Passenger Trains > Montreal Commuter Services

Today, September 4th, marks the start of AMT Montreal Commuter services on a 5th line - Windsor Station to Delson on the South Shore. Delson is also the site of the CRHA's museum in Montreal. The trains will make several intermediate stops, including Lasalle on the Montreal side of the Lachine Bridge. There are two inbound trains in the morning, and two outbound trains in the evening.

There have been some changes to the rest of the West Island services (including moving the departure time of the last outbound Dorion line train up to 9:15 PM, which isn't exactly popular). However, during each of the three-hour morning and evening rush periods, 16 trains now travel the stretch between Windsor Station and Montreal West.

Ray

I meant to say the CRHA museum is in St-Constant - Delson is a couple of miles farther out.

Ray

Any idea on the power and consists for this service?

Thanks

Last train @ 9:15PM???????????? WHAT???????????

Yeah, they replaced #27 (dp Windsor 20h00) and #29 (dp Windsor 22h45) by a single train leaving at 21h15. And inbound #28 which arrived at Windsor at 20h55 is now scheduled much sooner.

The new improved rush hour service on the Dorion line is good news at last, but this cut is a bummer.

I feel that AMT got squeezed by CP on this one, because the official reason given to cut evening service was that track space and time were needed for expanded freight capacity. On a normal weekday evening, CP dispatches WB 261, 123 (Expressway), 211, 431, 159 and the Dorion turn, and more follow later in the night, such as 439 and 107. EB traffic is often late and less regular, but you should always expect at least 4 of them each evening, often far more.

One condition CP might have requested for accepting an expanded PM rush hour service on the line was probably to cut evening service. At the same time, this is a way to reduce operating expenses for AMT; AMT's Dorion line ranks at the bottom of all four previous commuter lines for autosufficiency. Fares barely cover 20% of the costs, vs around 50% for the Deux-Montagnes and Blainville lines. I hope cutting train crews from 4 to 2, new F59PHI and the replacement of derelict 800-series cars by 22 new bilevels in 2003 will allow to reduce the costs; otherwise more off-peak cuts will likely follow on the Dorion line. Dropping weekend service was even rumored for a while, and this could still happen. Such service is skeletal anyway, but it would still be a big loss for the outer suburban not well desserved by STCUM (soon to be STM under the new merged city) buses, such as Ile Perrot and Dorion.

JF

Last train 915???

You know how those French guys are- early to bed...

duracell wrote:
>
> Yeah, they replaced #27 (dp Windsor 20h00) and #29 (dp Windsor
> 22h45) by a single train leaving at 21h15. And inbound #28
> which arrived at Windsor at 20h55 is now scheduled much sooner.
>

Just a little correction. Inbound #28 now arrives at 20h55 for return as #29 at 21h15; previously it used to arrive at 21h54 for return as #29 at 22h45.

JF

From the montrain mailing list :

"Delson train #102 was running four minutes late this morning. I just
missed catching it in Montreal West at 8:07. There were six GO cars and
HEP pulled by two GP9's (the ones with the galleries all around).


Glenn Shorrock"

In Montreal, 9:15 PM is to the night life scene what 12:00 noon is to the regular work day - five or six hours too early to consider as a useful schedule to return home. Maybe the AMT should schedule a train at 3:00 AM for this group!

Ray