Réseau express métropolitain (REM) trains will soon be smaller on weekends and public holidays, going from four to two cars, with the aim of reducing energy consumption and limiting wear and tear on equipment.
This was announced Thursday by CDPQ Infra, the subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec which manages the light train system. The “short REMs”, as they have been called, will officially make their debut on the network on April 21.
Until now, since the commissioning of the first section of the REM last July, all trains circulating had four cars. From now on, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, in other words when travel is less frequent, there will only be two cars per train.
The frequency will remain unchanged, i.e. every 3 minutes 30 seconds during peaks and every 7 minutes 30 seconds outside peaks.
For the moment, the four-car trains will remain the rest of the time, either during the week during rush hour or during large-scale events. That said, the Caisse de dépôt does not hide the fact that two-car trains could soon run during “off-peak periods”, even on weekdays.
However, no more precise timetable has yet been put forward on this subject, but we can think that less busy days in public transport due to teleworking, such as Monday and Friday, could be affected when the time comes. Users will be kept informed of the situation, assured CDPQ Infra communications director, Michelle Lamarche.
His group also clarified on Thursday that the circulation of “short REMs” during periods of low attendance will both “reduce our energy consumption and the normal wear and tear of cars”.
Reflexes to have
Notice to users: when a “short REM” arrives at the station, you will need to position yourself in front of one of the six landing doors located at the head of the car. “The other six platform doors at the end of the car will not open when a two-car train arrives,” the organization said.
It also invites its customers to “identify the correct landing doors for boarding” using the “first car” signs which are already identified on the platform. REM agents will also be dispatched to the stations over the coming days to answer questions from the public, if necessary.
In the coming weeks, “load indicators” will also be deployed to allow everyone to identify the correct automatic screen doors for boarding.