The most noticeable differences are fairly obvious: six-car permanent consists with open gangs end to end, and upholstered seats. There are some more subtle differences as well: our REM Metropolis stock features wide windows at the front and back of each unit, whereas the Sydney Metro stock has emergency exit ramps at either end, similar to Barcelona’s T9/10 stock. You can see in the picture above that structural A-pillars block part of the view, and reduce some of the bay window area’s standing room.
I’m certain the very vast majority of future REM users will be sufficiently pleased. I’m equally certain that a plurality of the vocal members here — along with pundits from La Presse, Métro, and JdM — will have very little nice to say.
These trains are fast, and also, compared to our STM Métro, very spacious. While riding, however, they are not at all quiet: in tunnels, it’s not deafening, but between the aircon, traction motors, other bogie and mechanical noises, and some other stuff I couldn’t quite figure out, it’s at least as loud as our Métro; outside at ground level, on the other hand, it’s much like any other electric train running at decent speeds. But what is clear is that these are very cheaply built rail vehicles, and it will be noticeable to forum nitpickers and perhaps more than a few skeptics who aren’t transit nerds. Sydney Metro North West Line celebrated its fourth anniversary this weekend, and the cars look old. There is shoddy workmanship everywhere I look, and other stuff that looks like it was MacGuyvered by maintenance techs to fix factory defects (lots of sloppy caulking between composite interior panels, for example). In contrast, I also rode several five- to 10 year old CRRC and Downer-Changchun EMUs and they looked almost new.
On the other hand, we are getting a 68 km automated metro system built within 10 years of its announcement, and at a fraction of what it could reasonably cost to taxpayers if financed entirely from the province’s general coffers. Overall, this will be a generational upgrade for transit in Montreal.
One thing I hope we do get, and that Infra signed off on with PMM’s bid: LCDs over the doors. Or are we even too cheap for that? On the Sydney Metro, they indicate the train’s progress on the linear route map, the current station, and which side the doors will open.
I wont lie when i say those seats look like they might be more comfortable than the ones we got, too, though since its a metro it probably wouldnt matter too much anyways (unlike in our buses where the comfort reduction in seats over the years is a literal pain in the butt)
The thing is, as one can experience on similar-layout Metropolis trains in Singapore and elsewhere, they really do accelerate exceptionally well, and the shiny plastic seats do not help you if you want to avoid becoming close friends with the strangers sitting next to you.
I’m sure that there’s somebody somewhere with a metal tool who will be more than happy to permanently inscribe something into that plastic. I just hate fellow humans sometime.
Pour le peu de temps que j’étais assise sur les bancs du REM. Je les trouvais confortables.
Aussi, c’est un métro, pas un train de banlieue. Le même niveau de confort n’est pas requis pour des trajets plus courts.
True, but then it should not have been built out into the deep suburbs, where an efficient suburban train line already existed, that would have been vastly improved with modern rolling stock and signalling, and double-tracking from the 13 to DM. Probably less than a billion dollars, and resulting in comfortable, dependable, 15-minute, two-way, all-day service. Could have easily doubled ridership to more than 60,000 a day (if not more).
Yeah… the initial business requirement was to have a fast link between downtown and the airport…
and the CDPQInfra added all the “nice to have” … and the initial busines requirement will be the last delivered…
it reminds me of the swing analogy in my business/management classes
De la signalisation adéquate permettra le détour approprié pour les automobilistes via la la sortie 6 de l’autoroute 10 ouest et la voie de desserte de la route 132 ouest, pour un retour sur l’autoroute 10 est vers la sortie Taschereau.
Lors de cette période, il est recommandé d’opter pour des chemins alternatifs dans la mesure du possible.
ROUTIÈRE | MAJEURE
