The first dynamic tests of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) were launched this Tuesday on the Anse-à-l’Orme branch, in the West Island of Montreal. With the tests on the Deux-Montagnes branch, which began this summer, the light rail is now in the testing phase over nearly 40 kilometres.
This was indicated Tuesday by CDPQ Infra, the subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which is managing the project. Aside from the South Shore section, the REM is still under construction. Its northern and western branches, which were initially scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2024, were postponed a few months ago to 2025.
The cars will now run on the REM’s elevated structure tracks in Montreal’s West Island, between the Des Sources and Anse-à-l’Orme stations, over a total of 14 kilometres. They will be seen every day between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., but their frequency will vary “according to testing needs.”
“We’re starting in the west, so there are several elements to validate on the cars, the electrical systems, etc. It may be very low speeds at the start, but it will accelerate,” emphasizes the assistant director of media relations at CDPQ Infra, Francis Labbé.
A traffic break will also be required on the Anse-à-l’Orme branch during the month of September, in order to carry out final work. It is after this that the higher speed tests can be launched.
Since last August, REM cars have been running on the tracks between the Sainte-Dorothée stations in Laval and Du Ruisseau, on the edge of the Saint-Laurent and Ahuntsic-Cartierville boroughs. This constitutes the bulk of the future Deux-Montagnes branch, eagerly awaited by users.
In short, “there are now nearly 40 km of tracks available for cars to circulate on in test mode,” indicated CDPQ Infra.
The city center will have to wait a little longer
As for the REM segment going towards downtown Montreal, between the Du Ruisseau and Central Station stations, the Caisse de dépôt still does not know when it will be able to launch tests.
The first thing is really to complete the Mont-Royal tunnel. That is the priority. We are on schedule. Everything should be completed by early 2025, and the work is progressing at a good pace, but the complexity remains.
Francis Labbé, Deputy Director of Media Relations at CDPQ Infra
He was referring to the difficulties his teams are still facing in the tunnel, where century-old explosives discovered in 2020 have slowed down construction work. Combined with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the incident had forced the postponement of several critical works on this branch.
Finally, note that the route, which is to connect Montreal-Trudeau Airport to downtown, is even further away from entering the testing phase. Its delivery is still scheduled for 2027, with construction work on the station first scheduled to take place until 2026. No additional details were given on this subject on Tuesday.