In November, Canadian Pacific Railway authorized the use of the ALP-45DP
locomotives in diesel mode only, and as of November 7th, eight ALP-45DP’s were
at Sortin Yard being prepared for service on CP trackage only. AMT
1354, 1355, 1356, 1357, 1358, 1360, 1362, and 1364 were coupled together, with
AMT 1354 and 1357 were placed on the ends of 6 car test sets, and these two
locomotives were running in diesel mode.More
ALP45DP's were transferred from St-Eustache to Sortin on November 19th , via
Parsley: 1351, 1359, 1363, 1367, 1368 and 1369. This leaves only 1350, 1352,
1353, 1361, 1365 and 1366 still hanging on CN. If the tests goes well, AMT
intends to introduce ALP45DP's on the St-Jérôme line by the end of 2012, with
the Vaudreuil line following thereafter.
CRO VISITS AMT'S SORTIN
YARD (SPECIAL REPORT)
I had the privilege to visit and tour inside AMT/BBD Sortin
Yard for the first time November 20th, and noted
the following power:
The blue light
(Located to the left of the cab door and above the red
light) on the ALP45
signifies the handbrake is fully on. You may have noticed
they have a pair of horn clusters. These units have
“horn redundancy”,
not just for safety but out of consideration to residents as
they need not test blow the horn before the train set moves. With dozens of trains
each day it can get quite noisy.
A new switch is soon to be installed on the AMT mainline
(south track) at the midway point of Sortin Yard (East of
Ballantyne). This new entrance to the Commuter yard will
negate having to use the switch at Ballantyne which is a
busy triple tracked junction used by eastbound and westbound
CP freights. However, the new switch location will have a
pronounced grade down into the yard, whereas the Ballantyne
location is flat.
I would like to thank the AMT and BBD employees of Sortin
Yard who were so kind to speak with me, and allow CRO
permission to take photographs for this CRO Special Report.
There was a warm camaraderie amongst the crews and employees
we met with, and safety was paramount. I thank them for
this unique privilege to see “back stage” of a major
commuter railroad.
The Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT) pent $308 million on 20 new
German-built Bombardier dual-mode locomotives. But it was forced to put them in
storage after the first one derailed days after being put into service in
December 2011. Test runs involving eight locomotives will take place on
Canadian Pacific tracks this week and next week, according to a memo sent to CP
commuter train crews on Monday, a copy of which was obtained by The Montreal
Gazette. “AMT and Bombardier representatives will be on board to perform the
tests and will train our crews” at the same time, says the memo, signed by a CP
superintendent. The tests will take place between Blainville and Saint-Jérôme.
The AMT is to begin using the locomotives to pull trains carrying passengers on
its Blainville-Saint-Jérôme, before putting them into service on the Vaudreuil-Hudson
line, the memo says. The locomotives will not be used on the Candiac line. All
three of those lines operate on CP tracks.
Claudia Martin, an AMT spokesperson, confirmed the tests. If all goes well, the
locomotives will be put into service within weeks, she said. The Dec. 7, 2011
derailment occurred at Central Station on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire commuter line,
which runs on Canadian National tracks. CN, whose tracks are also used for the
Deux Montagnes line, has said it will not allow the locomotives to be used on
its network until the Transportation Safety Board releases its report into the
derailment. That report has not been completed yet.
There have been reports that CN tracks at Central Station may have been
defective and unable to support the new locomotive, which is more powerful than
others in the AMT fleet. The locomotives are dual-mode, meaning they can
operate as a diesel or from over head wire electric.
The AMT has been criticized for opting for dual-modes, which are much more
expensive than regular locomotives. They were purchased in part because the AMT
planned to gradually electrify the commuter train network. That idea was shelved
this year after CP and CN rejected the idea.
Questions have also been raised about the AMT’s plan to use the diesel-carrying
dual-mode locomotives in the Mount Royal tunnel, which lacks modern safety
features and escape routes. That tunnel is owned by CN.
(Andy Riga - The Gazette, with thanks)
On November 5th, Guillaume Levasseur-Raymond caught AMT 1364, 1354,
and 18522 at Sortin Yard following their first test train on the
Parc Sub.
Guy Pascale Arcouette
shot this video of ALP45-DPs and test train passing Wellington Tower on CN/VIA
trackage heading towards Central Station November 12th.
NOTICE 084: INTEGRATION OF BI-MODAL LOCOMOTIVES
AVIS 084: INTEGRATION DES LOCOMOTIVES BI-MODE
As you recall, CN had banned these locomotives from leading a train until the
derailment investigation is completed by the Transportation Safety Board of
Canada, following the 1352’s derailment at Central Station on December 9th
2011. Although the investigation is still in progress, a likely cause for the
derailment, although not confirmed, has been hinted to be the inability of
Central Station’s tracks to withstand the excessive forces on the rail exerted
by the extra-powerful ALP45DP’s. AMT and CN are still looking at a wide range
of options to allow the high-tech dual mode locomotives back on CN trackage as
soon as possible. The ALP45-DP locomotive fleet has been in storage ever since
the first one placed into service (AMT 1352) derailed in December 2011 pulling
into Central Station. The AMT locomotives were purchased at a total cost of $308
million to allow the Agence Métropolitaine de Transport to increase service,
particularly on the overcrowded Deux Montagnes commuter line. The AMT bought 20
of the German-built Bombardier locomotives. The dual-mode (diesel and electric)
locomotives are to be used on the Deux Montagnes commuter line, which serves
Laval and the North Shore and s the AMT's only electric-powered line. The agency
has said it needs the new locomotives before it can start using new
double-decker railcars on the line. Those double-deckers have up to 30% more
capacity than typical single-level cars. The locomotive derailed on tracks
owned by CN. The TVA network quoted an internal study commissioned by the AMT
and CN that indicated CN tracks at Central Station may have been defective and
could not support the new locomotive, which is more powerful than others in the
AMT fleet. AMT spokesperson Brigitte Léonard said the AMT has hired an external
engineering firm to provide "a range of possible solutions" that would allow the
locomotives to be put back on track. TSBC spokesperson John Cottreau said the
board's investigation is in progress. He could not say when it would be
completed. On average, it takes the agency 16 months to complete rail
investigations.
In revenue service: NIL
AMT 1350 Displayed at
Pointe St-Charles Yard in late-September 2012
AMT 1351 Stored in
St-Eustache since mid-February 2012.
AMT 1352 Removed from
service following the derailment in Central Station and stored since December 9th,
2011.
AMT 1353 Stored in
St-Eustache following testing in May 2012.
AMT 1354 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1355
Transferred to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc
subdivision and AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1356 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1357 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1358
Transferred to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc
subdivision and AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1359 Stored
in Ste- Eustache since early January 2012.
AMT 1360 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1361 Stored in
St-Eustache since late-February 2012.
AMT 1362 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1363
Transferred to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc
subdivision and AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1364
Transferred to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc
subdivision and AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1365 Arrived
on the property on May 30th, 2012.
AMT 1366 Arrived
on the property May 14th, 2012.
AMT 1367 Transferred
to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc subdivision and
AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1368
Transferred to CP at Sortin on Nob. 19th 2012 To be tested on CP's Parc
subdivision and AMT's Ste-Agathe Subdivision.
AMT 1369 Arrived on the property June 25th, 2012.
(As of June 25th, 2012 the entire AMT ALP-45DP fleet had been
delivered by Bombardier).
This was the proposed AMT paint scheme for the Bombardier locomotives which was
never adopted. (Photo courtesy BBD)
UPDATE: The first revenue run was November 28th on AMT train 191
from Montreal to St-Jerome. The train made its return this morning and is shown
here preparing to lay over until the evening rush hour.For the immediate future these Bi-mode units will be used exclusively on
CP lines to St-Jerome and Vaudreuil. The first ALP-45DP’s into service on the
Blainville line on Train 174 November 28th had one at each end of its
9-car set of Bombardier bi-levels.
AMT expects to use them on the Vaudreuil-Hudson (CP line) by “late winter.
The first revenue run was on train 191 (Montreal to St-Jerome) and Ken Goslett
submitted photos of the pioneering trainset following its second revenue run
from St-Jerome back to Montreal November 28th.
AMT News
Yet another RBRX F59PH has entered service on AMT. On November 6th,
Michael Berry caught RBRX 18547 leading AMT 1342 (both in GO
Transit green) heading west through Montreal West this afternoon.
18547 has very small number boards, different from the other RBRX
engines. It has an ebell, and the GO transit logo spray painted; she
is pretty ghastly looking.
With the hurricane Sandy damage, New Jersey Transit (NJT) had 65
locomotives and 125 with severe water damage, Therefore, the New
Jersey Transit (NJT) motive power and coaches leased to AMT will likely
be returning to New Jersey. Richard Marchi snapped AMT F40PH 400,
with NJT GP40FH-2 4137 and 4133 at St-Luc November 7th.
On November 14th they had been interchanged over to CN Taschereau Yard.
For two years, Nicolas Girard was a stern critic of the Agence métropolitaine de
transport, constantly chastising the transit authority over cost overruns,
safety standards and secrecy. Now, he must prove he can do better. On Wednesday,
the new provincial government announced Girard - Parti Québécois transport
critic from 2010 until he lost his seat in the Sept. 4 election - will take over
as chief executive of the AMT on Oct. 9. Girard will replace former Via Rail CEO
Paul Côté, who took over as head of the AMT in January after Joël Gauthier ended
his controversy plagued nine-year tenure. Gauthier, a lawyer and former
executive director of the Quebec Liberal Party, was ousted because of cost
overruns at the Train de l'Est. The under-construction Montreal-Mascouche train
will cost $671 million, up from the initial $300M price tag.
A former student activist and union organizer, Girard, 40, has a political
science degree and studied industrial relations. After working as a press
attaché for four PQ ministers, he was MNA for Gouin riding from 2004 until this
month. At the AMT, he faces many challenges, among them:
-Train de l'Est. He must keep it on budget and on schedule. Initially to open in
2012, it's now not expected until late-2013 at the earliest.
-Train de l'Ouest. He must decide whether to ask Quebec to fund this West Island
project - adding dedicated tracks to the Vaudreuil-Hudson commuter line. It
could cost more than $1 billion. Engineering studies are due soon.
-Mount Royal tunnel. He will have to decide how to proceed when the AMT gets a
study on the cost of bringing the tunnel up to modern standards. Critics,
including Girard and former Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, have raised concerns over
the 94-year-old train tunnel between Town of Mount Royal and downtown. It's now
used only by electric trains. The concern is over the lack of safety features
and escape routes in the event of an accident involving diesel carrying Train de
l'Est locomotives, due to start using the tunnel in 2013. Extensive renovations
could further delay the Train de l'Est.
-Champlain Bridge. The AMT is studying what type of transit the new Champlain
Bridge should feature. Girard will have to negotiate with Ottawa on integrating
transit into the federal bridge.
-Métro extensions. The PQ says it will extend the Blue Line to Anjou. Girard
will have to deal with grumbling from Laval and Longueuil, which also want
extensions.
-Commuter trains. Ridership grew by 7.6% last year and there is constant
pressure to add departures. But the AMT is hampered by its use of tracks owned
by railroads whose freight trains have priority. Unlike Go Transit in Toronto,
the AMT has done little to buy tracks from the railroads.
-Remaking the AMT. The previous government did not fulfill its promise to reform
the AMT to deal with longstanding problems - inter-municipal squabbles over
transit investments, long delays due to planning indecision and a complicated
fare structure (the region's 15 transit agencies charge almost 700 fares).
(Montreal Gazette 120927)
Power noted in service at AMT Sortin Yard November 14th
(We had very limited visibility outside the facility):
AMT F59PH 530
AMT F40PH 330
AMT F59PHI 1324,
AMT F40PH-2CAT 4118,
AMT ALP45-DP 1356
AMT
St-Jerome Line News
In early November, CTC was cut in on CP's Parc subdivision between
Bois-de-Boulogne and Outremont, replacing the old automatic block signals. A
powered crossover has also been installed at Parc station.
The second main track was also cut in on CP's Parc subdivision between Ste-Rose
and St-Martin Jct with a #12 (30mph) universal crossover installed at control
point Maurice Richard.r.
Remaining work to be completed: adding CTC between Ste-Rose and St-Antoine,
including three passing sidings at Ste-Thérèse, Blainville and St-Janvier, and
adding a sixth storage track at the overnight storage facility at St-Jérôme.
When all work is completed, AMT intends to add a fifth and a sixth additional
trainset, and add six new departures per weekday, as well as six new departures
on weekends. There currently is no weekend service on this line. AMT's new
ALP45DP's are also expected to be used on this line.
Other News:
In late November AMT announced
it's looking to acquire more reserved bus lanes and improve existing
train service in the West Island. At a public consultation meeting
November 22nd. AMT president Nicolas Girard said he is
expecting a feasibility study by December on the projected extension
of the westbound Hudson-Vaudreuil line. The project is called the
Train de l'Ouest. "All the partners are around the table to make the
best decisions for the citizens of the West Island," said Girard.
The Train de l'Ouest coalition is a group of citizens and elected
officials pushing for more West Island commuter trains. Avrom Shtern,
a member of the coalition, said he wants to make sure the AMT gets
the work done quickly. "It isn't only people living east of Decarie
that are important, but also the people living west of Decarie, all
the way to Vaudreuil, and even beyond," says Shtern. The AMT said
it is also looking into making public transit simpler for
commuters. It also plans to add 250 kilometres of reserved bus
lanes by 2020.
AMT Vignette
On October 2nd, 2009, passengers
board two westbounds that will soon be shoved out
of Lucien L’Allier Station by AMT F40PH 400 and GP9u 1312. AMT prefers
to push trains up the slight grade to Vendome Station (in NDG - Westmount)
beginning back in the Fall and Winter months several years ago, to get
more traction when wet leaves and snow may be on the rails.
GO TRANSIT NEWS
GO Transit paper monthly passes will soon become a thing of the past. On January
1st, 2013, riders who don't want to stand in lineups to pay for individual
fares will have to buy a Presto card. The electronic fare card, which has been
in use across GO Transit and neighbouring transit systems for months now, can be
reloaded at GO stations, online, by phone, or through pre-approved credit card
deductions. The card can be used across the GO network of
buses, trains, neighbouring transit agencies, and currently 14 Toronto Transit
Commission subway stations (rollouts are progressing at stations, with
future rollouts on buses and streetcars). Riders will tap "ON" at a Presto
payment device before boarding their train (and upon boarding their bus), and
tap OFF when they reach their destination. Those who regularly travel between
the same two stops can set a default trip.
GO bilevel deliveries from Bombardier in Thunder Bay are still progressing. 2803
was noted by an anonymous source as heading southbound on CP's MacTier sub on
November 11th. The current order goes up to 2814 (plus a few 2xx cab and 25xx
accessible cars).
GO Transit has unveiled its 15 minute late refund policy. Announced as an idea
by the Liberal government during the previous election, this has become a
reality for all GO commuters. Under the policy, passengers on trains delayed by
15 minutes or more can receive a refund for their delayed trip. However, it is
subject to a number of conditions on what the delays are, and does not apply to
late GO bus services. GO currently has an on-time performance rating of its
trains in the mid-90% range.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/article/1287566--go-train-15-minutes-late-and-its-free
Metrolinx has updated their website with a new picture of the Toronto Air Rail
Link (ARL) trains. The new picture features slightly different esthetics than
the original. Also, the train is now a military green. Looking forward
to the delivery of these unique (for the GTA) train sets. (Thanks to Alexander
Glista)http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/airraillink/arl.aspx
TORONTO TRANSIT
COMMISSION
TTC has unveiled
its new low floor streetcars, build by
Bombardier in Thunder Bay ON. The first one (TTC
4400) is now on the property at their Hillcrest
Shops complex.
http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/236251--ttc-unveils-new-low-floor-streetcars A total of 204 new low-floor vehicles are set
to enter service in 2014 after street testing
which begins next year. "These are much larger streetcars, so they
can accommodate many more people," said TTC CEO
Andy Byford. "So what we're hoping is people will see the
benefits of public transit, will get out of
their cars and will actually use these beautiful
new state-of-the-art streetcars."
The new streetcars feature:
Capacity for 148 passengers (standing and
sitting), that's 68 more passengers than the
current streetcars.
Compatibility with new Presto fare card
system.
Ability to load passengers at any door.
Air conditioning.
They will slowly begin to replace the
existing streetcars, which were built between
1977 and 1989 and are near the end of their
service lives.
A video showing the delivery of the new
streetcar from the CP West Toronto railyards to
the TTC's Hillcrest Shops complex (unloaded from
a flatcar by crane and then trucked to Hillcrest
since the new siding isn't ready for direct rail
deliveries):
TTC 5621, part of one of the latest Toronto Rocket subway trains to enter
service (5621-5626), is southbound at Yorkdale Subway Station on November 13th
(Dan Dell'Unto photo). Note that these fleet numbers were previously assigned to
H4 subway cars. The highest numbered trainset on the property is currently
5631-5636.
The Toronto Rocket trainsets have continued to enter service in the past few
months, initially replacing all the 1973 Hawker Siddeley H4 cars, and now
replacing the majority of the mid-1970's Hawker Siddeley H5 cars. Around
half-a-dozen trains of H5's remain active (6 cars per train) on the
Yonge-University-Spadina line. It is expected the beginning of the H6 (1986 UTDC)
retirements will follow before the new year.
While a deal was previously announced with the Nigerian government for 255 H5
and H6 cars to be sold for a new light rail line in Lagos, with the large
majority of H5 cars being trucked off the property to a scrapyard in Hamilton
and cut up, the deal may have actually fallen through. So far there has been no
official word on the status of this deal since it was announced.
The West Coast Express runs between Mission, BC (MP 87.0 CP Cascade Sub) and
Vancouver's Waterfront Station (MP 129.1 CP Cascade Sub Monday to Friday. There
are five trains that travel West from Mission in the morning and the five trains
return to Mission in the Evening.
For further information and schedules please check out the West Coast Express
link
A
scheduled transit fare increase of 10% by Translink in Metro Vancouver and the
West Coast Express will go into effect January 1, 2013. The South Coast British Columbia
Transportation Authority (TransLink) Act
allows fares to rise by two per cent annually to cover inflationary costs. The
scheduled increase is part of TransLink’s 2010 Funding Stabilization Plan to
support operations and keep the system in a state of good repair. This plan was
approved by the Mayors’ Council in 2009 and fare changes reaffirmed TransLink’s
Regional Transportation Commissioner in April 2012.
In accordance with the Commissioner’s decision, the fare increase will be held
to the allowable two per cent annually. Cash fares have not increased since 2008
and the increase will reflect the past five years of inflationary costs. DayPass,
monthly FareCard and HandyDART fares have also been adjusted. The price of
FareSaver tickets does not change.
Translink puts out a Riders Guide for riders of
the West Coast Express. This edition is from May 2012. With the recent fare
increase announcements, there should be a new issue coming out in January 2013.
The West Coast Express uses several coach buses from Cantrail Coach lines Inc.
There are two Westbound Train buses in the Morning, and five Train buses heading
East in the afternoon and evening.
Douglas Sanford caught WCE Cab Control Car #109 and WCE Locomotive #901 at the
Via Maintenance Center for servicing recently.
