AMT Agence Metropolitaine de Transport
(Edited by Jean-Francois Turcotte)
amtnews@canadianrailwayobservations.com

In August, RBRX F59PH 18520 18522 and 18533, (ex-GO 520, 522 and 533). are all on lease to Metro Link in Los Angeles, CA.  Two of the three are in GO Tansit colours, and one in Mi-Train uniform.   

RAILWORLD-INC. is rumored to be considering selling off some their lease fleet of F40PH-2’s, and their three F59PH’s, however this action has not been announced on their site. Some of these passenger units are currently on lease to AMT. RAILWORLD-Inc is a holding company that specializes in railway management and consulting. The company also leases locomotives, and also owns several shortlines including the MONTREAL MAINE AND ATLANTIC.(Jody Moore photo)    http://railworld-inc.com/LocoLeasing.htm

Refurbished and repainted by ONR in North Bay, the AMT 700 series cars have slowly started entering service on the Candiac line. Michel Berry shot the train at the downtown station the morning of September 24th.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlwestrailfan/9917679895/in/photostream

Mike Robin shot one of the AMT cars inside the ONR Borth Bay Shop on September 12th.

Refurbished and repainted by ONR in North Bay, the AMT 700 series cars have slowly started entering service on the Candiac line. Michael Berry shot the train at the downtown station the morning of September 24th. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlwestrailfan/9917679895/in/photostream/

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=452598&nseq=0

NOT CONFIRMED: RAILWORLD is rumored to be interested in selling their fleet of F40PH and their three F59PH’s. Some of these are currently on lease to AMT.

Quebec’s minority government announced a plan September 20th  to spend at least $1.5-billion in the city on a long-anticipated subway extension.  The province and Montreal’s regional transport agency said they will set up a project office with a $38.8-million budget to set up a financial framework and other planning so construction can begin in two years to add five stations to the blue line in the city’s east end

The announcement comes one year into the Parti Québécois’s minority mandate, with anticipation building that an election is likely to take place late in the fall, or early next spring. Transport Minister Sylvain Gaudreault refused to answer a question about whether the announcement was an attempt to change the subject from divisive values debate, or win over Montreal. He did answer one question about whether the announcement was a signal an election might be called soon.

“We’re not here working for the PQ, we’re working for Quebeckers, and in this case, Montrealers. Look at it the opposite way. We are delivering on a promise from the last election,” Mr. Gaudreault said.
The metro extension is planned for the east end of Montreal, where the PQ holds several seats and is competitive in several others. The government also promised Friday that the yellow line to the south shore would be next in line for an extension. That area is also rich in ridings the PQ holds, or is competitive.
The metro extension has been promised repeatedly over the past 40 years, including, most recently, in 2009 by the Liberal government under Jean Charest.

The PQ delivered Montreal’s last metro extension, northward to the suburb of Laval, which was completed in 2007 after nearly a decade of development and construction. That plan cost $748-million for three stations, coming in at an average of $143-million per kilometre.

The new extension is to include five stations over more than six kilometres. The government says the price-per-kilometre will likely be $250-million to $300- million per kilometre. 

The proposed plans shown are not official …  just suggestions. The only signifigant  plans are:    

1. The orange line to Carrefour Laval from Concorde: Armand-Frappier - St-Martin - Carrefour Laval
2. Splitting the orange line at Bonaventure and extend the western to St-Martin from Cote Vertu: Poirier - Bois-Franc - Gouin - Notre-Dame - St-Martin
3. Extending the yellow line to McGill from Berri UQAM: St-Laurent - McGill.
4. Extending the yellow line to Jacques-Cartier from Longueuil UdS: St-Charles - St-Sylvère - Chambly/Gentilly - Rolland Therrien/Gentilly - Curé Poirier - Jacques Cartier.

These extensions are expected to draw 84,000 daily riders. 

Below is the “Dream” Plan, and the much more realistic STM Proposed Plan at the bottom.

CRO is currently seeking a GO TRANSIT / TTC News Editor.
If you are interested contact William Baird at:  editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

GO Transit News:

NEW POWER: The 10 new MPI order for GO MP40's is expected, in fact several were spotted around the MPI Boise locomotive factory in August. The order is for 10 units, numbered GO 657-666. PHOTO COMING As we went to press, there was still no news on the other repowered GO units.

Update on the Union Station - Pearson International Airport Express: Electrification by 2017? 
http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/04/update-union-pearson-express-electrification-2017

GO PHOTOS:

Former GO TRANSIT GMD-built GP40TC (AMTRAK 522) sits between assignments at the AMTRAK RENSSELAER DIESEL SHOP near the sand tower in Albany, NY. Ironically these often were used on the Amtrak “Maple Leaf” which operates up to Toronto, her former home! One of our CRO Facebook fans (Dave Carey) pointed out the TC in the GP40TC model stood for “Toronto Commuter”, designed and built specifically for GO Transit. Taken with permission to be on Amtrak property, by Matt Donnelly in January 2002.

My buddy Brian Nicholson snapped GO GP40TC 504 in Toronto on October 31st, 1977. The unique design of these locomotives had a GP40 prime mover built onto a longer “SD” underframe in order to accommodate the Head End Power on the rear of the unit. As noted above, some of these sharp looking locomotives ended their careers on AMTRAK.

Former GO TRANSIT GMD-built GP40TC (AMTRAK 522) sits between assignments at the AMTRAK RENSSELAER DIESEL SHOP near the sand tower in Albany, NY.  Ironically these often were used on the Amtrak “Maple Leaf” which operates up to Toronto, her former home!  Taken with permission to be on Amtrak property by Matt Donnelly in January 2002.  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=452128&nseq=0

TTC News:

Not Available

Edited By Mark Forseille: <dmarkforseille@telus.net>

September/October 2013 WCE Report

In the July/August CRO issue I featured the West Coast Express Station at Maple Meadows, BC.

In this issue we move about a mile west to the WCE station in Pitt Meadows, BC. 
This station is located at MP 107.3 on CP’s Cascade Sub.

Harris Road crosses the tracks just west of the station. 

Located west of Harris Road is CP’s VIF Yard (Vancouver Intermodal Facility).

Harris Road is also a pretty good location for some railfanning in this area.

In the next photo we’re looking back east from the station platform towards the Maple Meadows station.

In the next photo we’re looking west from the station platform towards Pitt River and Port Coquitlam.  The Harris Road crossing can be seen in this photo and signals for the VIF Yard can also be s
een further past the grade crossing.

Some photos of the signage at the Pitt Meadows Station.  Including Fare Paid Zone and Thanks for riding the West Coast Express.

In the November CRO,  I will feature the WCE Station at Port Coquitlam.
A couple of photos from the past taken close by the Pitt Meadows Station include these two photos taken during the special runs during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.
On February 19th, 2010 the WCE #905 is headed eastward to the Pitt Meadows Station after crossing the Pitt River swing bridge at MP 109 of CP’s Cascade Sub.
The new Pitt River Bridge for Highway #7 (Lougheed Hwy) can be seen on the right side of the photo.

On February 22nd, 2010 this train has the WCE #903 at the same location with some recent snow on top of the local mountains in the background.

Please submit your AMTRAK IN CANADA Photos for CRO directly to William H. Baird at: editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

© CRO October 2013