The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[TownGuy]

Definitely look better but are they new-new or new-used? They themselves look dated.

[Nouvellecosse]

They're new, they just have a dated design.

[GreaterMontréal]

Definitely look better but are they new-new or new-used? They themselves look dated.

The new locomotive is a Bombardier dual-mode ALP-45DP, electro-diesel. Only New Jersey Transit and the AMT use it.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Definitely look better but are they new-new or new-used? They themselves look dated.

They're actually really modern, but like Nouvellecosse said it's the design that's dated. They were built in 2011 I believe.

The AMT also has these, used on the Saint-Jérôme line:


Crossing Westminster by Michael Berry Railfan, on Flickr

[matt602]

The older unit in the photo is actually second-hand from GO I believe. AMT looks pretty arcaic when you compare it to the shiny, sleekness of GO but it's still a reliable service from what I've found.

[ssiguy]

Is the AMT strictly a rush hour service or is it also morphing into a all day regional connector like GO?

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by matt602

The older unit in the photo is actually second-hand from GO I believe. AMT looks pretty arcaic when you compare it to the shiny, sleekness of GO but it's still a reliable service from what I've found.

Maybe, but you're comparing a service that dates from the 70's (GO) to one that was formed in 1996 (AMT). So of course the AMT is not as evolved as GO.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Is the AMT strictly a rush hour service or is it also morphing into a all day regional connector like GO?

Depends on the lines. The biggest concern with adding frequencies is the fact that tracks are shared with the CN and CP. Some lines (MSH, Candiac, Mascouche) have 2 to 4 trains running out of rush hour. Others have about 5 or 6 non-rush hour trains (SJ and VH). The Deux-Montagnes line has service 25 times a day in every direction during the week, so it's really useful (I use it everyday).

3 lines out of 6 have weekend service, although the SJ line stops at Montmorency Metro station.

The AMT system is slowly evolving, but it's a lot better than it was ten years ago. Give it time.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Is the AMT strictly a rush hour service or is it also morphing into a all day regional connector like GO?

Candiac to Montréal, 9 departures, last one 2pm.

Deux-Montagnes to Montréal, 22 departures, last one 11:20pm

Vaudreuil to Montréal, 12 departures, last one 7:55pm

Saint-Jérôme to Montréal, 13 departures, last one 9pm

Mont-Saint-Hilaire to Montréal, 7 departures, last one 6:40pm

Mascouche to Montréal, 8 departures, last one 8:33pm

https://www.amt.qc.ca/en/trip-planner/train

second-hand from GO

they have been refurbished before being used by the AMT

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Is the AMT strictly a rush hour service or is it also morphing into a all day regional connector like GO?

Depends. The Deux-Montagnes line already offers all-day service, but only every 30-60 minutes at non-peak times. However, I believe that's set to improve.
The Hudson line is also set to be upgraded to 15-minute service with the ever-elusive Train de l'ouest project, but it keeps getting kicked down the road.

The other lines don't seem to have any concrete plans, though I've always thought that Montreal's train network has a great deal of potential for an S-Bahn-type service to relieve the metro and dramatically improve service to the west island, Laval, Longueuil and (especially) Montreal-Nord. Another must would be the addition of a station at Édouard-Montpetit and McGill in the Mount-Royal tunnel (there were plans for it decades ago, but they went nowhere). That alone would probably double the total ridership with people from the other side of the mountain (CDN, Outermost and especially Université de Montréal) going downtown. Currently, it's about 35-40 minute trip, but it could be cut down to less than 3 minutes with a station at Édouard-Montpetit connecting to the metro.

Them's low-hanging fruit.

[Nouvellecosse]

They originally considered making a connection there when creating the blue line, but the rail tunnel is like 50m lower than the metro tunnel and it would have been an awkward and expensive transfer involving a long elevator ride, so not very practical.

[SkahHigh]

Here's what the Montreal commuter rail system looked like in the 50's and 60's... 11 lines. Sadly, some of them weren't profitable so they were scrapped. Back when Windsor Station was actually one of our majestic rail terminals...

[Rico Rommheim]

One of the things that really bugs me with the AMT network is Lucien L'Allier station. Shitty name for a downtown terminus. For starters: they could have called it by the name of the actual street its on, not the one one block over. Or like a nice name like Terminal de l'Ouest, or Terminal Centre-Ville or whatever. But it also is the definition of unambitious, bland, provincial design and scale. That station is a glorified Amtrack "shack".


Screen Shot 2014-12-14 at 3.37.40 PM by rommheim, on Flickr

I'd like to see them at least cover up the loading area with a glass structure...or something damn it. This is a a frigid-ass city 4 months of the year.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Train_station_Berlin-Spandau.jpg

[SkahHigh]

^ they might do that in the future with the PPU des Gares, it would be a great idea. Lucien-L'Allier is pretty shitty... I cannot believe someone would build a terminal station for 3 commuter rail lines and not cover up the tracks. Unfortunately, the AMT just doesn't have the money to fix it right now.

There were renovation plans a couple years ago for LuLa but they were cancelled:

[Rico Rommheim]

Ok good, well at least they have thought about it. That's already a step forward. I'll never forget my German friend's reaction when he took the train by himself and ended up at LuLa. He laughed. He laughed in my face. And he was right to laugh, that place is a joke.

[Nouvellecosse]

Should just route the trains into Gare Centrale

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Ok good, well at least they have thought about it. That's already a step forward. I'll never forget my German friend's reaction when he took the train by himself and ended up at LuLa. He laughed. He laughed in my face. And he was right to laugh, that place is a joke.

"Hahaha your city's rail infrastructure is inferior to ours! Hilarious!"


Your German friend kind of sounds like a douche.

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

"Hahaha your city's rail infrastructure is inferior to ours! Hilarious!"


Your German friend kind of sounds like a douche.

A real live incarnation of your typical SSP bloke. Scary, when you think about it.

[vegeta_skyline]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

6 car trains seem oddly short to me.. GO uses 10 or 12 car trains on all lines except the summer Niagara trips, which use 8 car trains.

It certainly would seem odd to new riders but GO used to run 6 and 8 car trains on many of their lines as well. Stouffville trains for instance were only 6 cars long until as recently as 2007. Richmond Hill & Barrie were also only 8 at that time I believe. In addition to the Sunday & Saturday Niagara trains (Fridays is a 10-pack) you mentioned there's also the 2 6-pack express trains on the Barrie line and there may be more to come.

[GreaterMontréal]

you could have said to your friend that Canada has a higher GDP per capita than Germany. lol