BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

Motorists travelling along Highway 40 last week caught the first glimpses of REM trains travelling along the elevated rails as the West Island branch of the new commuter line entered its initial testing phase.

But the beginning of the testing phase does not mean the launch of the rail service is near. In fact, the date when the commuter rail line will be put into service, which had originally been set for the end of 2024, has now been pushed to some time in 2025, said Francis Labbé, a spokesman for CDPQ Infra, the consortium building the rail network.

There is still no precise date as to when the first commuters will be welcomed aboard the trains, Labbé said in an interview with The 1510 West on Monday.

“These tests will dictate the next steps,” Labbé said.

The first phase of tests last week saw two-car trains sent along the tracks between the Anse a l’Orme station in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the Des Sources Station in eastern Pointe Claire. Testing is also being conducted simultaneously on the Two Mountains line of the network, with trains being run along the tracks through Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

The test saw the trains travel at very slow speeds along the track. Officials are now reviewing the data. Trains will be returned to the tracks in two weeks, Labbé said. In this next phase of trials, the trains will travel at higher speeds, between 30 and 60 kilometres an hour. Conductors will man the trains, ensuring that all stopping mechanisms at the stations are performing with precision. Communications systems will also be tested, he said.

In October, a third phase of testing is scheduled, where the trains will travel along the tracks at what Labbé described as “commercial speeds” in their fully automated mode, meaning without conductors. These test will last several months.

Currently, there are 40 kilometres of rail line being tested, Labbé said, including the spur that leads to Two Mountains. Officials are also assessing the noise of the trains.

As the tests progress, CDPQ Infra will be able to announce when the train service will open for public use, some time in next year. The original 2024 launch date has been moved due to delays in completing work through the Mont Royal tunnel, Labbé said.

Cutline:

The REM train used to test the service runs along the elevated track by Parc des Benevoles in Kirkland.

Credit:

Courtesy CDPQ Infra