The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

What exactly is the REM?

I thought it was LRT, but it is now sounding like what the Smartrack proposed by Toronto's mayor would be.

It's Light Metro, as the Canada line in Vancouver but with longer platforms and screen doors.

[p_xavier]

Seems that it was indeed incompetence at the TTC, and I hope there will be a major check for government transit programs. At least QC has now fraud control in all procurement processes, Ontario should do the same.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/09/27/report-sounds-alarm-on-big-ttc-projects.html

[Innsertnamehere]

REM isn't light metro, it's a actually a very unique project. I think of it as a Metro / commuter rail hybrid, sort of a commuter rail system on steroids. Similar to the S-Bahn in Berlin.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

It's Light Metro, as the Canada line in Vancouver but with longer platforms and screen doors.

Then why will the Deux-Montagnes line be removed? That is heavy rail commuter.

[swimmer_spe]

https://www.cdpqinfra.com/en/Reseau_electrique_metropolitain

Never mind, I found the answers I was looking for.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

REM isn't light metro, it's a actually a very unique project. I think of it as a Metro / commuter rail hybrid, sort of a commuter rail system on steroids. Similar to the S-Bahn in Berlin.

REM is a light metro, it's called a metro léger by the builder directly, CPDQ Infra in its procurement documents...

https://www.cdpqinfra.com/sites/all/files/document/document_portesouvertes_en.pdf

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Then why will the Deux-Montagnes line be removed? That is heavy rail commuter.

Removed and converted into the REM, which will have higher frequency, faster vehicles and higher ridership capacity.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

REM is a light metro, it's called a metro léger by the builder directly, CPDQ Infra in its procurement documents...

https://www.cdpqinfra.com/sites/all/files/document/document_portesouvertes_en.pdf

Branding doesn't make it be. The thing is a hyper commuter rail line. It's a great system but I wouldn't characterize it as a metro system. It's closest comparator is the S-bahn, which is not light metro. Light metro means a sort of downgraded metro system - like the Canada line. REM will be using very large trains and have high speeds and frequencies, unlike a light metro system.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Branding doesn't make it be. The thing is a hyper commuter rail line. It's a great system but I wouldn't characterize it as a metro system. It's closest comparator is the S-bahn, which is not light metro. Light metro means a sort of downgraded metro system - like the Canada line. REM will be using very large trains and have high speeds and frequencies, unlike a light metro system.

I don't see the 'light' in light metro as a downgrade here. They're simply using what are traditionally classified as light rail trains, which are basically just metro trains that are less heavy and therefore can handle higher grades and are more efficient.

It's all semantics anyway, a system is classified as whatever the operator wants to brand it as. I hope this doesn't turn into a yet another 5 page argument!

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by milomilo

I hope this doesn't turn into a yet another 5 page argument!

Of course it will. And as usual, this is my cue to take a sabbatical from this thread.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Branding doesn't make it be. The thing is a hyper commuter rail line. It's a great system but I wouldn't characterize it as a metro system. It's closest comparator is the S-bahn, which is not light metro. Light metro means a sort of downgraded metro system - like the Canada line. REM will be using very large trains and have high speeds and frequencies, unlike a light metro system.

Well I don't know what you are implying, as this system is based on the Canada line, which is a light metro.

The REM has full stations with elevators and automatic platform doors, it's not just a platform like a commuter train.

[eemy]

Are metro léger and light metro actually the same thing? I'm pretty sure one has signage in french exclusively, while the other one is in english (bilingual systems are classified as light metro léger, afaik). These are key distinctions that ought to be made.

Since everyone's already wondering, a light metro is obviously superior, since it comes first on an alphabetized list, despite the fact that it, being english, is the less sophisticated technology.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Are metro léger and light metro actually the same thing? I'm pretty sure one has signage in french exclusively, while the other one is in english (bilingual systems are classified as light metro léger, afaik). These are key distinctions that ought to be made.

Since everyone's already wondering, a light metro is obviously superior, since it comes first on an alphabetized list, despite the fact that it, being english, is the less sophisticated technology.

De quessé?

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Well I don't know what you are implying, as this system is based on the Canada line, which is a light metro.

The REM has full stations with elevators and automatic platform doors, it's not just a platform like a commuter train.

It's not a metro if it takes you 30 plus minutes to walk from one station to another.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Seems that it was indeed incompetence at the TTC, and I hope there will be a major check for government transit programs. At least QC has now fraud control in all procurement processes, Ontario should do the same.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/09/27/report-sounds-alarm-on-big-ttc-projects.html

Almost the same report was produced in 2010 and nothing happened.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toro...ed-for-the-st-clair-line/article4302352/

After that report was issued the TTC even tried to block Infrastructure Ontario/Metrolinx from being the agency in charge for the Eglinton Line, saying that they could deliver the project for less than the estimate, and definitely less than a P3 could.

http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commissi...mentary_Reports/Presentation_LRT_Pro.pdf

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editoria...nty_should_tame_the_metrolinx_beast.html

Imagine if the property tax payer had to cover the inevitable cost overruns on Eglinton now! It would eat up all the funds being raised for Scarborough.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

of course: the main missing link in that map is the extention of the orange to the Bois-Franc REM station. They only have to dig another 1,2km to reach it, so I hope they get that done.

Yeah, it is pretty short - skeptical it would be of much use other than being able to deactivate links in either network for major maintenance, but for a couple hundred million I wouldn't shed any tears.

[MalcolmTucker]

I see the terminology they are using as through the Grande École lens - that it referred to a light version of the RER. All us anglos just don't get it.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Well I don't know what you are implying, as this system is based on the Canada line, which is a light metro.

The REM has full stations with elevators and automatic platform doors, it's not just a platform like a commuter train.

Elevators? Most commuter rail lines have elevators haha. Platform doors and Elevators are not what qualify different types of services, those are design features that agencies can choose. What makes this super-commuter rail or whatever you want to call it is that it runs large trains between stations that are several kilometres apart on mixed rail corridors with overhead pantograph power. Platform doors and AODA mandated elevators have nothing to do with it.

Again, this is not a bad thing. Its just simply what it is. I couldn't care less of what type of service it is provided it delivers a high quality transit experience, which it absolutely will. Regardless, you should call a spade a spade, and this is S-Bahn style commuter rail.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Elevators? Most commuter rail lines have elevators haha. Platform doors and Elevators are not what qualify different types of services, those are design features that agencies can choose. What makes this super-commuter rail or whatever you want to call it is that it runs large trains between stations that are several kilometres apart on mixed rail corridors with overhead pantograph power. Platform doors and AODA mandated elevators have nothing to do with it.

Again, this is not a bad thing. Its just simply what it is. I couldn't care less of what type of service it is provided it delivers a high quality transit experience, which it absolutely will. Regardless, you should call a spade a spade, and this is S-Bahn style commuter rail.

I really don't get what you are saying. There are no mixed rail corridors, it's exclusive for usage for the REM. You might read more on the subject.

Pantographs are used since third rail don't work in snowy conditions for Montréal. One of the reasons why the metro doesn't go outside. The new Paris metro lines will also use a pantograph and have just as much distance between stations as the REM.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

It's not a metro if it takes you 30 plus minutes to walk from one station to another.

So are a lot of London Underground lines not metro lines as many of their stations are a 30 min+ walk from one another?

London, Washington, and plenty of other cities have metro systems that blur into commuter rail in the suburbs.