AMT Agence Metropolitaine de Transport
(Edited by Jean-Francois Turcotte)
amtnews@canadianrailwayobservations.com
Three F59PH’s that had been leased to AMT from RB Recycling: RBRX 18520 18522 and 18533, (ex-GO 520, 522 and 533) are now leased to Metrolink for a period of 6-8 months to get them through the downtime anticipated in installation of Positive Train Control on the existing locomotive fleet.
Craig Walker photographed the uniquely painted Mi-Train F59PH heads up a Metrolink train to Irvine CA, after just beginning its journey by the iconic and soon to be razed 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles on October 30th
RBRX 18533, is heads Metrolink train 688 through Santa Fe Springs, California, on October 22nd, 2013. This particular train set operates from Riverside to Laguna Niguel, then to Los Angeles, back to Riverside (via Fullerton), then down to Laguna Niguel one more time, then out to San Bernardino and, from there, to Los Angeles a second time. After a short layover at Taylor Yard, it departs L.A. again heading to Irvine, then back to L.A., and finally back to Riverside. (That's a busy day!) RBRX 18533 is former GO Transit 533.
Shoving on the rear of Metrolink train 689 (Irvine to Los Angeles) is Rosen Beaudin Group 18520 (ex-GOT 520), still in GO colors. Combined with coach 198, wrapped to promote Metrolink's weekend service, this has become a very colorful train! Shot by Craig Walker at Fullerton, CA on September 17th.
Jct de l’Est (Eastern Junction) grade separation
The grade separation at Jct de l’Est opened on October 14th 2013, ending almost 95 years of interference between CN freight trains and the electric commuter service to Val Royal and, later, Deux-Montagnes.
AMT completed the installation of #12 (30mph) crossovers south of the underpass on November 17th. These crossovers will be used for the future Mascouche service to access the Gohier connecting track in the Southeast quadrant. This line will open in 2014.
The Gohier connecting track will electrified between Jct de l’Est and AMT’s future Ahuntsic station (to be located at L’Acadie Blvd), as evidenced by the new catenary poles being erected along CN’s St-Laurent subdivision. AMT Mascouche trains will switch between diesel and electric modes at Ahuntsic station.
Here are two simple diagrams of the junction configuration before and after the grade separation.
On November 18th, catenary-related problems disrupted the Monday morning rush hour on the Deux-Montagnes line, taking at least one trainset of 10 MR90’s out of service. The problems are thought to be related to the Jct de l’Est crossover installation on the previous weekend, and forced AMT to temporarily reduce the number of cars on some trains. The out-of-service MR90’s have since been repaired and service is now back to normal levels.
ALP-45DP NEWS
AMT intended to start testing the ALP-45DP’s with Multilevel cars on the Deux-Montagnes line in electric mode in late November 2013 upon completion of the Jct de l’Est grade separation project, but the testing has apparently been postponed to December 2013, at the earliest.
Deux-Montagnes line sale
AMT and CN are still negotiating the sale of the Deux-Montagnes subdivision between Central Station and the end of track at St-Eustache (mile 21.4). According to AMT’s official 2014 Budget document, the sale is expected to occur in 2014, lowering the operating costs of the Deux-Montagnes line.
Granby spur sale
Quebec’s Minister of Transportation (MTQ) has purchased the former right-of-way of the old Montreal & Southern Counties interurban line between Castle Garden (Greenfield Park) and Chambly from CN. After the end of interurban service, CN operated this line as the Granby subdivision, reaching its namesake city and linked with branch lines to Farnham and Waterloo, both interchanging with CP. The branches were abandoned in the late 80’s, and the Granby subdivision was downgraded to a spur and cut back to Marieville in 1992 because of declining freight volumes. An infrequent wayfreight continued to serve customers in Marieville and Chambly until 2008, when the line was finally abandoned and rails removed soon after. MTQ’s purchase of the right-of-way preserve it as a future mass transit corridor and spurs the hope that passenger trains run to Chambly again in the future. However, at this stage, there are no firm plan for any commuter rail, light rail or bus rapid transit system for this corridor.
STM’s first 9-cars MPM-10 trainset was officially unveiled to the public at Bombardier’s La Pocatière plant on November 25th. The prototype train, jointly built by foes-turned-partners Alstom and Bombardier, will be delivered to STM’s main shop at Youville in early 2014, and will be tested on the network at night.
Full production of the 468 MPM-10 orders will begin in March 2014, with the last car to be delivered in 2018. STM expects a 50-years service life for the MPM-10. They will displace all 336 Vickers-built 1966-vintage MR63 cars currently used on the Green line, as well as increase service on the overcrowded Orange line.
Link to full story from Railway Age:
http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/rapid-transit/alstom-bombardier-unveil-new-montreal-metro-cars.html
More MPM-10 cars may eventually be ordered to replace 423 Bombardier-built MR73 cars, and to cover the increased service because of the planned extensions, notably on the Blue line’s eastward extension to Anjou.
Trevor Heywood - GO TRANSIT EDITOR
My name is Trevor Heywood, and I am an Ontario civil servant. I have a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Economics from the University of Guelph, and I am also a former GO Transit employee. I commute on the GO every day, and I am a huge advocate for improved regional rail transit throughout Ontario. As the new editor for this column, I hope to give you more insight into what has happened, as well as what’s being planned for GO, it’s parent agency Metrolinx, and it’s sister division the Union Pearson Express. If you have any feedback as to what you want see in this column, feel free to give me a shout.
GO Transit
A recent video of the demolition of the old 1920's-built CNR Weston Sub overpass, over Weston Rd just east of the Humber River at "CN McGill". New spans were installed for the Georgetown line expansion.
GO Transit MP40PH-3C 657 was shipped from Motive Power Inc. in Boise, ID. and is now on the property.
How Toronto and the GTA shaped by its rail lines: (via Don McQueen)
GO VIGNETTES:
FP-9 904 ex-GO transit is shown at the Tri-Rail platform at the Amtrak Station in Miami FL. On July 1995 still waering her Government of Ontario lettering.
TTC News:
Edited By Mark Forseille: <dmarkforseille@telus.net>
In last month’s column, I featured the West Coast Express station in Port Coquitlam, BC. This month we move a couple miles west to the Coquitlam Central Station.
This station is located at the junction of Hwy #7 (Lougheed Hwy) at Hwy #7B (Barnet Hwy), and is at MP 113 of CP’s Cascade Subdivision.
Other landmarks include “Coquitlam Centre Mall” to the North of Coquitlam Central Station. This station is more secluded than all the other stations along the line. There’s a walkway under the CP mainline to get to this station.
The first photo shows the front and only entrance to the station platform.
In the next photo from the station platform we’re looking westward.
The last photo is looking eastward from the station platform.
The Lougheed Highway dips under the CP mainline at this location.
AMTRAK IN CANADA
(Edited by William H Baird)
editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com
Amtrak GE P42DC Genesis #194 pulls five coaches intoSaint-Lambert, QC November 8th.
Please submit your AMTRAK IN CANADA Photos for CRO directly to William H. Baird at: editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com
© CRO October 2013