Montreal’s REM Goes Kaput
Montreal’s REM
The problem with automatic (driverless) light metros is that when the system fails, the entire system fails. Regular customers of Vancouver’s SkyTrain light-metro can attest to this.
There are many issues that a automatic transit system must deal with, including computer issues and maintenance. Poor maintenance leads to computer issues and maintenance is expensive. Automatic light metro’s need a rigorous program of preventive maintenance to operate problem free, far more than systems with drivers. Vancouver’s SkyTrain system requires more maintenance than conventional systems with drivers, costing around 60% more to operate than a conventional system.
This is why automatic light metro’s age very badly because as maintenance is cut to reduce operating costs, due to higher operating costs as the system ages, leading to more “down” time. It is a viscous downward financial spiral.
Of course I am being polite, because Montreal transit customers, particularly REM customers will soon find out how automatic light metros operate in the snow.
They don’t!
Entire REM line shut down during rush hour due to computer problem
A train is seen stopped at a station during a media tour of the the Reseau express metropolitain (REM) in Brossard, Que. on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The automated light train network will have 26 stations and 67 km of tracks across Greater Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Montreal’s new light-rail network experienced “technical problems” during the afternoon rush hour on Monday, as some passengers reported on social media that they were stuck on the train for close to an hour.
The Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there was a service disruption at Montreal’s Central Station. The post was published at 5:26 p.m.
A previous post from 3:45 p.m. said the REM was down heading north from Brossard.
In an email to CTV News, an official from CDPQ Infra, which operates the REM, said, “Technical problems with the computer system are causing problems and errors at the control centre,” and that a backup plan was in place.
“No safety issues have been raised,” the email stated.
Passengers took to social media to air frustration with the breakdown and the lack of information from the operator.
One person on X said he and several other passengers were stuck on the train between two stations and demanded to know when they would be able to get off.
Another person wrote: “Our train is stationary near Panama. Can we at least have some information?”
Shortly after 6:30 p.m., REM service started to be gradually restored, according to an update from the REM’s X account.
COMMUNICATION ‘NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED': CDPQ INFRA
Philippe Batani, vice-president of public affairs at CDPQ Infra, confirmed in an interview with The Canadian Press that there was also a service breakdown earlier in the day on Monday.
“We’re still in a break-in period, but this is a problem we’ve encountered for the first time today,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the problem became more serious, forcing us to shut down the entire system so that we could take corrective action”, he added, adding that “minor slowdowns” were observed throughout the day.
Batani acknowledged that the communication issue needs to be improved.
“We’re taking notes. It’s been mentioned to us that the way we communicate information to users when there are breakdowns needs to be improved,” he said. “It’s something that’s at the top of our (priority) list.”
I don’t think it will have the same issues as Skytrain because it has standard electric motors not LIM propulsion units, so the snow issue won’t be as bad. They do have is many km’s of vulnerable overhead catenary providing the power. They do have a serious issue is with a replacement bus service or what Toronto’s TTC calls a “bus bridge”. CDPQ Infra isn’t a transit agency, it’s a pension plan. Throughout each community they operate they are going to have to set up multiple bus replacement agreements with no fewer than 3 transit agencies, the STM, the STL and the RTL. It all depends on which service area they are in. One or two stations I believe are outside of any individual municipal transit agency service areas. Maybe the EXO has extra buses for those stations. They sure didn’t appear to have any agreement with the RTL (the St Lawarence South Shore area transit agency in Longueuil).
The question is; “Does REM have inductive loops at track level, like Skytrain?” If so, it will be problematic to plow or clear the snow, which could lead to problems. We shall find out in a month or two!