qu’après cette rencontre que le groupe Hatch finalisera son rapport.»

En attendant, la STM refuse de confirmer ou d’infirmer qu’un nouvel appel d’offres sera lancé. Selon Le Devoir, pourtant, l’entreprise CAF répondrait à toutes les conditions imposées par la STM.

Délais supplémentaires
Advenant le lancement d’un nouvel appel d’offres, les usagers du métro devraient composer avec au moins une année de délais supplémentaire. Dans ce cas, les nouvelles voitures pourraient être livrées au cours de l’année 2014.

La Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) s’est élevée contre ces nouveaux délais. Elle a exigé que le gouvernement assume ses responsabilités et octroie le contrat sans délai au consortium Alstom-Bombardier. «L’emploi, le service, l’environnement, l’âge de la flotte, tout milite pour commencer la construction des nouvelles voitures sans délai, a déclaré la présidente de la CSN, Claudette Carbonneau. La question n’est pas d’occulter un processus d’appel d’offres. Il y en a eu dans le passé et le contrat a bien été alloué.»

Le ministère des Trans*ports du Québec (MTQ) n’a pas répondu à cet appel, évitant de sombrer dans la spéculation. Le Parti québécois a pour sa part dénoncé la «comédie d’erreurs» dans laquelle le gouvernement Charest a plongé la STM depuis 2006, année au cours de laquelle il a accordé le contrat du renouvellement des voitures de métro à Bombardier sans appel d’offres. Au moment de mettre sous presse, Bombardier et Alstom n’avaient pas répondu aux appels de Métro.

Delays, Delays, Delays. It's always the same in this town! If it isn't cancelled, it's delayed for ever! :rolleyes:

This isn't totally Metro news but it is some news that might bring in more commuters who will use the Metro. AMT's Dorion-Rigaud line got some new double decker commuter rail cars to serve that western line. The AMT has 30 cars now out of 160 cars they ordered from Bombardier at a cost of $386 million as per the Montreal Gazette. GO Transit here in Toronto uses the double decker cars and it is used alot by commuters, hopefully the Dorion-Rigaud line sees increases in ridership with this increased capacity- right now the article stated this line is AMT's second busiest route with 16,000 riders using it daily.

(^^ I'd have posted your comment in the other thread --a Sticky, actually-- here in this forum, the Transport en Commun/Public Transportation (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=541719).)

Can anybody please explain how come Metro's online versions of their reports differ from their print copies? Thanking you in advance.

Métro : La STM conteste la requête d'Alstom-Bombardier (http://www.journalmetro.com/Linfo/article/530855--metro-la-stm-conteste-la-requete-d-alstom-bombardier)

La Société de transport de Montréal (STM) entend contester la requête du consortium Alstom-Bombardier qui vise à invalider l'avis public international lancé en janvier dernier pour le remplacement des voitures de métro.

«La STM est en total désaccord avec les prétentions que le consortium amène dans sa requête», a déclaré la porte-parole Odile Paradis. Cette dernière a indiqué que la STM a fait preuve de rigueur dans tout le processus et qu'elle a travaillé en concertation avec le gouvernement du Québec.

Le consortium remet en cause l'avis public devant la Cour supérieur du Québec, arguant que les conditions comprises dans l'avis public étaient moins exigeantes que celles de l'appel d'offres de 2008, ce qui contrevient à la lettre d'autorisation du ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation de territoire censée encadrer le processus d'octroi du contrat. Les clauses concernant le contenu canadien et l'expertise du fournisseur étaient différentes, selon le consortium.

«Les avocats de la STM prendront tous les moyens nécessaires pour accélérer la procédure», a avisé Mme Paradis.

Le consortium Alstom-Bombardier a réussi à s'entendre en décembre avec le gouvernement du Québec et la STM pour le remplacement de 365 voitures de métro. Puisque le contrat stipule désormais que 765 voitures devront être construites, un avis public international a été publié. Deux entreprises y ont répondu : le chinois Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive et l'entreprise espagnole CAF. La proposition de celle-ci est toujours analysée par la firme Hatch Mott MacDonald, qui doit rendre incessamment son rapport final à la STM.

STM is planning an all electric bus fleet so tat its fleet will have zero emissions and reduce the noise pollution as well. I think this is fantastic so that the buses like the Metro help reduce emissions in the Montreal area. I lived a good chunk of my life in Vancouver where trolley buses were used a lot and the overhead wires never bothered me because I thought it was better then the pollution you can't see from diesel buses. I live in TO now and I hope our bus fleet gets a similar change, except Ontario doesn't have the hydro resouces that Quebec has and will be using even more so for its transportation needs.

^^ :-
(^^ I'd have posted your comment in the other thread --a Sticky, actually-- here in this forum, the Transport en Commun/Public Transportation (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=541719).)

Anyhow, it'd appear by this report (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=57393697#post57393697) that the city wishes to overly clutter the streets with busses; a 15-minute battery charge that gives 20 minutes` worth of juice (traction) would be absurd.....sorry, I read nothing but folly in the STM's intention.

n2zDSdVy9hg

When will these be coming>?

When will these be coming>?

2014-2018. :banana:

n2zDSdVy9hg
What's its "new air suspension system" going to be, doubled-up tyres?!? It seems the fleet's going to be hissing all over the place ever so loud, probably just as much as those RATP Sprague units from 1908 did, I bet.

Its "ergonomic seating" looks as poor as ever! for anybody's back (how come straight backing scares the crap out of places around this continent?!?).

Broader doorways is good. I hope the lack of interior adverts will prevail.

Overall, too bad the design reveals the loss of that Montréal flare.

I guess we will just have to wait, and see. ^^ :)

^^ I just watched your linked vid again, the fleet might not appear so poor after all.

FpyhaDM3Z3E
I've a hunch that this video ain't the same one that the radio news kept harping about this morning, although the dang reporter kept saying things about the "emergency brake... ... ... ...the emergency brake" when such a brake's never been available to any metro passenger.....the red-enamelled handle's just an alarm, requesting the driver to halt at the next station whenever activated!! :ohno: Anyhow, I can't understand why the cell-phone videographer --as reported to have-- waited until Frontenac station before alerting STM staff all the way from Langelier station: might the prospect of 15 minutes' worth of fame explain why (although I still can't find the youtube-lodged video!)?

Here it is. :) bV3V3IIahXE

^^ oh dear :ohno: I lauged out loud :ohno: when the scene all of a sudden popped sideways out the doorway when they pulled into the platform :ohno: :) thank you, Rumors :)

Funny how the view and sound bear a new, frightening dimension of the noisiness and speed of the trains down there.

Bienvenue, mon ami. :yes: ^^Those trains are really moving. :cheers:

Does anybody else wonder why the MTC's months-old campaign for its new fleet (http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-11/a-co110218.htm) refrains from revealing the undercarriages/tyres? ;) I mean, what's so bloody sexy about showing off your --uhm-- couronnes des rames, right?

Why: because something tells me that Montreal's iconic tidy, undercarriage skirting just might become a thing of the past...

Paris,Montréal,Toronto,Singapore,Kuala Lumpur,New-York

The Best for me is with no doubt Singapore !! Cleanest one , Climatisation , New !

The bad one is KL if i can say it like this you to cross the street to change to another line ,never seen a airtrain like this

^^ "airtrain"! you said it -- I love it! -- I'm known for teasing Vancouver's love with its --err-- SkyTrain :ohno:





(Montreal's) The STM invites transit users to voice their opinion about the seats for
the future métro cars

http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-11/images/siege1.jpg


http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-11/images/siege2.jpg

http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-11/images/siege3.jpg (http://www.stm.info/English/info/comm-11/a-co110420.htm)

Their question's useless --for now-- because of elimination of advertisents from its own renderings...

J'ai bien hâte de les voir en vrai ces nouvelles rames!

^^ Pas moi. Moi, je voudrais savoir si la suspension reviendra...

Je trouve le concepte derrière le peindre du croix sur la montagne problématique: toi?
http://www.mouvementcollectif.org/images/signatures/signature_6.jpg (http://www.mouvementcollectif.org/fr/outil-signature)

Il y a la compagne Chaque passager compte (http://www.mouvementcollectif.org/fr/les-dessous-de-la-campagne) auquel son (introuvable!) affiche montre une petit centre ville sous une montagne courronée par un croix dont l'ensemble montagneux me pertube.

Pas de Nouvelles par ici..??

:dunno: Il y avait des reportages les dernières semaines à propos d'éloigner le réseau pour la 375e anniversaire de Montréal (2017) avec des fonds privés, mais --d'après moi-- c'est encore simplement le cas de blah-blah-blah :ohno:

More garage, arrière-gare, and regular vids posted above (and possibly below http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon10.gif) the following posting:
WrsersHQGbM&NR

Various Lines - Sprague Compilation

e_geXF4aev0
I hope the STM'll sometimes let out our MR63s and MR73s once in a while, once they become heritage fleets ;)

DcC31r1BxBY
▲▲http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon10.gif▼▼
zsUrVQNB888
^^ Ils ont raison ;)

:dizzy:
Montreal métro stations become underground saunas

Temperatures in individual subway cars varied between 28.9C and 35.9C on all lines between noon and 6:30 p.m. (http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/M%C3%A9tro+becomes+underground+sauna/5141074/story.html)

Either August or September is worse than July...

Why is it 29 degrees at Cartier? Don't the Laval stations have A/C?

Nah, the closest air-conditioned metro station to Laval must surely be in New Delhi ;)

I was in town last July and spent quite a bit of time on the metro. It was indeed very hot but it wasn't any hotter than the outside temperature so nothing to be alarmed about.

Although I must admit I don't think I ever sweat so much in a single week than in any other week of my life!

I was in town last July and spent quite a bit of time on the metro. It was indeed very hot but it wasn't any hotter than the outside temperature so nothing to be alarmed about.

Although I must admit I don't think I ever sweat so much in a single week than in any other week of my life!

Its been like a Sauna here lately. :cheers:

Guy-Concordia is the worst one. It doesn't matter what time of day or what day in the hear you just want to collapse in that station.

^^ Now that you mention that, it makes me wonder which pair of the ½ dozen platforms at Berri-UQAM had the slightest higher reading :dunno:



It was indeed very hot but it wasn't any hotter than the outside temperature so nothing to be alarmed about.
.........▲▲ ▼▼
Either August or September is worse than July...

^^ as in accumulated heat underground :nuts:

Why is it 29 degrees at Cartier? Don't the Laval stations have A/C?

Maybe the Laval stations are not as deep, as the Montreal stations. :)

Maybe the city should start thinking about installing some A/C in the most critically hot Metro stations..!!

"Think"?!? The authority's done zip about excavating suicide pits, thus supposing they conceive installation of full-height platform-edge doors along with air conditioning would be asking more much ;)

:uh:
http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NAmetrostats.jpg
^^ clickable (to webpage hosting table) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_American_rapid_transit_systems_by_ridership)

:|^^

I'm really happy with the direction the STM has taken under Michel Lebrecque. They won the best public transit system in North America award from the APTA last year, no small feat. Now, can we get going on metro expansion and the tramway? The blue line is overdue.

"Think"?!? The authority's done zip about excavating suicide pits, thus supposing they conceive installation of full-height platform-edge doors along with air conditioning would be asking more much ;)

The STM did a poll on the subject of air conditioning on buses. They asked people if they would be willing to pay slightly higher fares and the overwhelming response was "yes". I think we'll see A/C is buses and the new metro trains.

I think that platform doors and air conditioned stations would be a massive waste of money.

You know, that statistic kind of makes me wonder if the Montreal Metro is going to get itself a new line in the future :P .

That latest statistic would mean that subway usage must've climbed 8% the past 5 years ... I seem to remember the ridership-increase reports claiming increase in the 4-5% range :?

I'm wondering if the latest figure's doctored...I mean, from 750 000 five years ago to 1,110,000 last spring :uh:

Are there any plans to build some new stations as overground tunnels? Should be cheaper then digging and still protected from the elements. This way Metro can extend all the way to West Island.

No, there isn't. The corp's board's vice-chair went on record last year, saying they'll never plan on running metros overground...

I had once heard that the metro system already has a dug out tunnel from an extension that never happened and that all there is left to do is add tracks and stations. Is this true? If so, what line is the tunnel on?

I had once heard that the metro system already has a dug out tunnel from an extension that never happened and that all there is left to do is add tracks and stations. Is this true? If so, what line is the tunnel on?

Apparently there is a tunnel extension dug at the Snowdon end of the blue line. I think it's used as a garage now but could be a future continuation. Let's get the Anjou and Bois Franc extensions going and we'll worry about that later!

That latest statistic would mean that subway usage must've climbed 8% the past 5 years ... I seem to remember the ridership-increase reports claiming increase in the 4-5% range :?

I'm wondering if the latest figure's doctored...I mean, from 750 000 five years ago to 1,110,000 last spring :uh:

The STM goal was to achieve an 8% increase and they've exceeded that. Now they're going for 40% (by 2020?). The Laval extension far surpassed expectations and I think that the OPUS smart card gives them a very precise read on ridership levels and destinations that wasn't possible in the old ticket and transfer days.

The STM site has a wealth of information.

Go here for all reports etc.
http://www.stm.info/English/en-bref/a-doc.htm#1

2010 report
http://www.stm.info/English/en-bref/a-ra2010.pdf

2020 strategic plan
http://www.stm.info/en-bref/plan_strategique2020.pdf

They have a great YouTube channel as well
http://www.youtube.com/user/websharestm

Michel Lebrecque on the 2020 strategic plan
UsaB8_cNVu0

I had once heard that the metro system already has a dug out tunnel from an extension that never happened and that all there is left to do is add tracks and stations. Is this true? If so, what line is the tunnel on?
During the 1980s phased opening of the Côte-Vertu extension, the Gazette kept reporting a bore having been blasted (dynamite) all the up to de Salaberry (approximately three stations' worth of route; what The Gibbroni refers to as the, thus, stubby Bois-Franc extension)...I can't remember whether the paper ever claimed any concrete tunnel lining being poured (cast).







tunnel extension dug at the Snowdon end of the blue line. I think it's used as a garage now but could be a future continuation
▲▲ ▼▼
g3sKG1IC6hY
^^ (Empty) Blue-line train finishing its St-Michel-to-Snowdon run

4Ck7KFQMry4
^^ (Emtpy) Blue-line train preparing its Snowdon-to-St-Michel run

Right. What you're looking at is what was being reported back in the mid-1980s as being a garage (depot/yard), but it's really just an arrière gare, a 'behind-the-station'. Its length stems from the chord linking the Blue & Orange Lines (Snowdon station's an interchange). Wealthy Hampsteaders either sued or threated to sue the construction authority/ies due to all the cracks their house foundations suffered, the ones on streets that intersected with Queen Mary Rd from all the rock blasting boring the tunnel under the Road. It's sort of funny that no such foundation-cracking has been reported by any residents of any other community/district.

Here's an example of a real garage:
oyeRXTQr_DY
^^ my first time viewing one :uh:
Oh! how typical of Montrealers at loving to make their tyres squeal http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Thanks for clearing that up! I sometimes think that Hampstead, Westmount and TMR should be towed out to the West Island where they can complain together while they sip tea beneath giant portraits of the Queen and the Royal Corgis and lament the Loss Of Empire. They're about as progressive as the Conservatives!

How far does that tunnel extend from Snowdon? Enough for a station at the end? I'd love to see the blue line extended out NDG way (after Anjou and Bois Franc of course)

The Bois Franc extension my be somewhat stubby but it will make a key connection with the AMT station and turn into a full intermodal.

You're welcome.

Yep. Few people remain aware that Montreal (has already) discarded tunneling about 33 years ago due to snobby fussiness, i.e., Atwater's disused, flat arrière gare resulting from (ongoing) prohibition of further metro incursion by the municipality right above.


http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/EndBlue.jpg
^^ clickable source declares length to be 790m (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Metro#Snowdon)




turn into a full intermodal.
"Full"? Full would at the very least imply installing canopies protecting passengers on les quais ;)

You're welcome.

Yep. Few people remain aware that Montreal (has already) discarded tunneling about 33 years ago due to snobby fussiness, i.e., Atwater's disused, flat arrière gare resulting from (ongoing) prohibition of further metro incursion by the municipality right above.


http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/EndBlue.jpg
^^ clickable source declares length to be 790m (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Metro#Snowdon)





"Full"? Full would at the very least imply installing canopies protecting passengers on les quais ;)

lol! Baby steps. I mean "full" as in AMT/metro transfer station. Hopefully with canopies.

I'm surprised that Westmount never built a wall and moat.

I am not sure how legit this article is, but super interesting

Secret metro tunnel to West Island exposed
http://blog.fagstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/metrotunnel.jpg

Two months ago, a group of local underground sewer explorers stumbled onto an interesting find: a large tunnel that seemed to go on forever but didn't have any obvious purpose. After some investigation and searching through archives of the government and the local transit authority, a clearer picture is finally starting to emerge: that tunnel was part of a secret metro extension from Snowdon to the West Island that has been hidden from the public for mostly political reasons.

The tunnel's history is actually quite extensive, and predates the metro itself. Most of it used to be two small rivers that connected to Lake St. Louis. The rivers were replaced by larger than normal sewers some time before 1890. Around WWII, most of those sewers were turned into trench roadways and tunnels to be used for transportation, but without proper ventilation the long stretches of tunnel would quickly accumulate carbon monoxide. After a truck driver died in the tunnel somewhere under Lachine from asphyxiation, and another worker died in a cave-in, the tunnel was permanently sealed off.

It's not clear what happened over the ensuing decades, but the tunnel was to be used as part of a planned metro extension of the blue line from Snowdon to the West Island. The only problem was, nobody could find the tunnel.

It was incredibly embarrassing for the government, but all records relating to the long tunnel were lost in a fire in 1951. All the known access points had been built over, and no one could come up with a way to get access to the tunnel, much less bring in equipment safely to build a metro system inside.

During the 1970s workers discovered an access point near the Decarie trench at Queen Mary, just west of what would become the Snowdon metro station. (In fact, Snowdon was built in part through this access, saving the government millions of dollars in construction costs.) Weeks were spent exploring the tunnels and redrawing their maps. Retrofitting the largest and longest tunnel to accommodate a metro system wouldn't have been cheap, they discovered, but would certainly have cost less than starting from scratch, and probably less than a bus system. It also had the advantage of passing close to the airport terminal.

That's where politics comes in. The 70s were a rather volatile time in Quebec, especially with the 1976 election of the Parti Québécois. According to recently released documents, the PQ minister of transport did his best to stop the plan in its tracks. The tunnel's route takes it through Hampstead, Montreal West, Dorval and Pointe-Claire. It couldn't be more anglo-friendly if it tried. And party hardliners would blow a gasket over the idea of spending millions of dollars providing high-speed transit for anglo suburbanites, especially before much-needed service to St. Leonard, St. Laurent and Verdun (not to mention the Université de Montréal).

Citing vaguely-described security concerns, the minister of transport classified all records relating to this tunnel for 30 years in 1978. The government had actually forgotten about it until a large part of the tunnel was recently rediscovered through an abandoned sewer. Inquiries to the province about it prompted the full release of the file (or at least, what's left of it). It should be up on the government's website soon, and I'll link to it when it is.

Additional searching through the STM's archives as well as what's left of the city's gives us a clearer picture of what the tunnel looks like. But nobody is sure if that's even all of it. There may be other tunnels that have been sealed off for decades and nobody knows where they are.

For now, based on information provided to me through paper files I have, I've constructed a map of what the tunnel we do know about looks like. Much of it is in a state of advanced decay, and some sections aren't connected with each other, but you get an idea of roughly where the tunnel goes.

Though the truth is out now, and the government is more open to suburban metro extensions, the tunnels are even less suitable for metro construction than they were 40 years ago. A back-of-the-envelope estimate by one engineer put the cost at over $9 billion, or about 10 times what it cost to extend the metro to Laval. In fact, some tunnels would have to be destroyed first, meaning the work would have to start from scratch.

That's a shame. It could have been so easy.

Link: http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/01/secret-metro-tunnel-to-west-island-exposed/

I am not sure how legit this article is, but super interesting

Secret metro tunnel to West Island exposed
http://blog.fagstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/metrotunnel.jpg

Two months ago, a group of local underground sewer explorers stumbled onto an interesting find: a large tunnel that seemed to go on forever but didn't have any obvious purpose. After some investigation and searching through archives of the government and the local transit authority, a clearer picture is finally starting to emerge: that tunnel was part of a secret metro extension from Snowdon to the West Island that has been hidden from the public for mostly political reasons.

The tunnel's history is actually quite extensive, and predates the metro itself. Most of it used to be two small rivers that connected to Lake St. Louis. The rivers were replaced by larger than normal sewers some time before 1890. Around WWII, most of those sewers were turned into trench roadways and tunnels to be used for transportation, but without proper ventilation the long stretches of tunnel would quickly accumulate carbon monoxide. After a truck driver died in the tunnel somewhere under Lachine from asphyxiation, and another worker died in a cave-in, the tunnel was permanently sealed off.

It's not clear what happened over the ensuing decades, but the tunnel was to be used as part of a planned metro extension of the blue line from Snowdon to the West Island. The only problem was, nobody could find the tunnel.

It was incredibly embarrassing for the government, but all records relating to the long tunnel were lost in a fire in 1951. All the known access points had been built over, and no one could come up with a way to get access to the tunnel, much less bring in equipment safely to build a metro system inside.

During the 1970s workers discovered an access point near the Decarie trench at Queen Mary, just west of what would become the Snowdon metro station. (In fact, Snowdon was built in part through this access, saving the government millions of dollars in construction costs.) Weeks were spent exploring the tunnels and redrawing their maps. Retrofitting the largest and longest tunnel to accommodate a metro system wouldn't have been cheap, they discovered, but would certainly have cost less than starting from scratch, and probably less than a bus system. It also had the advantage of passing close to the airport terminal.

That's where politics comes in. The 70s were a rather volatile time in Quebec, especially with the 1976 election of the Parti Québécois. According to recently released documents, the PQ minister of transport did his best to stop the plan in its tracks. The tunnel's route takes it through Hampstead, Montreal West, Dorval and Pointe-Claire. It couldn't be more anglo-friendly if it tried. And party hardliners would blow a gasket over the idea of spending millions of dollars providing high-speed transit for anglo suburbanites, especially before much-needed service to St. Leonard, St. Laurent and Verdun (not to mention the Université de Montréal).

Citing vaguely-described security concerns, the minister of transport classified all records relating to this tunnel for 30 years in 1978. The government had actually forgotten about it until a large part of the tunnel was recently rediscovered through an abandoned sewer. Inquiries to the province about it prompted the full release of the file (or at least, what's left of it). It should be up on the government's website soon, and I'll link to it when it is.

Additional searching through the STM's archives as well as what's left of the city's gives us a clearer picture of what the tunnel looks like. But nobody is sure if that's even all of it. There may be other tunnels that have been sealed off for decades and nobody knows where they are.

For now, based on information provided to me through paper files I have, I've constructed a map of what the tunnel we do know about looks like. Much of it is in a state of advanced decay, and some sections aren't connected with each other, but you get an idea of roughly where the tunnel goes.

Though the truth is out now, and the government is more open to suburban metro extensions, the tunnels are even less suitable for metro construction than they were 40 years ago. A back-of-the-envelope estimate by one engineer put the cost at over $9 billion, or about 10 times what it cost to extend the metro to Laval. In fact, some tunnels would have to be destroyed first, meaning the work would have to start from scratch.

That's a shame. It could have been so easy.

Link: http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/01/secret-metro-tunnel-to-west-island-exposed/

Ashok, Fagstein wrote that piece as an April Fool's joke. He gotcha, 2 and 1/2 years later!

wow!!! He certainly have ...:cripes:

I was so excited hearing about it too :lol: since a week ago, I was jogging along, I think Queen Mary, and I spotted a few stairs going down - what appears to be some sort of transit, but not in use. I was so curious - and I thought these were the tunnel.

Interesting info, my friends. To be quite honest, wile I'm not against a westward blue line extension I won't complain if the Anjou extension happens first considering I live a block away from Jean-Talon and Langelier :P

What I'd really like to know is where they plan on building the actual stations. The Langelier/Jean-Talon, Viau/Jean Talon, and Pie-IX/Jean-Tlon intersections are really developped.

^^ I used to pour over the AMT's triennial PTI (http://www.amt.qc.ca/salle_de_presse/publications/pti_10_11_12.pdf) but their now years' worth of publications have convinced me the uselessness of reading their latest release(s) due to my suspicion that their overall mandate's merely about either looking or sounding right :ohno:




jogging along, I think Queen Mary, and I spotted a few stairs going down
▲▲ ▼▼ :?
http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/EndBlue.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Metro#Snowdon)

yes... those are it.

A parking tunnel lies right underneath boulevard Saint-Laurent, from de Castelnau to either Legendre or Chabanel (north of Crémazie), with a similar emergency exit onto the sidewalk bounding Jarry Park's east side, only all the stairwell steps were concealed by a sturdy metal door ;)

Aha!
heavy-duty rubber-tyred metro DOES appear possible
Sapporo, being a snowy place like here, has definitely worked at running its trains outdoors COVERED

diS-dkXM_Yo
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

How did Sapporo overcome the loading guage of rubber-tyred metro, for its metros appear heavy-duty, e.g., broad cars? I've understood that rubber-tyred metros must limit the weight of trains + passengers, otherwise the tyres wouldn't be capable of all the extra weight that Sapporo's fleets seem quite capable of accommodating.

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/SapporoMetro.jpg
^^ :uh: (Clickable...)

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/SapporoMetro2.jpg
^^ interesting-looking switches/points (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diS-dkXM_Yo)

Awesome. ^^ :)

I agree! Hah! I'd sure like to see the metro-extension authorities around here try to get away with their obstinate reluctance at emerging our metros http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Hmm, I bet the authorities here could 'green' the covered way roofing too :yes:

I´ve heard like one year ago that the Mtl Metro is it going to be more larger that normal, i mean the expansion on both Lines which this includes The Orange, The Blue, The Green and The Yellow Line but i think its a project whom is going to last for at least another long years, it would be very good if the Metro Expanses their lines.

By the way!!, liked the rubber duty Metro tires.

Does anyone knows if this what i said its true???

^^ It's the same-old-same-old: The authorities announce their expansion intentions, nothing more.

here are external views of the elevated station and adjacent elevated section, which urbanrail.net indicates as being the very first leg of the three-line network there:

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/JieitaimaeStn.jpg

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl.jpg

Heading north toward the city centre alongside elevated sections (no further station revealed):-

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl2.jpg


Elevated section lowered toward submersion (farther north):-

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl3.jpg

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl4.jpg

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl5.jpg

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl6.jpg


And --hop!-- elevated section submerged into tunnel:-

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/NambokuLineEl7.jpg

Métro de Montréal: les nouvelles voitures prennent forme

Les nouvelles voitures du métro de Montréal prennent forme et seront plus rapides, plus fiables et plus spacieuses que les anciennes, promet la Société de transport de Montréal (STM).

La Société a présenté mardi une maquette grandeur nature des futures voitures, qui seront fabriquées par le consortium Bombardier-Alstom au coût de 1,2 milliard. Ce point de presse signale la fin de la première étape de conception. Tout l'été déjà, un millier de clients, d'usagers à mobilité réduite et d'opérateurs de métro ont visité la maquette pour donner leurs impressions.

«Tout va selon l'échéancier, tout laisse croire que les Montréalais pourront utiliser les premières voitures dès 2014», a expliqué le président de la STM, Michel Labrecque, qui assure qu'il n'y aura pas de dépassements de coûts.

Les nouvelles voitures du métro seront différentes des anciennes à plusieurs égards. Les rames de neuf voitures seront désormais continues, c'est-à-dire qu'il sera possible de passer d'une voiture à l'autre. Ce format «accordéon» permettra de loger plus de voyageurs dans un même volume, puisqu'actuellement chaque voiture est fermée, ce qui provoque une perte d'espace. Les nouvelles rames pourront transporter 1068 voyageurs, contre une moyenne de 950 usagers à l'heure actuelle.

[...]

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/regional/montreal/201109/20/01-4449549-metro-de-montreal-les-nouvelles-voitures-prennent-forme.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B4_manchettes_231_accueil_POS1

report's about as catholic as ya could git, don'tcha think?!? ... what a waste of a report: picture of yer district politicians in playschool ... so americana :ohno:

show us dem bloody wheels, ya bloody crétins!

show us dem bloody wheels, ya bloody crétins!

Hahaha!! :applause:

Boo hoo! I wanna see how the darn wagons meet Earth :madwife:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon1.gif
Contest: Métro by Night (http://www.150stm.info/en/contest.html)

..

The Montreal Metro timetable provides details of first and last trains and the headways during the day. What it does not do is tell you the point to point times from stations on the network. How long does it take to travel from end to end of the Orange, Blue, Green and Yellow Routes and for those routes that transit down town how long does it take to get into the city from the banlieues? I would be grateful if somebody could point me in the right direction.

John Martins Mantiega has recently written a book about the Montreal Metro called “Metro – Design in Motion”. Does anybody know the publisher and ISBN?

Le calendrier du métro de Montréal fournit des détails sur les trains première et la dernière et aussi les avancées durant la journée. Qu'est-ce que je n'ai pas été capable de trouver le point à point reprises par les stations sur le réseau. Combien de temps cela prend-il pour voyager de bout en bout des lignes orange, bleu, vert et jaune et pour ceux qui traversent les routes centre-ville, combien de temps cela prend-il pour entrer dans la ville depuis les banlieues? Je vous serais reconnaissant si quelqu'un pouvait me pointer dans la bonne direction.

John Martins Mantiega a récemment écrit un livre sur le métro de Montréal appelé «Metro - Design in Motion". Quelqu'un sait l'éditeur et numéro ISBN? Merci.

To learn the metro travel times, you have to either go descend the metro to the platform entrances to read the special maps, or click on the (redirecting) Tous Azimuts after clicking Your Trip on the STM's homepage.

Costs $40 ... :ohno: (https://www.paypal.com/ca/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=GJxzIQbDxK3HDWqmIwJkUBHSg3kwQoVhGu-GDqX05JwlDJL8ACpreF_lNQu&dispatch=50a222a57771920b6a3d7b606239e4d529b525e0b7e69bf0224adecfb0124e9b61f737ba21b081988562bf19d61623c6f33db8e87506be10)

To learn the metro travel times, you have to either go descend the metro to the platform entrances to read the special maps, or click on the (redirecting) Tous Azimuts after clicking Your Trip on the STM's homepage.

Many thanks for that

I have read references to the original method of constructing the Metro tunnels as a combination of drilling and blasting resulting in claims by residents for damage and the reluctance of certain areas of the city to countenance the Metro. This is a method of tunnel construction that has existed almost from the beginning of railway history.
In the event of the completion of the Orange Line Loop via Bois Franc and the extension of the Blue Line northwards to Anjou would drill and blast still be the preferred method of construction? Most major tunnels, including the new long base tunnels under the Alps being built by the SBB and New York’s Subway Line 2 extension are now being cut by Tunnel Boring Machines(TBM). Is the TBM applicable to the needs of Montreal? Will the relatively short length of the tunnel drives tend to mean that the more traditional method is retained?

J'ai lu les références à la méthode originale de construction des tunnels de métro comme une combinaison de forage et de dynamitage entraînant des réclamations par les résidants pour les dommages et la réticence de certaines zones de la ville pour le visage du métro. Ceci est une méthode de construction du tunnel qui a existé presque dès le début de l'histoire ferroviaire.
Dans le cas de l'achèvement de la ligne Orange via Bois-Franc à Montmerency et l'extension de la Ligne bleue au nord de l'Anjou aurait forage et des explosions toujours la méthode préférée de la construction? La plupart des tunnels majeurs, y compris les nouveaux tunnels de base à long sous les Alpes en cours de construction par les CFF et la ligne de métro de New York 2 d'extension sont désormais coupés par les tunneliers (TBM). Est-ce le tunnelier applicables aux besoins de Montréal? Est-ce que la durée relativement courte des lecteurs du tunnel ont tendance à dire que la méthode plus traditionnelle est retenue?

You're welcome.

I'd chase a book on Santiago's design were I you, for the Montreal flair's gone and I'd say it's (righteously) become the Santiago flair (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=195735&page=13). The inaugural designs were bright; thereafter, untreated concrete ceilings became the norm, causing those ones (the majority of its stations) to be really dingy. At any rate, my swift search of the book you're hunting revealed its having been launched in the Centre of the Universe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_of_Toronto#Nicknames).

Although the Montreal area's comprised of islands and mainland, it's mostly bedrock. Charlevoix and De L'Eglise stations had to be double-decked because of the water table; Charlevoix, not far from the St-Lawrence riverbank, had a cave-in during construction back in the mid-70s.

44qinNd6lcU
..
^^
Chapter 2 (stand alone) (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86655572#post86655572)
Complete, w/ track a-recommended ... (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86655559&highlight=#post86655559)I could swear St-Michel was not simultaneously commissioned into service upon inauguration of the Blue Line ...

I'd been meaning to link to a map with travel time summaries, but couldn't find one, so drafted this one quickly off the top of my head:

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/metrotimings2.jpg

J'aimerais bien voir ces nouvelles stations de Métro d'ici 10 ou 15 ans. ON parle de 10-11 nouvelles stations, ce qui est intéresant!

En Teheran il y a 4-5 nouvelles stations chac an.

I'd been meaning to link to a map with travel time summaries, but couldn't find one, so drafted this one quickly off the top of my head:

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/metrotimings.jpg

Thank you

You're welcome ... to correct the pair of uppermost timings ("7' & 6'") either side of Henri-Bourassa, I had to swap them, then replace the image (under the same name), but I see that SC hasn't refreshed it ... yet ...

-b-6wvZqqzc
:D^^
Chapter 1 (stand alone, slowed) (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86240199#post86240199)
Complete, w/ track a-recommended ... (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86655559&highlight=#post86655559)

;)

Love this metropolitain

I do too :)

Sometime between now and 2007, the STM has recalibrated the following travel times (I'd update the image I lodged in photobucket, but that Site seems down this evening :dunno:):

Côte-Vertu -- Snowdon @ 8' (no longer 9)
Henri-Bourassa -- Jean-Talon @ 6' (no longer 7)
Jean-Talon -- Saint-Michel @ 3' (no longer 4)

I'm certain the STM hasn't changed its running speed, save for the Yellow Line, which I've been wondering whether its end-to-end travel time's been increased to 6' from 5, because that's where the trains do seem to travel at 48Km/hr nowadays instead of 72.

^^ My previously-posted image (as opposed to this one (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86353142#post86353142)) has been fully corrected.

This metro is famous by its subterrain world of stores and places, isn´t it?

I think it's more the case of it used to be (besides, I so dislike shopping) ;)

Chapter 2 now finished :)
-b-6wvZqqzc
:D^^
Chapter 1 (stand alone, slowed) (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86240199#post86240199)
Complete, w/ track a-recommended ... (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=86655559&highlight=#post86655559)

;)

Chapter 2 now finished :)

Is the ROW throgh Mount Royal voie Cammilien Houde? If so, I have the same idea as you. How about creating another line that shares track with the Blue* and replaces the Deux-Montagnes commuter line? Just my two cents.

*My bad... Should have been more specific.

PS: I'm sorry I wasted your time and that of the other viewers of the fantasy thread. I don't really think anyone cares how large a city is.

That's alright, you really needn't apologise.

Camillien Houde? You mean this country's greatest civic politician? Renaming the Mount Royal tunnel like that is thoughtful of you.

I thought of maybe having the majority of commuter services terminate at 'Gare Lebeau' just south of where CN is currently installing that flyover/underpass (south of Montpelier station -- seemingly plenty of space in and around the current diamond there) being just southwest of 'Station Lebeau', as well as widening the tunnel for an underground insertion of Gare Edouard-Montpetit to accommodate four tracks and two exterior side platforms. I bet with dual services the tunnel would still appear underused, no? :dunno:

Camillien Houde? You mean this country's greatest civic politician? Renaming the Mount Royal tunnel like that is thoughtful of you.

Well, the blue line obviously uses the Mount-Royal Tunnel, but I'm talkin about the purple line. It runs perpendicular, and you said there was an existing ROW. I thought you were referring to the street and former tram line tunnel.

Oh, had you meant 'over' as opposed to "through Mount Royal voie Camillien Houde"? Anyhow, the purple line would be along the CPR's crosstown line around the north face to the docks, verging off just north of E Sherbrooke St in the east and just west of CDN Rd in the west. However, after learning of Sunday's intercity train accident, I now think the following voies-composées idea an awfully bad one:qNX1HQK--eQThus, I'm wondering more than ever if CPR's three-four-track ROW is broad enough to accommodate another pair of tracks (purple line's) ...

Oh, had you meant 'over' as opposed to "through Mount Royal voie Camillien Houde"? Anyhow, the purple line would be along the CPR's crosstown line around the north face to the docks, verging off just north of E Sherbrooke St in the east and just west of CDN Rd in the west.

Oh, okay. it's the AMT Green line to Lucien-L'allié, right? That works, too. What I was thinking is to restore the tram line that one ran on Mount-Royal as a LRT of Métro line. I would make a new cross-town line by connecting CP's track (Train de l'est) and the unused CN ( Deux-Montagnes line) track north of Montepellier. Instead of looping the yellow line, I would extend it to run in the middle of the street of elevated on Park ave.

Trains down street might function in and around non-car-centric places; I'd only favour a tram down Park were the avenue trams only, although ain't it Park that's being reported as now suffering four years' worth of roadworks?

Trains down street might function in and around non-car-centric places; I'd only favour a tram down Park were the avenue trams only, although ain't it Park that's being reported as now suffering four years' worth of roadworks?

*sarcasm* Why, what do you know? It is! But a tramway certainly couldn't help not kill the street, like what happened to the main. *sarcasm*

Trains, i.e., lengthily-articulated trams, and cars really don't mix ... merchants would have a fit were cars prohibited from taking the avenue.

Trains, i.e., lengthily-articulated trams, and cars really don't mix ... merchants would have a fit were cars prohibited from taking the avenue.

And people have a hissy fit when the idea of making downtown a tolled area surfaces. In this city, we had almost 500 km (I might be getting that wrong) of tramway lines and the number of cars was limited, and now the thought of it turns people off. In 5 years, when the price of gas is at $4 per liter, people will abandon their cars in favor of public transit. Every 15 cent jump in gas prices is a victory.

I never said prohibited, rather limited, i.e. reduced to 2 lanes in each direction.

The prohibition was my own suggestion. As much as I dislike vehicular traffic and wish it be curtailed, it would take a miracle to bring about any clawback to car usage in and around the inner city, no?

The prohibition was my own suggestion. As much as I dislike vehicular traffic and wish it be curtailed, it would take a miracle to bring about any clawback to car usage in and around the inner city, no?

Sadly, the answer is yes. Or at least for now. There will be huge demand for public transit. Already 2 million people use the bus and metro every day, and that number is climbing every year.

As for middle of the street tram lines, this should be the option on Pie-IX, Parc, Cammilien-Houde (or completely replacing the road) and Queen-Mary, as well as a new service on the abandoned tracks in the Old Port.

My preference is for metros although maybe middle-of-broad-boulevard (like Pie-IX and E & W Henri Bourassa) tramways would work ;)

My preference is for metros although maybe middle-of-broad-boulevard (like Pie-IX and E & W Henri Bourassa) tramways would work ;)

How about middle-of-the-road metro? The train could be enclosed in a glass tunnel and the cars could pass under the tracks. Either that or an elevated track on top of existing buildings (wouldn't work on residential streets, lol).

What happened to everyone else on this thread? You guy still here?

You know what, my worry here is that as demand for transit goes up, as has been predicted, it won't necessarilly increase in availability to meet that demand. This is because the government is broke and can't afford to make the necessary transit investments it needs to. Weren't all those metro extensions announced four years ago? There's already plenty of demand in the areas it was announced the system would be expanded into. But since transport is not profitable, it requires public funds it doesn't generate them, it doesn't get funded. I understand it needs public funds to compete with the publicly built road system, but it's one more cost and just keeps getting put off.

More like decades ago.

Most governments become broke from doling out their constituents' dollars to questionable entrepreneurs. Our overall problem lies in the supposition that the public sector must become profitable; affordability wouldn't be jeopardised if it weren't for this abominable belief, stance, position.

Just make elevated trains everywhere. The metro doesn't have to be underground. Here in Osaka they're everywhere, even beside the high school where I teach.

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=34.689233,135.460201&zoom=14&markers=34.689233,135.460201&size=400x300&sensor=true

How do I post photos from iPhone to the forum?

I do not believe there is a direct way to upload the photos, you would need using a image hoster than linking those files here. You can use photobucket.com if you want, it is free.

Each image in photobucket.com will have its own link, and once you got the link, just copy paste it in the 'image icon' you find on the top of the text box.

Not much response to my suggestion :dunno:

diS-dkXM_Yo
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif
http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/SapporoMetro.jpg
^^ :uh: (Clickable...)

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/SapporoMetro2.jpg
^^ interesting-looking switches/points (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diS-dkXM_Yo)

Might be good for the Yellow line if it were to be extended further east into Longueuil.

Anyone have a source citing the construction cost per km of the sheltered elevated section? It would be interesting to know how much such a structure would cost relative to an unsheltered elevated line and to see how much the savings would be compared to building underground.

:dunno: ... plus imagine the costliness were it to last only 15 years :shocked:

Tōkadai Shin-kōtsū Peach Liner, Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, 1991-2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peachliner)

Whether people mover or metro, its '70s drapery plus its track switches must've been interesting ...

I2FR2LVGQ7c
Arrière gare


iJwK998C2LE
Final day in service :(


ADtZlR8NhcY
Komaki → Taitung -- time lapse, x2


RhmAMNUhy80
Taitung → Komaki -- time lapse, x2


http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/peachliner_switch.jpg
^^ clickable... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADtZlR8NhcY)


http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/peachliner_switch4.jpg
^^ clickable... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhmAMNUhy80)

Not much response to my suggestion :dunno:

Well, I think its a great idea. The Metro doesn't have to be underground. Sadly, the people at the AMT don't think.

Something tells me that the STM are more overground aversive than the AMT ;)

Something tells me that the STM are more overground aversive than the AMT ;)

I would have never thought that! "METRO MUST BE UNDERGROUND CAULIS DE TABARNACLE" might as well be a quote from the chairman himself...