Montreal Metro
Encyclopedia
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transport
ation underground in the city of Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada.
The Metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal
(STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure of Mayor Jean Drapeau
. Originally consisting of 26 stations
on three separate lines, the Metro now incorporates 68 stations on four lines measuring 69.2 km (43 mi) in length, serving the north, east, and centre of the Island of Montreal
with connections to Longueuil
, via the Yellow Line
, and Laval
, via the Orange line
.
The metro system is Canada's busiest subway system in total daily passenger usage, serving an average of 1,111,700 daily passengers on an average weekday (as of Q1 2011). In 2010, 296.3 million riders (transfers not included) used the Metro. According to the STM website the metro system has transported over 7 billion passengers as of 2010, roughly equivalent to the world's population. Montreal has built one of North America's largest urban rapid transit schemes, serving the third-largest number of passengers overall behind New York and Mexico City, and attracting the second-highest ridership per capita behind New York.
The Montreal Metro was inspired by the Paris Metro
and in turn is also the inspiration for the Lyon Metro
and Marseille Metro
, as well as the Mexico City Metro
, all constructed a few years later, and all which also share the same rubber-wheel car design and similar Montreal Metro station architecture.
The first subway proposal, dated 1910, was for a single line running underneath Bleury Street and Park Avenue from Craig Street (now St-Antoine Street
) all the way to Mont Royal Avenue. The line was to run underground from Craig to Pine Avenue
. An eventual expansion up Saint Laurent Boulevard to De Montigny was also contemplated at the time.
In 1944, the Montreal Tramways Company proposed a 2-line network, running underneath Rue Sainte-Catherine
from Square Cabot (Rue Atwater) to Avenue Papineau, and a second line under St-Denis Street
(from Jean-Talon to Notre-Dame
), then turning westwards under Notre-Dame and St-Jacques Street
all the way to Rue Guy
, then turning north and connecting with the other line at Guy.
Proposed extensions were to run northward under De Lorimier up to Beaubien, eastward from De Lorimier to Viau under Rue Ontario, northward Chemin Côte-des-Neiges and Queen-Mary to Snowdon (Décarie), westward under Sherbrooke to Girouard, and southwards under Wellington, Centre and Verdun to 1ère Avenue in Verdun.
In 1953 the newly formed Montreal Transportation Commission proposed a single line, running under Rue Sainte Catherine from Rue Atwater towards Peel
where the line would have turned south, going underneath Square Dorchester all the way down to Rue Saint-Jacques
, which it followed to Rue Saint-Denis
. Then, it would have gone north all the way to Boulevard Crémazie
, right by the D'Youville maintenance shops.
Proposed extensions were to run northwest under Sherbrooke, Girouard & Décarie to De L’Église, in St-Laurent, northeast under D’Iberville and Jean-Talon to Pie-IX and eastward under Ontario to Viau.
In 1963 the last proposal was the closest to what was to be built. The major difference with the built initial network was that there was no line to Longueuil, line 2 extended northward only to Crémazie instead of Henri-Bourassa, and that the Canadian National commuter train lines to Cartierville and Montréal-Nord would be integrated into the system. Negotiations with CN did not work out, and line 3 was left unbuilt. However, a line numbered 4 was built to Longueuil, on the south shore, to serve Île Sainte-Hélène, site of Expo ’67.
Proposed extensions were to run northwest under Sherbrooke, Girouard & Décarie to De L’Église, in St-Laurent, northeast under d’Iberville to Crémazie and eastward under Ontario to Viau.
The 1960s were very optimistic years. Metro planning did not avoid the general exuberance of those years, and a 1967 study even proposed 6 additional lines that would bring the 25 km of Métro lines of 1967 to 112 km for 1982.
was originally meant to have two or three more stations beyond Côte-Vertu
; however, priority funding was given to complete the current Blue Line
. The plans for Deguire/Poirier, Bois-Franc, and Salaberry stations were scrubbed. The Blue Line
itself was shortened due to funding issues. It was originally projected to have stops west of Snowdon
(Côte Saint-Luc, Cavendish, Montréal-Ouest, Lafleur) and east of Saint-Michel
(Pie-IX
, Viau, Lacordaire, Langelier, Galeries d'Anjou).
An entire métro line in initial planning was also scrubbed, the so-called Line 7/Pie IX - Saint-Leonard/White Line
, also due to the same funding issues. Proposed for the first time by the Bureau des Transports de Montréal (BTM) in September 1983, the original project for a new north-south line (Line 7, the number 6 being reserved for another surface metro line proposed by the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ)) would have had 10 stations (from Pie-IX
to Léger), which then got formally proposed by the Communauté urbaine de Montréal
(CUM) at the start of 1984, this time having 12 stations (from Pie-IX
to Maurice-Duplessis/Langelier)
Construction began in May 1962 and was undertaken before Montreal was chosen as host of the 1967 World's Fair (Expo 67
), held in the summer of 1967. Regardless of the fair, the city badly needed a mass transportation system, as demonstrated by numerous proposals dating back to 1910. The main lines (Green (Line 1)
, Atwater
to Frontenac
; and Orange (Line 2)
, Bonaventure
to Henri-Bourassa
) were opened gradually starting in October 1966, with the Yellow line (Line 4)
(Berri-de-Montigny
to Longueuil
, on the south shore
of the Saint Lawrence River
) not opened until April 1967.
A Line 3
was originally intended as a surface metro running in part through the existing railway tracks running under Mount Royal
to Cartierville
. But then, as negotiations with the Canadian National Railway
(CN Rail) for the use of their tracks
and tunnel were stalled, Montreal was chosen as host of the Expo 67. Plans and budgets were therefore redirected for the design and construction of a replacement line, Line 4, constructed especially for Expo 67, in place of the never built Line 3. (The CN tracks under Mont-Royal are still used for the Deux-Montagnes commuter train
, which was finally modernized in 1995.) The Montreal Métro nonetheless continues to be numbered as if this proposed line had been constructed as Line 3 of the Métro.
With the awarding of the 1976 Summer Olympics
to Montreal, construction began in October 1971 for the extension of Line 1
from Frontenac
to Honoré-Beaugrand
to service the main Olympic site; the new stations were opened in June 1976.
Later, Line 1 was extended from Atwater
to Angrignon
(September 1978), while Line 2 was extended from Bonaventure
to Place-Saint-Henri
(April 1980), Snowdon
(September 1981), Côte-Sainte-Catherine
and Plamondon
(January and June 1982), and Du Collège
(January 1984).
Two years later, a new line (Blue (Line 5)
) was built from De Castelnau
to Saint-Michel
(June 1986), with transfers to Line 2 at Jean-Talon
, and Line 2 was extended further to Côte-Vertu
(November 1986). Line 5 was then extended to Parc
(June 1987), Acadie
(March 1988), and the existing Snowdon
station on Line 2 (January 1988). To this date, the Montreal Metro is Canada's largest subway system.
While a number of proposals for further expansion had been studied over the years, it all came to a stop around 1990, when the PLQ Bourassa
government placed a moratorium on further metro construction. Then, in 2002, under the Parti Québécois
Landry
government, construction began on a three-station extension of Line 2 from Henri-Bourassa
under the Rivière des Prairies
to Montmorency
on Île Jésus
(northwest of the Île de Montréal). This extension was completed and the three new stations were opened on April 28, 2007. Ridership increased by 60,000 a day with the new stations, as of 2009.
The four Montréal Métro lines are identified by colour, by number, or by terminus station. The terminus station in the direction of travel is used to differentiate between directions of travel. The busiest line is the Orange Line
, while the quietest is the Blue Line
. The Yellow Line
is the shortest line, with three stations, built for Expo 67
. On April 28, 2007, three new stations were opened in Laval
along the Orange Line
. Metro lines that leave the Île de Montréal are the Orange Line, which continues to Laval
, and the Yellow Line, which continues to Longueuil
. On weekdays and Saturday and Sundays, the Metro service runs from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on the Green, Orange and Yellow lines and 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. on the Blue line.
stops service earlier, at 00:15 due to lower passenger volumes. During rush hour, there are two to five minutes between trains on the Orange
and Green Lines
. The frequency, however, decreases to 12 minutes during late nights.
The STM operates both the Metro and the bus services in Montreal, and thus transfers between bus and Metro are free. Fare payment is via a barrier system, including magnetic tickets and passes, as well as a RFID card.
Fares are partially integrated with the Agence métropolitaine de transport
's commuter rail system, which links the Metro to the outer suburbs via five interchange stations.
called OPUS (a play on the French phrase au puce, which is the word for the chip used in the cards) as a means of fare payment. In preparation for this new step in Montreal's public transportation network, turnstiles which incorporate the reader and automated vending machines had already been installed in metro stations; buses had previously been fitted with new fare boxes that incorporate the card reader, in order to ensure the uniformity of methods of payment across Montreal's transit network and that of its suburbs.
One advantage to the smart card compared to the previous system is the seamless integration with other transit networks of neighbouring cities, eliminating the need to carry small change or purchase different tickets. The same can be said of the commuter train service, run by the Agence métropolitaine de transport
, that requires the purchasing of a ticket different from those offered by the STM. Another advantage relates to the speed at which users can access the system. As opposed to the magnetic stripe card
s previously in use, which have been sold alongside the new OPUS cards up until May 2009, the contactless smart card is more user-friendly in that not only will the card not risk becoming demagnetized and rendered useless, but it also does not require patrons to slide the card in a particular way—proximity to the contactless reader will suffice.
Costs to the STM related to the project are approximately $138 million, compared to the original estimated cost of some $100 million. The project was originally supposed to be implemented in 2006.
The design of the Metro was heavily influenced by Montreal's winter conditions. Unlike other cities' metros, nearly all station entrances in Montreal are completely enclosed; usually they are in small, separate buildings with swivelling doors meant to mitigate the wind caused by train movements that can make doors difficult to open.
All separate entrances are set back from the sidewalk; as well, several stations in Downtown Montreal
are directly connected to buildings, and thus have several entrances inside existing buildings and street-level entrances, making the Metro an integral part of Montreal's underground city
despite its lack of elevators. Several metro entrances are also located within building facades. Only three stations have open entrances, which are prevalent in other cities. During the past six years several stations have been upgraded with lifts to accommodate passengers with disabilities; such stations include Henri-Bourassa through Montmorency, Berri-UQAM, Lionel-Groux, and Côte-Vertu.
Montreal's metro is renowned for its architecture and public art. Under the direction of Drapeau, a competition among Canadian architects was held to decide the design of each station, ensuring that every station was built in a different style by a different architect. Several stations, such as Berri-UQAM
, are important examples of modernist
architecture, and various system-wide design choices were informed by the International Style
.
Along with the Stockholm Metro
, Montreal pioneered the installation of public art in the metro among capitalist countries, a practise that beforehand was mostly found in socialist and communist nations (the Moscow Metro
being a case in point). More than fifty stations are decorated with over one hundred works of public art, such as sculpture, stained glass, and murals by noted Quebec artists, including members of the famous art movement, the Automatistes
.
Some of the most important works in the Metro include the stained-glass window at Champ-de-Mars
station, the masterpiece of major Quebec artist Marcelle Ferron
; and the Guimard
entrance at Square Victoria station, like the famous metro entrances designed for the Paris Métro
, on permanent loan since 1966 by the RATP to commemorate its cooperation in constructing the metro. Installed in 1967 (the 100th anniversary of Guimard's birth), this is the only authentic Guimard entrance in use outside Paris, although reproductions using original moulds were given to Mexico City (Metro Bellas Artes
on line 8), Chicago (Van Buren Station
on the Metra
network), Lisbon (Picoas station on the yellow line) and Moscow (Kievskaya station on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya).
The Montreal Metro's 759-car fleet runs entirely underground and uses exclusively rubber tires
instead of steel wheels. As noted in the STM official document, The Montreal Métro, a source of pride, the Metro runs entirely underground because the cars are not weatherproof and the electrical system would be severely affected by rain and melting snow.
Conception of the first generation of rolling stock in Montreal went beyond just adopting the MP 59
metro car from Paris
.
North American cities building modern subway systems (Washington, D.C.
, San Francisco
, Atlanta
, Montreal) in the 1960s and 1970s were in search of modern rolling stock that not only best fit their needs, but also encompassing a change in industrial design that focused on the aesthetics and performance of public transit vehicles.
Train floor levels are near flush with the station platforms, but unlike the Washington, D.C. Metro, Montreal's Metro system is not always wheelchair accessible. Most wheelchair users cannot board independently because of a gap between the car and the platform. Currently, only 6 stations are wheelchair accessible. This has become a sore point for accessibility advocates in Montreal
. The three stations in Laval are provided with elevators, and four stations - Lionel-Groulx
, Berri-UQAM
, Henri-Bourassa
and Bonaventure
(orange line only) - had elevators added in 2009 and 2010, although Bonaventure station is only partially accessible pending the construction of elevators linking the mezzanine to street level. One more orange-line station (Cote-Vertu
) has elevators under construction. Four stations will be equipped with elevators by 2016, meaning that the service would be fully accessible in 2085. The remodelling of the seating arrangement in the MR-73 cars has added a space for wheelchairs. The lack of subway accessibility is critical for people whose mobility needs cannot be accommodated by stairs. STM's adapted transit is a system based on reservation, meaning that there is no room for flexibility. All trips must be booked at least one day in advance. Furthermore, paratransit users can only travel with one person and often experience significant delays.
Like the metro cars of most other systems in the 1960s and 1970s, Montreal's cars lack air conditioning and signaling for door closings. The Montreal trains are among the oldest North American metro trains in service - the MR-63 dates back to the system's opening in 1966 and the MR-73 to 1976 - but extended longevity is expected of rolling stock operated under fully sheltered conditions. The lack of air conditioning can make trips uncomfortable for passengers. Passengers cannot move between cars once on board with the current train stock, which can be an inconvenience if the car becomes overcrowded or when looking for a seat. The trains are 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, narrower than the width of the trains used by most other North American metro systems. This narrow width limits the capacity of the trains, but allowed the use of single tunnels (for both tracks) in construction of the Metro's subway lines. In response to overcrowding on the orange line, a redesign of the MR-73 cars removed some seats to make for more standing room.
. The small cross section of the cars allows easier tunnel construction under existing underground utilities. The total capacity of each car is 160 passengers, 39 to 40 of which are seated. Design specifications called for station dwell times of typically 8 to 15 seconds.
Each car has two sets of bogie
s (trucks), each with four sets of support tires, guide tires and backup conventional steel wheels. The motor cars each have four direct-current traction motors coupled to reduction gears and differentials. Montreal's metro trains use electromagnetic brake
s, which create retarding forces against the side rails of the track. The electromagnetic brakes are generated by the train's kinetic energy
until it has slowed down to about 10 km/h (6.2 mph). The train then uses composite brake blocks made of yellow birch
injected with peanut oil
to bring it to a complete stop. Two sets are applied against the treads of the steel wheels for friction braking. Hard braking produces a characteristic burnt popcorn scent. Wooden brake shoe
s perform well, but if subjected to numerous high-speed applications they develop a carbon film that diminishes brake performance.
Rubber tires make the Montreal Metro exceptionally quiet, transmit minimal vibration, and help the cars climb uphill more easily and negotiate turns at high speeds. However, the advantages of rubber tires are offset by noise levels generated by traction motors, which are noisier than the typical North American subway car. Trains can climb slopes of up to 6.5% and economize the most energy when following a humped-station profile (track profiles that descend to accelerate after leaving a station and climb before entering the station). Steel-wheel train technology has undergone significant advances and can better round tight curves, and climb and descend similar grades and slopes but despite these advances, steel-wheel trains still cannot operate at high speeds (45 mph (72 km/h)) on the same steep or tightly curved track profiles as a train equipped with rubber tires.
All lines but the Yellow Line are equipped with automatic train control. Generally, the train operator supervises the opening and closing of doors, while the train drives itself. The train operator can also drive the train manually at his or her discretion. Signalling is effected through coded pulses sent through the rails. Coded speed orders and station stop positions transmitted through track beacons are captured by beacon readers mounted under the driver cabs. The information sent to the train's electronic modules conveys speed information, and it is up to the train automatic control system computer to conform to the imposed speed. Additionally, the train computer can receive energy-saving instructions from track beacons, providing the train with four different economical coasting modes, plus one mode for maximum performance. In case of manual control, track speed is displayed on the cab speedometer indicating the maximum permissible speed. The wayside signals consist of point (switch/turnout) position indicators in proximity to switches and inter-station signalling placed at each station stop. Trains often reach their maximum speed of 70–72 km/h (43.5–44.7 mph) in 16 to 26 seconds depending on grade and load.
Trains are programmed to stop at certain station positions with a precise odometer
(accurate to plus or minus five centimetres). They receive their braking program and station stop positions orders (one-third, two-thirds, or end of station) from track beacons prior to entering the station, with additional beacons in the station for ensuring stop precision. The last beacon is positioned at precisely 12 turns of wheels from the end of the platform, which help improve the overall precision of the system.
Trains draw current from two sets of 750-volt
direct current
guide bar/third rail
s on either side of each motor car. Nine-car trains draw large currents of up to 6,000 ampere
s , requiring that both models of rolling-stock have calibrated traction motor control systems to prevent power surges, arcing and breaker tripping. Both models have electrical braking (using motors) to assist primary friction braking, reducing the need to replace the brake pads.
Two models of train are used on the Metro. The Canadian Vickers-built MR-63, delivered for the metro's opening in 1966, is used on the Green and Yellow Lines and the Bombardier
-built MR-73 is used on the Orange and Blue lines
The MR-63 is identified with grey interiors, four ventilation hoods protruding over the roof of each car, two 113 kW
(154 hp
) 360-V series traction motor
s that make a whining noise, and round cab headlights. Montreal's rolling stock is among the oldest still in use on any metro system in the world.
Maintenance of Montreal's subway cars is rigorous, as reliability levels (Mean Distance Between Failures/MDBF ratings) are more than double that of typical North American subway cars.
The MR-63 is the first generation of high-performance subway cars, a mixture of technology dating back to the mid-1960s and modern train technology. The MR-63 model has undergone numerous technological and reliability upgrades. Major upgrades include on-board computer modules for automatic train control in 1976 with subsequent revisions of hardware and software, solid-state door interlocks in 2003, modern ergonomic driver cabs with new digital dashboards, and automatic station annunciators in 2005. Most notably, all the MR-63 carshells emerged factory-fresh with new interiors and a new paint scheme after being fully refurbished at the GEC Alstom Pointe St. Charles workshops in 1993. As a result, the MR-63 fleet appears relatively new, gleaming and modern despite their age.
The MR-63 fleet remains exceptionally reliable (Mean Distance Between Failures of 200000 km (124,274.5 mi) in 2004) by North American standards. However, they suffer elevated levels of vandalism, they retain many obsolete components, parts availability is diminishing, and ride quality has deteriorated over the years as their suspension systems and rubber spring packs harden with old age. Poor ride quality has not been attributed to the tires or tracks.
The MR-63 model uses a series-to-parallel servo camshaft rheostat to control and regulate power to its traction motors; this control system can be heard tapping under the floor of a motor car as the train undergoes rapid acceleration at an initial rate of 1.33 m/s² (3.0 mph or 4.8 km/h per second). This control system also features a dynamic rheostatic braking mode that uses the motors to slow the train, turning the motors into generators and dissipating the resulting energy as heat in the rheostat grid.
The MR-63 fleet will remain in service up until 2017, with their projected replacement by 2014. An exclusive interview in the January 20, 2010 edition of the 24H announced that approximately $5 million will be invested in refurbishing the interior of the MR-63 until the replacements will be put in service.
The MR-73, delivered in 1976, is the second generation of high-performance metro cars, identified by rectangular cab headlights, blue and dark orange interiors, 124 kW (168 hp) traction motors that growl while accelerating out of a station, side vents, and a unique three-note sound signature when the train pulls out of a station. The initial rate of acceleration of the MR-73 model is 1.43 m/s² (5.2 km/h or 3.2 mph per second). The three-note sound is produced by traction motor control equipment called a "current chopper", which is used to control and power the motors on the train in stages without incurring a power surge. It does this by modulating the current in 5 consecutive stages (90, 120, 180, 240 and 360 Hz), the latter 3 being normally audible. A prototype for the current chopper has been built by the Canron company using a Jeumont original design in the early 1970s on an MR-63 train. Two of the three elements of this "Jeumont Train" are operated on the Line 1 Green
among rheostatic-started MR-63s. One is much louder than the other. They are the only two to exhibit the whole five-note audible signature in normal operation, even though it is possible to hear them during longer than usual starts on regular MR-73s.
These notes are the same as the first three notes of Aaron Copland
's "Fanfare for the Common Man
", one of the musical themes for Expo '67, though this is apparently just a coincidence. Some MR-73s originally sported murals of Montreal at the end of the cars, although these were damaged by vandalism and removed long ago.
The MR-73 has a different electrical braking system than the MR-63 to assist friction braking. The MR-73's current chopper recuperates energy when in braking mode, turning traction motors into generators and sending a regulated current back into the traction power supply for other trains to use. Electrical braking is most effective when one train draws power while starting while another train at a different location sends power while braking.
The Mean Distance Between Failures (MDBF) for the MR-73 exceeds 200000 mi (321,868 km) in 2004. Beginning December 2005, the MR-73 fleet underwent $40 million in renovations to reconfigure interior seating to increase total car capacity, and install new poles and new panels with a new ergonomic colour scheme that discourages vandalism, decreases motion sickness
and promotes aesthetic harmony. The renovations also include an ergonomic full-spectrum lighting system that provides therapeutic anti-depression effects for its passengers. Like the older MR-63 metro fleet, the MR-73 driver cabs will be modernized and equipped with ergonomic features and digital dashboards.
voiced its dismay over directly awarding the contract (to Bombardier
) without a bidding process. Negotiations between the STM and Bombardier were to be ongoing until 2007. The negotiations focused on the project's cost controls, terms of contract, train specifications and warranty. If negotiations had failed, the Quebec government and the STM would have reverted to a bidding process.
On January 10, 2008, Quebec Superior Court Judge Joel Silcoff rendered his decision regarding Alstom's filing of legal action against the Quebec government's ministry of transportation. The latter sought to by-pass the bidding process, citing that Bombardier was the only domestic candidate capable of fulfilling the eventual contract. Silcoff ruled in favour of Alstom, enabling the company to bid on the contract.
As of February 6, 2008, the Government of Quebec decided to begin the bidding process, which would serve to save time, delaying delivery of the first trains by 9 to 12 months.
On October 5, 2010, the Quebec government officially gave the contract to Bombardier-Alstom, valued at $3 billion. The new cars are expected to start rolling by February 2014.
The 468 new cars, arranged in 52 nine-car sets, will feature full-width walkways between the cars which can be occupied by passengers, resulting in higher train capacities. They will also be equipped with an air-suspension system, larger windows and doors, and wheelchair spaces, although the vast majority of Metro stations are not wheelchair-accessible. They will also feature more natural lighting, high definition televisions, a new PA system and surveillance cameras. News reports also suggest that the new rubber-tire trains will have to meet very demanding performance requirements: higher speeds (up to 80 km/h), powerful acceleration, high-speed gradeability, high-performance brakes, good ride comfort, low noise, low maintenance costs, low energy costs and high levels of reliability. Improving on the performance levels of the current fleet and developing new rolling-stock capable of using sheer speed as a means of increasing line capacity will represent a major challenge to Bombardier and Alstom. It is the second type of subway train with open gangways in Canada, the first being the Toronto Rocket for the Toronto Transit Commission
.
It provides heavy maintenance of buses, subway cars, light maintenance of MR-73 subway cars and is the main base for the track maintenance workshops (where track sections are pre-assembled prior to installation).
The Beaugrand Garage is located east of line 1 terminus Honoré-Beaugrand. It is entirely underground.
It provides light maintenance on MR-63 subway cars.
.
The interchange track between lines 2 and 5 south/west of Snowdon station is used for the storage of maintenance of way equipment. There are no surface facilities.
The tail tracks west of Snowdon station extend about 790 metres west of the station, reaching the border of the city of Hampstead. The end of the track is marked by an emergency exit on the corner of Queen Mary and Dufferin Roads.
territory.
s, aimed at the frames of the cartoon and triggered by the passing train, sequentially illuminated the images so that they appeared to the viewer (passenger) on the train as a movie. Today known as "tunnel movies" or "tunnel advertising", they have been installed in many cities' subways around the world in recent years, for example in the Southgate tube station in London, the MBTA Red Line in Boston
, MARTA
in Atlanta
, the DC Metro, San Francisco's Montgomery Bay Area Rapid Transit
station, and on the North South MRT Line
on the Mass Rapid Transit
of Singapore.
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
ation underground in the city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada.
The Metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal
Société de transport de Montréal
The Société de transport de Montréal is a public transport agency that operates transit bus, and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure of Mayor Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
. Originally consisting of 26 stations
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
on three separate lines, the Metro now incorporates 68 stations on four lines measuring 69.2 km (43 mi) in length, serving the north, east, and centre of the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
with connections to Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
, via the Yellow Line
Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro)
The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St....
, and Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, via the Orange line
Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
.
The metro system is Canada's busiest subway system in total daily passenger usage, serving an average of 1,111,700 daily passengers on an average weekday (as of Q1 2011). In 2010, 296.3 million riders (transfers not included) used the Metro. According to the STM website the metro system has transported over 7 billion passengers as of 2010, roughly equivalent to the world's population. Montreal has built one of North America's largest urban rapid transit schemes, serving the third-largest number of passengers overall behind New York and Mexico City, and attracting the second-highest ridership per capita behind New York.
The Montreal Metro was inspired by the Paris Metro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
and in turn is also the inspiration for the Lyon Metro
Lyon Metro
The Lyon metro, in Lyon, France, first opened in 1978 and now consists of four lines. It is part of the Transports en Commun Lyonnais system of public transport, and is supported by a network of tramways....
and Marseille Metro
Marseille Metro
The Marseille metro serves the City of Marseille. It is a rubber-tyred metro derived from the technology developed by the RATP for Paris Metro and opened at the end of 1977...
, as well as the Mexico City Metro
Mexico City Metro
The Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
, all constructed a few years later, and all which also share the same rubber-wheel car design and similar Montreal Metro station architecture.
History
Urban transit first came in 1861 where a first line of horse-drawn cars started to operate on St. James St. (now St-Jacques). Eventually, as Montreal grew, a comprehensive network of streetcar lines provided service almost everywhere. But urban congestion started to take its toll on streetcar punctuality, so the idea of a subway was soon considered.Unbuilt projects
Starting in 1910, where a first proposal was tabled, the Montréal subway would prove to be an elusive goal of the Montréal Tramways Company, and following municipalization, of the Montreal Transportation Commission.The first subway proposal, dated 1910, was for a single line running underneath Bleury Street and Park Avenue from Craig Street (now St-Antoine Street
Saint Antoine Street
Saint Antoine Street is a street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs to the south of Downtown Montreal and north of Old Montreal and Griffintown and Saint-Henri. It crosses the Quartier international de Montréal....
) all the way to Mont Royal Avenue. The line was to run underground from Craig to Pine Avenue
Pine Avenue
Pine Avenue is an east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This street serves as the dividing line between the downtown Ville-Marie borough and borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal....
. An eventual expansion up Saint Laurent Boulevard to De Montigny was also contemplated at the time.
In 1944, the Montreal Tramways Company proposed a 2-line network, running underneath Rue Sainte-Catherine
Rue Sainte-Catherine
Streets named the Rue Sainte-Catherine, French for Saint Catherine Street, are found in the following cities:*Rue Sainte-Catherine *Rue Sainte-Catherine, Lyon*Rue Sainte-Catherine...
from Square Cabot (Rue Atwater) to Avenue Papineau, and a second line under St-Denis Street
Saint Denis Street
Saint Denis Street is a major north-south thoroughfare in Montreal, Quebec.The street itself extends from the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel on Saint Paul Street in Old Montreal to the bank of the Rivière des Prairies at the north end of the island...
(from Jean-Talon to Notre-Dame
Notre-Dame Street
Notre-Dame Street is a historic east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs parallel to the Saint Lawrence River, from the eastern tip of the island to Lachine . In French, it is known as rue Notre-Dame....
), then turning westwards under Notre-Dame and St-Jacques Street
Saint Jacques Street
Saint Jacques Street is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The street has had two official names: St. James Street in English after St. James's, London; and its current appellation, rue Saint-Jacques, in French. Both names are sometimes used in English, though Saint-Jacques is the most...
all the way to Rue Guy
Guy Street
Guy Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Concordia University's Integrated Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Complex is located on this street, as is the John Molson School of Business building. The street is home to the Guy-Concordia metro station...
, then turning north and connecting with the other line at Guy.
Proposed extensions were to run northward under De Lorimier up to Beaubien, eastward from De Lorimier to Viau under Rue Ontario, northward Chemin Côte-des-Neiges and Queen-Mary to Snowdon (Décarie), westward under Sherbrooke to Girouard, and southwards under Wellington, Centre and Verdun to 1ère Avenue in Verdun.
In 1953 the newly formed Montreal Transportation Commission proposed a single line, running under Rue Sainte Catherine from Rue Atwater towards Peel
Peel Street, Montreal
Peel Street is a major north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Street links Pine Avenue, near Mount Royal, in the north and Smith Street, in the Southwest borough, in the south. The street's southern end is at the Peel Basin of the Lachine Canal...
where the line would have turned south, going underneath Square Dorchester all the way down to Rue Saint-Jacques
Saint Jacques Street
Saint Jacques Street is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The street has had two official names: St. James Street in English after St. James's, London; and its current appellation, rue Saint-Jacques, in French. Both names are sometimes used in English, though Saint-Jacques is the most...
, which it followed to Rue Saint-Denis
Saint Denis Street
Saint Denis Street is a major north-south thoroughfare in Montreal, Quebec.The street itself extends from the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel on Saint Paul Street in Old Montreal to the bank of the Rivière des Prairies at the north end of the island...
. Then, it would have gone north all the way to Boulevard Crémazie
Quebec Autoroute 40
Autoroute 40 is a major highway on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. It is one of the two main connections between Montreal and Quebec City...
, right by the D'Youville maintenance shops.
Proposed extensions were to run northwest under Sherbrooke, Girouard & Décarie to De L’Église, in St-Laurent, northeast under D’Iberville and Jean-Talon to Pie-IX and eastward under Ontario to Viau.
In 1963 the last proposal was the closest to what was to be built. The major difference with the built initial network was that there was no line to Longueuil, line 2 extended northward only to Crémazie instead of Henri-Bourassa, and that the Canadian National commuter train lines to Cartierville and Montréal-Nord would be integrated into the system. Negotiations with CN did not work out, and line 3 was left unbuilt. However, a line numbered 4 was built to Longueuil, on the south shore, to serve Île Sainte-Hélène, site of Expo ’67.
Proposed extensions were to run northwest under Sherbrooke, Girouard & Décarie to De L’Église, in St-Laurent, northeast under d’Iberville to Crémazie and eastward under Ontario to Viau.
The 1960s were very optimistic years. Metro planning did not avoid the general exuberance of those years, and a 1967 study even proposed 6 additional lines that would bring the 25 km of Métro lines of 1967 to 112 km for 1982.
Formerly planned lines/extensions
The Orange and Blue lines, however, were not planned to end where they eventually did in 1990. The Orange LineLine 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
was originally meant to have two or three more stations beyond Côte-Vertu
Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)
Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
; however, priority funding was given to complete the current Blue Line
Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
. The plans for Deguire/Poirier, Bois-Franc, and Salaberry stations were scrubbed. The Blue Line
Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
itself was shortened due to funding issues. It was originally projected to have stops west of Snowdon
Snowdon (Montreal Metro)
Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(Côte Saint-Luc, Cavendish, Montréal-Ouest, Lafleur) and east of Saint-Michel
Saint-Michel (Montreal Metro)
Saint-Michel is a station at the eastern terminus Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :...
(Pie-IX
Pie-IX Boulevard
Pie-IX Boulevard, named after Pope Pius IX, is a major boulevard on the island of Montreal. It runs for roughly in a northwest/southeast direction between Henri Bourassa Boulevard and Notre-Dame East...
, Viau, Lacordaire, Langelier, Galeries d'Anjou).
An entire métro line in initial planning was also scrubbed, the so-called Line 7/Pie IX - Saint-Leonard/White Line
Line 7 White (Montreal Metro)
Montréal Métro Line 7, often referenced as the White Line, was a planned underground subway line for Montreal Metro.Proposed for the first time by the Bureau des Transports de Montréal in September 1983, the original project for a new north-south line would have had 10 stations running under...
, also due to the same funding issues. Proposed for the first time by the Bureau des Transports de Montréal (BTM) in September 1983, the original project for a new north-south line (Line 7, the number 6 being reserved for another surface metro line proposed by the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ)) would have had 10 stations (from Pie-IX
Pie-IX (Montreal Metro)
Pie-IX is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is in the district of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
to Léger), which then got formally proposed by the Communauté urbaine de Montréal
Greater Montreal Area
Greater Montreal is one of the two metropolitan communities of Quebec.Greater Montreal is the most populous metropolitan area in Québec. As of 2009, Statistics Canada identifies Montréal's Census Metropolitan Area as Canada's second most populous with a population of 3,859,318...
(CUM) at the start of 1984, this time having 12 stations (from Pie-IX
Pie-IX (Montreal Metro)
Pie-IX is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is in the district of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
to Maurice-Duplessis/Langelier)
- Line 3 Red
- Line 6
Current network
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
), held in the summer of 1967. Regardless of the fair, the city badly needed a mass transportation system, as demonstrated by numerous proposals dating back to 1910. The main lines (Green (Line 1)
Line 1 Green (Montreal Metro)
The Green line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The line runs through the commercial section of downtown Montreal underneath Boulevard de Maisonneuve, formerly Rue de Montigny...
, Atwater
Atwater (Montreal Metro)
Atwater is a station on the Green Line of the Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located on the border between the city of Westmount and the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
to Frontenac
Frontenac (Montreal Metro)
Frontenac is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :...
; and Orange (Line 2)
Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
, Bonaventure
Bonaventure (Montreal Metro)
Bonaventure is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
to Henri-Bourassa
Henri-Bourassa (Montreal Metro)
Henri-Bourassa is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Ahuntsic district in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
) were opened gradually starting in October 1966, with the Yellow line (Line 4)
Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro)
The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St....
(Berri-de-Montigny
Berri-UQAM (Montreal Metro)
Berri-UQAM is the central station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Quartier Latin, in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network...
to Longueuil
Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke (Montreal Metro)
Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke is a station at the southern terminus of the Yellow Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada....
, on the south shore
South Shore (Montreal)
The South Shore is the general term for the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec located on the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River opposite the Island of Montreal. The South Shore is located within the Quebec administrative region of Montérégie....
of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
) not opened until April 1967.
A Line 3
Line 3 Red (Montreal Metro)
In the Montreal Metro, Line 3 was a line that never made it past its planning stage. The line was planned to have 15 stations and end at Cartierville end of Bordeaux-Cartierville, using CN tracks and Mount Royal Tunnel under Mount Royal...
was originally intended as a surface metro running in part through the existing railway tracks running under Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
to Cartierville
Bordeaux-Cartierville
Bordeaux-Cartierville is a district of Montreal, Canada in the administrative borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. It is bordered to the north by the Rivière des Prairies, to the east by the district of Ahuntsic., to the south by Villeray, Park-Extension, Mount Royal and Saint-Laurent and to the west...
. But then, as negotiations with the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN Rail) for the use of their tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
and tunnel were stalled, Montreal was chosen as host of the Expo 67. Plans and budgets were therefore redirected for the design and construction of a replacement line, Line 4, constructed especially for Expo 67, in place of the never built Line 3. (The CN tracks under Mont-Royal are still used for the Deux-Montagnes commuter train
Commuter rail in North America
Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
, which was finally modernized in 1995.) The Montreal Métro nonetheless continues to be numbered as if this proposed line had been constructed as Line 3 of the Métro.
With the awarding of the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
to Montreal, construction began in October 1971 for the extension of Line 1
Line 1 Green (Montreal Metro)
The Green line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The line runs through the commercial section of downtown Montreal underneath Boulevard de Maisonneuve, formerly Rue de Montigny...
from Frontenac
Frontenac (Montreal Metro)
Frontenac is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :...
to Honoré-Beaugrand
Honoré-Beaugrand (Montreal Metro)
Honoré-Beaugrand is a station, the eastern terminus of the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
to service the main Olympic site; the new stations were opened in June 1976.
Later, Line 1 was extended from Atwater
Atwater (Montreal Metro)
Atwater is a station on the Green Line of the Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located on the border between the city of Westmount and the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
to Angrignon
Angrignon (Montreal Metro)
Angrignon is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(September 1978), while Line 2 was extended from Bonaventure
Bonaventure (Montreal Metro)
Bonaventure is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
to Place-Saint-Henri
Place-Saint-Henri (Montreal Metro)
Place-Saint-Henri is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Saint-Henri area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
(April 1980), Snowdon
Snowdon (Montreal Metro)
Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(September 1981), Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Côte-Sainte-Catherine (Montreal Metro)
Côte-Sainte-Catherine is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
and Plamondon
Plamondon (Montreal Metro)
Plamondon is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Côte-des-Neiges section of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .The station opened on June 29, 1982;...
(January and June 1982), and Du Collège
Du Collège (Montreal Metro)
Du Collège is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
(January 1984).
Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
) was built from De Castelnau
De Castelnau (Montreal Metro)
De Castelnau is a station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Villeray district of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Overview:It is a normal side platform...
to Saint-Michel
Saint-Michel (Montreal Metro)
Saint-Michel is a station at the eastern terminus Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :...
(June 1986), with transfers to Line 2 at Jean-Talon
Jean-Talon (Montreal Metro)
Jean-Talon is a station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Little Italy district on the border between the boroughs of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It...
, and Line 2 was extended further to Côte-Vertu
Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)
Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
(November 1986). Line 5 was then extended to Parc
Parc (Montreal Metro)
Parc is a station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Park Extension district of the Villeray–Saint Michel–Park Extension borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(June 1987), Acadie
Acadie (Montreal Metro)
Acadie is a station on the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Parc-Extension district of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada .- Overview : It is a normal side platform...
(March 1988), and the existing Snowdon
Snowdon (Montreal Metro)
Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
station on Line 2 (January 1988). To this date, the Montreal Metro is Canada's largest subway system.
While a number of proposals for further expansion had been studied over the years, it all came to a stop around 1990, when the PLQ Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
government placed a moratorium on further metro construction. Then, in 2002, under the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
Landry
Landry
Landry may refer to:* Landry , of French origin* Landry, Savoie, a French town in the Savoie département* Landry , fictional boy raccoon created by the Japanese toy company Sanrio...
government, construction began on a three-station extension of Line 2 from Henri-Bourassa
Henri-Bourassa (Montreal Metro)
Henri-Bourassa is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Ahuntsic district in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
under the Rivière des Prairies
Rivière des Prairies
The Rivière des Prairies is a delta channel of the Ottawa River in southwestern Quebec, Canada....
to Montmorency
Montmorency (Montreal Metro)
Montmorency is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Laval-des-Rapides area of Laval, Quebec, Canada . The station is part of an extension to the line to Laval and opened on April 28, 2007,...
on Île Jésus
Île Jésus
Île Jésus is an island in southwestern Quebec, separated from the mainland to the north by the Rivière des Mille Îles, and from the Island of Montreal to the south by the Rivière des Prairies....
(northwest of the Île de Montréal). This extension was completed and the three new stations were opened on April 28, 2007. Ridership increased by 60,000 a day with the new stations, as of 2009.
Network
Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
, while the quietest is the Blue Line
Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
. The Yellow Line
Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro)
The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St....
is the shortest line, with three stations, built for Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
. On April 28, 2007, three new stations were opened in Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
along the Orange Line
Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
. Metro lines that leave the Île de Montréal are the Orange Line, which continues to Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, and the Yellow Line, which continues to Longueuil
Longueuil, Quebec
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
. On weekdays and Saturday and Sundays, the Metro service runs from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on the Green, Orange and Yellow lines and 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. on the Blue line.
| Line # | Colour | Termini | Year First Built | Year Last Changed | Length | Stations | Rush Hour Frequency | Off-Peak Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Line 1 Green (Montreal Metro) The Green line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The line runs through the commercial section of downtown Montreal underneath Boulevard de Maisonneuve, formerly Rue de Montigny... |
Angrignon Angrignon (Montreal Metro) Angrignon is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada... ↔ Honoré-Beaugrand Honoré-Beaugrand (Montreal Metro) Honoré-Beaugrand is a station, the eastern terminus of the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal... |
1966 | 1978 | 22.1 km | 27 | 2–5 minutes | 5–12 minutes |
| 2 | Orange Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro) The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986... |
Côte-Vertu Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro) Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .... ↔ Montmorency Montmorency (Montreal Metro) Montmorency is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Laval-des-Rapides area of Laval, Quebec, Canada . The station is part of an extension to the line to Laval and opened on April 28, 2007,... |
1966 | 2007 | 30.0 km | 31 | 2–5 minutes | 5–12 minutes |
| 4 | Yellow Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro) The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St.... |
Berri-UQAM Berri-UQAM (Montreal Metro) Berri-UQAM is the central station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Quartier Latin, in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network... ↔ Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke (Montreal Metro) Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke is a station at the southern terminus of the Yellow Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada.... |
1967 | 1967 | 4.25 km | 3 | 4–6 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 5 | Blue Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro) The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built... |
Snowdon Snowdon (Montreal Metro) Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada... ↔ Saint-Michel Saint-Michel (Montreal Metro) Saint-Michel is a station at the eastern terminus Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :... |
1986 | 1988 | 9.7 km | 12 | 3–6 minutes | 6–10 minutes |
Operation
Metro service starts at 05:30 and stops at 01:00 on weekdays and Sunday, and 01:30 on Saturday. However, the Blue LineLine 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)
The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
stops service earlier, at 00:15 due to lower passenger volumes. During rush hour, there are two to five minutes between trains on the Orange
Line 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)
The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
and Green Lines
Line 1 Green (Montreal Metro)
The Green line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The line runs through the commercial section of downtown Montreal underneath Boulevard de Maisonneuve, formerly Rue de Montigny...
. The frequency, however, decreases to 12 minutes during late nights.
The STM operates both the Metro and the bus services in Montreal, and thus transfers between bus and Metro are free. Fare payment is via a barrier system, including magnetic tickets and passes, as well as a RFID card.
Fares are partially integrated with the Agence métropolitaine de transport
Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
's commuter rail system, which links the Metro to the outer suburbs via five interchange stations.
OPUS
On April 21, 2008, the STM unveiled the contactless smart cardContactless smart card
A contactless smart card is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits that can process and store data, and communicate with a terminal via radio waves. There are two broad categories of contactless smart cards. Memory cards contain non-volatile memory storage components, and perhaps...
called OPUS (a play on the French phrase au puce, which is the word for the chip used in the cards) as a means of fare payment. In preparation for this new step in Montreal's public transportation network, turnstiles which incorporate the reader and automated vending machines had already been installed in metro stations; buses had previously been fitted with new fare boxes that incorporate the card reader, in order to ensure the uniformity of methods of payment across Montreal's transit network and that of its suburbs.
One advantage to the smart card compared to the previous system is the seamless integration with other transit networks of neighbouring cities, eliminating the need to carry small change or purchase different tickets. The same can be said of the commuter train service, run by the Agence métropolitaine de transport
Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
, that requires the purchasing of a ticket different from those offered by the STM. Another advantage relates to the speed at which users can access the system. As opposed to the magnetic stripe card
Magnetic stripe card
A magnetic stripe card is a type of card capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic material on the card...
s previously in use, which have been sold alongside the new OPUS cards up until May 2009, the contactless smart card is more user-friendly in that not only will the card not risk becoming demagnetized and rendered useless, but it also does not require patrons to slide the card in a particular way—proximity to the contactless reader will suffice.
Costs to the STM related to the project are approximately $138 million, compared to the original estimated cost of some $100 million. The project was originally supposed to be implemented in 2006.
Design
- See also Montreal Metro artists.
All separate entrances are set back from the sidewalk; as well, several stations in Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
are directly connected to buildings, and thus have several entrances inside existing buildings and street-level entrances, making the Metro an integral part of Montreal's underground city
Underground City, Montreal
Montreal's Underground City is the set of interconnected complexes in and around Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
despite its lack of elevators. Several metro entrances are also located within building facades. Only three stations have open entrances, which are prevalent in other cities. During the past six years several stations have been upgraded with lifts to accommodate passengers with disabilities; such stations include Henri-Bourassa through Montmorency, Berri-UQAM, Lionel-Groux, and Côte-Vertu.
Montreal's metro is renowned for its architecture and public art. Under the direction of Drapeau, a competition among Canadian architects was held to decide the design of each station, ensuring that every station was built in a different style by a different architect. Several stations, such as Berri-UQAM
Berri-UQAM (Montreal Metro)
Berri-UQAM is the central station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Quartier Latin, in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network...
, are important examples of modernist
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
architecture, and various system-wide design choices were informed by the International Style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
.
Along with the Stockholm Metro
Stockholm Metro
The Stockholm Metro is a metro system in Stockholm, Sweden. The first line opened in 1950, and today the system has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. There are seven lines numbered from 10 to 19, in three groups identified by a color: the Green, Red and Blue lines...
, Montreal pioneered the installation of public art in the metro among capitalist countries, a practise that beforehand was mostly found in socialist and communist nations (the Moscow Metro
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
being a case in point). More than fifty stations are decorated with over one hundred works of public art, such as sculpture, stained glass, and murals by noted Quebec artists, including members of the famous art movement, the Automatistes
Les Automatistes
Les Automatistes were a group of Québécois artistic dissidents from Montreal, Quebec. The movement was founded in the early 1940s by painter Paul-Émile Borduas. "Les Automatistes" were so called because they were influenced by Surrealism and its theory of automatism...
.
Some of the most important works in the Metro include the stained-glass window at Champ-de-Mars
Champ-de-Mars (Montreal Metro)
Champ-de-Mars is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Old Montreal in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
station, the masterpiece of major Quebec artist Marcelle Ferron
Marcelle Ferron
Marcelle Ferron, , a Québécoise painter and stained glass artist, was a major figure in the Quebec contemporary art scene....
; and the Guimard
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard was an architect, who is now the best-known representative of the French Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....
entrance at Square Victoria station, like the famous metro entrances designed for the Paris Métro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
, on permanent loan since 1966 by the RATP to commemorate its cooperation in constructing the metro. Installed in 1967 (the 100th anniversary of Guimard's birth), this is the only authentic Guimard entrance in use outside Paris, although reproductions using original moulds were given to Mexico City (Metro Bellas Artes
Metro Bellas Artes
Metro Bellas Artes is a station along Line 2 and Line 8 of the Mexico City Metro system. It is located in the Colonia Centro district of the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, on the junction of Avenida Juárez and Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, on the eastern end of the Alameda Central, west of the...
on line 8), Chicago (Van Buren Station
Van Buren Street (Metra)
The Van Buren Street Station is a commuter rail station in downtown Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago neighborhood; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana....
on the Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
network), Lisbon (Picoas station on the yellow line) and Moscow (Kievskaya station on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya).
Rolling stock
Rubber-tyred metro
A rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
instead of steel wheels. As noted in the STM official document, The Montreal Métro, a source of pride, the Metro runs entirely underground because the cars are not weatherproof and the electrical system would be severely affected by rain and melting snow.
Conception of the first generation of rolling stock in Montreal went beyond just adopting the MP 59
MP 59
The MP 59 is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system, and is the oldest type still in regular passenger service. Manufactured by GEC Alsthom, they were first introduced in 1963 when the busiest routes of Lines 1 and 4 were converted to rubber tired pneumatic...
metro car from Paris
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
.
North American cities building modern subway systems (Washington, D.C.
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
, San Francisco
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
, Atlanta
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
, Montreal) in the 1960s and 1970s were in search of modern rolling stock that not only best fit their needs, but also encompassing a change in industrial design that focused on the aesthetics and performance of public transit vehicles.
Train floor levels are near flush with the station platforms, but unlike the Washington, D.C. Metro, Montreal's Metro system is not always wheelchair accessible. Most wheelchair users cannot board independently because of a gap between the car and the platform. Currently, only 6 stations are wheelchair accessible. This has become a sore point for accessibility advocates in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. The three stations in Laval are provided with elevators, and four stations - Lionel-Groulx
Lionel-Groulx (Montreal Metro)
Lionel-Groulx is a station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Saint-Henri area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a transfer station between the Green Line and Orange Line.The station...
, Berri-UQAM
Berri-UQAM (Montreal Metro)
Berri-UQAM is the central station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Quartier Latin, in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network...
, Henri-Bourassa
Henri-Bourassa (Montreal Metro)
Henri-Bourassa is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Ahuntsic district in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
and Bonaventure
Bonaventure (Montreal Metro)
Bonaventure is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
(orange line only) - had elevators added in 2009 and 2010, although Bonaventure station is only partially accessible pending the construction of elevators linking the mezzanine to street level. One more orange-line station (Cote-Vertu
Côte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)
Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
) has elevators under construction. Four stations will be equipped with elevators by 2016, meaning that the service would be fully accessible in 2085. The remodelling of the seating arrangement in the MR-73 cars has added a space for wheelchairs. The lack of subway accessibility is critical for people whose mobility needs cannot be accommodated by stairs. STM's adapted transit is a system based on reservation, meaning that there is no room for flexibility. All trips must be booked at least one day in advance. Furthermore, paratransit users can only travel with one person and often experience significant delays.
Like the metro cars of most other systems in the 1960s and 1970s, Montreal's cars lack air conditioning and signaling for door closings. The Montreal trains are among the oldest North American metro trains in service - the MR-63 dates back to the system's opening in 1966 and the MR-73 to 1976 - but extended longevity is expected of rolling stock operated under fully sheltered conditions. The lack of air conditioning can make trips uncomfortable for passengers. Passengers cannot move between cars once on board with the current train stock, which can be an inconvenience if the car becomes overcrowded or when looking for a seat. The trains are 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, narrower than the width of the trains used by most other North American metro systems. This narrow width limits the capacity of the trains, but allowed the use of single tunnels (for both tracks) in construction of the Metro's subway lines. In response to overcrowding on the orange line, a redesign of the MR-73 cars removed some seats to make for more standing room.
Design
Montreal's metro trains are made of LAHT (low-alloy high-tensile) steel, painted blue with a thick white stripe running lengthwise. Trains are assembled in three, six or nine-car lengths. Each three-car segment element consists of two motor cab cars encompassing a trailer car. Each car is 2.5 metre wide and has four wide bi-parting leaf doors on each side for rapid passenger entry and egressEgress
Egress may refer to:* the act of exiting, and the antonym of ingress* Egress , the right of a person to leave a property* Egress , the passage of electromagnetic fields through the shield of a coaxial cable-See also:...
. The small cross section of the cars allows easier tunnel construction under existing underground utilities. The total capacity of each car is 160 passengers, 39 to 40 of which are seated. Design specifications called for station dwell times of typically 8 to 15 seconds.
Each car has two sets of bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s (trucks), each with four sets of support tires, guide tires and backup conventional steel wheels. The motor cars each have four direct-current traction motors coupled to reduction gears and differentials. Montreal's metro trains use electromagnetic brake
Electromagnetic brake
An eddy current brake, like a conventional friction brake, is responsible for slowing an object, such as a train or a roller coaster. However, unlike electro-mechanical brakes, which apply mechanical pressure on two separate objects, eddy current brakes slow an object by creating eddy currents...
s, which create retarding forces against the side rails of the track. The electromagnetic brakes are generated by the train's kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
until it has slowed down to about 10 km/h (6.2 mph). The train then uses composite brake blocks made of yellow birch
Yellow Birch
Betula alleghaniensis , is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec and Ontario, and the southeast corner of Manitoba in Canada, west to Minnesota, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.It is a...
injected with peanut oil
Peanut oil
Peanut oil is an organic material oil derived from peanuts, noted to have the aroma and taste of its parent legume....
to bring it to a complete stop. Two sets are applied against the treads of the steel wheels for friction braking. Hard braking produces a characteristic burnt popcorn scent. Wooden brake shoe
Brake shoe
A brake shoe is the part of a braking system which carries the brake lining in the drum brakes used on automobiles, or the brake block in train brakes and bicycle brakes.-Automobile drum brake:...
s perform well, but if subjected to numerous high-speed applications they develop a carbon film that diminishes brake performance.
Train operation
Trains are programmed to stop at certain station positions with a precise odometer
Odometer
An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
(accurate to plus or minus five centimetres). They receive their braking program and station stop positions orders (one-third, two-thirds, or end of station) from track beacons prior to entering the station, with additional beacons in the station for ensuring stop precision. The last beacon is positioned at precisely 12 turns of wheels from the end of the platform, which help improve the overall precision of the system.
Trains draw current from two sets of 750-volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
guide bar/third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
s on either side of each motor car. Nine-car trains draw large currents of up to 6,000 ampere
Ampere
The ampere , often shortened to amp, is the SI unit of electric current and is one of the seven SI base units. It is named after André-Marie Ampère , French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electrodynamics...
s , requiring that both models of rolling-stock have calibrated traction motor control systems to prevent power surges, arcing and breaker tripping. Both models have electrical braking (using motors) to assist primary friction braking, reducing the need to replace the brake pads.
Two models of train are used on the Metro. The Canadian Vickers-built MR-63, delivered for the metro's opening in 1966, is used on the Green and Yellow Lines and the Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
-built MR-73 is used on the Orange and Blue lines
Canadian Vickers MR-63
Motor cars weigh about 27 metric tonnes, while trailer cars weigh 20 metric tonnes. A three-car set (one element) weighs a total of 74 metric tonnes.The MR-63 is identified with grey interiors, four ventilation hoods protruding over the roof of each car, two 113 kW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
(154 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) 360-V series traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s that make a whining noise, and round cab headlights. Montreal's rolling stock is among the oldest still in use on any metro system in the world.
Maintenance of Montreal's subway cars is rigorous, as reliability levels (Mean Distance Between Failures/MDBF ratings) are more than double that of typical North American subway cars.
The MR-63 is the first generation of high-performance subway cars, a mixture of technology dating back to the mid-1960s and modern train technology. The MR-63 model has undergone numerous technological and reliability upgrades. Major upgrades include on-board computer modules for automatic train control in 1976 with subsequent revisions of hardware and software, solid-state door interlocks in 2003, modern ergonomic driver cabs with new digital dashboards, and automatic station annunciators in 2005. Most notably, all the MR-63 carshells emerged factory-fresh with new interiors and a new paint scheme after being fully refurbished at the GEC Alstom Pointe St. Charles workshops in 1993. As a result, the MR-63 fleet appears relatively new, gleaming and modern despite their age.
The MR-63 fleet remains exceptionally reliable (Mean Distance Between Failures of 200000 km (124,274.5 mi) in 2004) by North American standards. However, they suffer elevated levels of vandalism, they retain many obsolete components, parts availability is diminishing, and ride quality has deteriorated over the years as their suspension systems and rubber spring packs harden with old age. Poor ride quality has not been attributed to the tires or tracks.
The MR-63 model uses a series-to-parallel servo camshaft rheostat to control and regulate power to its traction motors; this control system can be heard tapping under the floor of a motor car as the train undergoes rapid acceleration at an initial rate of 1.33 m/s² (3.0 mph or 4.8 km/h per second). This control system also features a dynamic rheostatic braking mode that uses the motors to slow the train, turning the motors into generators and dissipating the resulting energy as heat in the rheostat grid.
The MR-63 fleet will remain in service up until 2017, with their projected replacement by 2014. An exclusive interview in the January 20, 2010 edition of the 24H announced that approximately $5 million will be invested in refurbishing the interior of the MR-63 until the replacements will be put in service.
Bombardier Transportation MR-73
Line 1 Green (Montreal Metro)
The Green line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The line runs through the commercial section of downtown Montreal underneath Boulevard de Maisonneuve, formerly Rue de Montigny...
among rheostatic-started MR-63s. One is much louder than the other. They are the only two to exhibit the whole five-note audible signature in normal operation, even though it is possible to hear them during longer than usual starts on regular MR-73s.
These notes are the same as the first three notes of Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
's "Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man is a 20th-century American classical music work by American composer Aaron Copland. The piece was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under conductor Eugene Goossens. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice...
", one of the musical themes for Expo '67, though this is apparently just a coincidence. Some MR-73s originally sported murals of Montreal at the end of the cars, although these were damaged by vandalism and removed long ago.
The MR-73 has a different electrical braking system than the MR-63 to assist friction braking. The MR-73's current chopper recuperates energy when in braking mode, turning traction motors into generators and sending a regulated current back into the traction power supply for other trains to use. Electrical braking is most effective when one train draws power while starting while another train at a different location sends power while braking.
The Mean Distance Between Failures (MDBF) for the MR-73 exceeds 200000 mi (321,868 km) in 2004. Beginning December 2005, the MR-73 fleet underwent $40 million in renovations to reconfigure interior seating to increase total car capacity, and install new poles and new panels with a new ergonomic colour scheme that discourages vandalism, decreases motion sickness
Motion sickness
Motion sickness or kinetosis, also known as travel sickness, is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement...
and promotes aesthetic harmony. The renovations also include an ergonomic full-spectrum lighting system that provides therapeutic anti-depression effects for its passengers. Like the older MR-63 metro fleet, the MR-73 driver cabs will be modernized and equipped with ergonomic features and digital dashboards.
Bombardier-Alstom MPM-10 (2014)
In May 2006, the Quebec Government announced the negotiation of a $1.2 billion contract to replace the MR-63 metro fleet of 336 cars. AlstomAlstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
voiced its dismay over directly awarding the contract (to Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
) without a bidding process. Negotiations between the STM and Bombardier were to be ongoing until 2007. The negotiations focused on the project's cost controls, terms of contract, train specifications and warranty. If negotiations had failed, the Quebec government and the STM would have reverted to a bidding process.
On January 10, 2008, Quebec Superior Court Judge Joel Silcoff rendered his decision regarding Alstom's filing of legal action against the Quebec government's ministry of transportation. The latter sought to by-pass the bidding process, citing that Bombardier was the only domestic candidate capable of fulfilling the eventual contract. Silcoff ruled in favour of Alstom, enabling the company to bid on the contract.
As of February 6, 2008, the Government of Quebec decided to begin the bidding process, which would serve to save time, delaying delivery of the first trains by 9 to 12 months.
On October 5, 2010, the Quebec government officially gave the contract to Bombardier-Alstom, valued at $3 billion. The new cars are expected to start rolling by February 2014.
The 468 new cars, arranged in 52 nine-car sets, will feature full-width walkways between the cars which can be occupied by passengers, resulting in higher train capacities. They will also be equipped with an air-suspension system, larger windows and doors, and wheelchair spaces, although the vast majority of Metro stations are not wheelchair-accessible. They will also feature more natural lighting, high definition televisions, a new PA system and surveillance cameras. News reports also suggest that the new rubber-tire trains will have to meet very demanding performance requirements: higher speeds (up to 80 km/h), powerful acceleration, high-speed gradeability, high-performance brakes, good ride comfort, low noise, low maintenance costs, low energy costs and high levels of reliability. Improving on the performance levels of the current fleet and developing new rolling-stock capable of using sheer speed as a means of increasing line capacity will represent a major challenge to Bombardier and Alstom. It is the second type of subway train with open gangways in Canada, the first being the Toronto Rocket for the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
.
Plateau d'Youville
The Plateau d'Youville, located in the north end of the city is located at the intersection of Crémazie and Saint-Laurent Boulevards.It provides heavy maintenance of buses, subway cars, light maintenance of MR-73 subway cars and is the main base for the track maintenance workshops (where track sections are pre-assembled prior to installation).
Beaugrand Garage
It provides light maintenance on MR-63 subway cars.
Centre d'attachement Duvernay
Duvernay is a garage and base for maintenance of way equipment. It accesses the network through the line 1/line 2 interchange southeast of Lionel-Groulx. The access building is located at the corner of Duvernay and Vinet streets in Sainte-CunégondeLittle Burgundy
Little Burgundy is the informal name of a neighbourhood in the Sud-Ouest borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Geography:...
.
Centre d'attachement Viau
Viau is a garage and base for maintenance of way equipment. It accesses the network immediately west of the Viau station (line 1). The access building is within the Viau station building; in fact, facilities are visible from trains going west of the station.Snowdon
The tail tracks west of Snowdon station extend about 790 metres west of the station, reaching the border of the city of Hampstead. The end of the track is marked by an emergency exit on the corner of Queen Mary and Dufferin Roads.
Garages
Idle trains are stored in four garages: Angrignon (west of Angrignon line 1 terminus), Beaugrand (east of Honoré-Beaugrand line 1 terminus), Saint-Charles (north of Henri-Bourassa terminus) and Montmorency. The latter has been built perpendicular to its station to allow an easier potential expansion of the Line 2 deeper in LavalLaval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
territory.
City of Montreal
On June 12, 2008 the City of Montreal released its overall transportation plan for the immediate future. In addition to service improvements in bus and rail, the following projects were given priority status in the overall transportation scheme:- The blue lineLine 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
will be extended in two phases: from Saint-MichelSaint-Michel (Montreal Metro)Saint-Michel is a station at the eastern terminus Blue Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.- Overview :...
up to Pie-IX BoulevardPie-IX BoulevardPie-IX Boulevard, named after Pope Pius IX, is a major boulevard on the island of Montreal. It runs for roughly in a northwest/southeast direction between Henri Bourassa Boulevard and Notre-Dame East...
. The second phase will extend past Pie-IX to the boroughs of Saint-Leonard and Anjou, committing to the line's original design.
- The orange lineLine 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
will also be extended northwest from the Côte-Vertu stationCôte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
, up to the Bois-FrancBois-Franc (AMT)Bois-Franc is a commuter rail station on the AMT Deux-Montagnes Line in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area. The Orange Line of the Montreal Metro was to have been extended to de Salaberry Street at the corner of Laurentian Boulevard, but that would have been too far away to have made an...
commuter rail station in Saint-Laurent. The extension will probably include two stations: Poirier and Bois-Franc (an intermodal stationIntermodal passenger transportIntermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
with the Bois-Franc Station of the Deux-Montagnes commuter lineCommuter rail in North AmericaCommuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
). See also City of Laval below.
- A new extension of Line 4Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro)The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St....
from Berri-UQAM is being studied in the long term that would go to McGillMcGill (Montreal Metro)McGill is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located downtown in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada . The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network of the metro...
station to ease congestion on that part of the green line.
- A 2006 study rejected the possibility and cost of an extension from Lionel-Groulx to the City of BrossardBrossardBrossard is a suburban area, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the island and city of Montreal.Brossard is subdivided into many smaller sections. These sections are characterized by having street names that all begin with the same letter of the alphabet...
on the south shore of Montreal as an alternative to the proposed light rail project in the Champlain bridge corridor.
City of Longueuil
- In 2001, The Réseau de transport de LongueuilRéseau de transport de LongueuilRéseau de transport de Longueuil is a public transit carrier in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada and nearby communities on the South Shore of Montreal...
(RTL) has considered an extension of Line 4Line 4 Yellow (Montreal Metro)The Yellow line is one of the metro's four routes operating in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was popular when it opened for service because it connected Montreal's city centre with the Expo 67 exhibition and La Ronde on Île-Sainte-Hélène. Line 4 has three stations, and travels under the St....
with four new stations beyond Longueuil–Université-de-SherbrookeLongueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke (Montreal Metro)Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke is a station at the southern terminus of the Yellow Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada....
, under the city of Longueuil to Collège Édouard-MontpetitCollège Édouard-MontpetitCollège Édouard-Montpetit is a francophone CEGEP in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. Approximately 6700 students are enrolled in the Longueuil and St-Hubert campuses. The College of General and Vocational Education is affiliated with the ACCC, and CCAA.-History:...
but their priority was switched to the construction of the proposed light rail project in the Champlain bridge corridor. In 2008, Longueuil Mayor Claude GladuClaude GladuClaude Gladu is the mayor of the city of Longueuil, Quebec since January 1, 2006. His party, Parti Municipal de Longueuil won the municipal elections of Longueuil on November 6, 2005....
brought the proposal back to life stating that an expansion to College Édouard-Montpetit was a priority for his city.- The first new station (Vieux-Longueuil) is slated to be located at the corner of Rue Saint-Charles and Rue Saint-Jean in the Old LongueuilOld LongueuilOld Longueuil is a historic neighborhood located in the borough of the same name, in the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada.Old Longueuil usually refers to the pre-1961 city of Longueuil...
neighbourhood. This area is generally considered to be the downtown area of Longueuil. - The second station (Gentilly) would be located at the corner of Chemin Chambly and Rue Gentilly. The station would be located near the campus of Collège Édouard-MontpetitCollège Édouard-MontpetitCollège Édouard-Montpetit is a francophone CEGEP in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. Approximately 6700 students are enrolled in the Longueuil and St-Hubert campuses. The College of General and Vocational Education is affiliated with the ACCC, and CCAA.-History:...
. - The third station (Curé-Poirier/Roland-Therrien) is to be located at the corner of Boulevard Curé-Poirier and Boulevard Roland-Therrien, a major intersection of two commercial arteries.
- The fourth station (Jacques-Cartier/De Mortagne) would be located at the intersection of Boulevard Jacques-Cartier and Boulevard Roland-Therrien. This station would serve as a regional hub with buses available to the cities of Boucherville, VarennesVarennes, QuebecVarennes is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River in the Regional County Municipality of Lajemmerais. The city is approximately 15 miles from Downtown Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 20,950...
and Sainte-JulieSainte-Julie, QuebecSainte-Julie , is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada, east of Montreal in the Regional County Municipality of Lajemmerais. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 29,079. Ste. Julie was named the best town to live in, in Québec for 2009...
. It would also be in proximity to Centre hospitalier Pierre-Boucher, Longueuil's second largest hospital.
- The first new station (Vieux-Longueuil) is slated to be located at the corner of Rue Saint-Charles and Rue Saint-Jean in the Old Longueuil
City of Laval
- On July 22, 2007, the mayor of LavalLaval, QuebecLaval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, Gilles VaillancourtGilles VaillancourtGilles Vaillancourt became mayor of the city of Laval, Quebec, Canada in 1989 and president of the "Union des municipalités du Québec" ....
, with the ridership success of the current Laval extension, announced his wish to loop the Orange lineLine 2 Orange (Montreal Metro)The Orange line is the longest, most congested, and first-planned of the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Montreal, Canada. It formed part of the initial network, and was extended between 1980 and 1986...
from MontmorencyMontmorency (Montreal Metro)Montmorency is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Laval-des-Rapides area of Laval, Quebec, Canada . The station is part of an extension to the line to Laval and opened on April 28, 2007,...
to Côte-VertuCôte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
stations with the addition of six (or possibly seven) new stations (three in Laval and another three in Montreal). He proposed that Transports QuebecTransports QuébecLe ministère des Transports du Québec , known by its short form name Transports Québec, is a Quebec government ministry responsible for transport infrastructure and law in Quebec, Canada....
, the provincial transport department, set aside $100 million annually to fund the project, which is expected to cost upwards of $1.5 billion. See also City of Montreal (The orange line) above.
- On May 26, 2011, the mayor of LavalLaval, QuebecLaval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, Gilles VaillancourtGilles VaillancourtGilles Vaillancourt became mayor of the city of Laval, Quebec, Canada in 1989 and president of the "Union des municipalités du Québec" ....
, after the successful opening of highway 25 toll bridge in the eastern part of Laval, proposed that Laval, in the next decades, will develop the remaining territories with a transit oriented development (TOD) approach called "Évolucité". At the heart of the project is a plan of building 5 new metro stations: four on the west branch of line 2 and one more of the east branch of line 2. The next to last station on the west branch will act as a corresponding station between the east branch and the west branch of the Orange Line; the finished line should look like this:
Future Line 2 orange of the (West Branch to East Branch)
- 1- Carrefour (*) (Daniel-Johnson / Le Carrefour)
- 2- St-Martin (*) (C) (St-Martin Ouest / Chomedey)
- 3- Notre-Dame (*) (Notre-Dame / Curé-Labelle)
- 4- Lévesque (*) (Lévesque / Curé-Labelle)
- 5- Gouin (*) ( Gouin / Grenet)
- 6- Bois-Franc (*) (T, Bois-Franc stationBois-Franc (AMT)Bois-Franc is a commuter rail station on the AMT Deux-Montagnes Line in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area. The Orange Line of the Montreal Metro was to have been extended to de Salaberry Street at the corner of Laurentian Boulevard, but that would have been too far away to have made an...
) (Boulevard Henri-Bourassa / Marcel-Laurin) - 7- Poirier (*) (Poirier / Grenet)
- 8- Côte-VertuCôte-Vertu (Montreal Metro)Côte-Vertu is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
& Terminus Côte-VertuTerminus Côte-Vertu (AMT)Terminus Côte-Vertu is an AMT bus terminus partly north and partly south of the Côte-Vertu Metro station. It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .... - 9- Du CollègeDu Collège (Montreal Metro)Du Collège is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
- 10- De La SavaneDe La Savane (Montreal Metro)De La Savane is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Côte-des-Neiges area of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada De la Savana Metro Station opened on...
- 11- NamurNamur (Montreal Metro)Namur is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Côte-des-Neiges area of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .This station has a total of 428 parking...
- 12- PlamondonPlamondon (Montreal Metro)Plamondon is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Côte-des-Neiges section of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .The station opened on June 29, 1982;...
- 13- Côte-Sainte-CatherineCôte-Sainte-Catherine (Montreal Metro)Côte-Sainte-Catherine is a station on Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
- 14- SnowdonSnowdon (Montreal Metro)Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(C) - 15- Villa-MariaVilla-Maria (Montreal Metro)Villa-Maria is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce area of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada .- Overview :The station is a...
- 16- VendômeVendôme (Montreal Metro)Vendôme is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce area of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Originally, two stations were...
(T, Vendôme stationVendôme (AMT)Vendôme is an AMT commuter rail station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The station is located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce area of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and is served by the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Blainville–Saint-Jérôme and Candiac lines....
) - 17- Place-Saint-HenriPlace-Saint-Henri (Montreal Metro)Place-Saint-Henri is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Saint-Henri area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ....
- 18- Lionel-GroulxLionel-Groulx (Montreal Metro)Lionel-Groulx is a station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Saint-Henri area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a transfer station between the Green Line and Orange Line.The station...
(C) - 19- Georges-VanierGeorges-Vanier (Montreal Metro)Georges-Vanier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Little Burgundy area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
- 20- Lucien-L'AllierLucien-L'Allier (Montreal Metro)Lucien-L'Allier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Overview:...
(T, Lucien-L'Allier stationLucien-L'Allier (AMT)Lucien-L'Allier is the commuter rail terminal for the AMT Vaudreuil-Hudson, Blainville-Saint-Jerome, and Candiac lines in the Greater Montreal area in Quebec, Canada. Lucien-L'Allier is in Fare Zone 1. It is one of the two downtown terminals for Montreal commuter trains, the other being Gare...
) - 21- BonaventureBonaventure (Montreal Metro)Bonaventure is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
(T, Central Station) - 22- Square-VictoriaSquare-Victoria (Montreal Metro)Square-Victoria is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
- 23- Place-d'ArmesPlace-d'Armes (Montreal Metro)Place-d'Armes is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Old Montreal in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
- 24- Champ-de-MarsChamp-de-Mars (Montreal Metro)Champ-de-Mars is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Old Montreal in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 25- Berri-UQAMBerri-UQAM (Montreal Metro)Berri-UQAM is the central station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Quartier Latin, in the borough of Ville-Marie, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network...
(C) - 26- SherbrookeSherbrooke (Montreal Metro)Sherbrooke is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in The Plateau neighbourhood of the borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 27- Mont-RoyalMont-Royal (Montreal Metro)Mont-Royal is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in The Plateau neighbourhood of the borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 28- LaurierLaurier (Montreal Metro)Laurier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Mile End neighbourhood of the borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 29- RosemontRosemont (Montreal Metro)Rosemont is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 30- BeaubienBeaubien (Montreal Metro)Beaubien is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 31- Jean-TalonJean-Talon (Montreal Metro)Jean-Talon is a station of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Little Italy district on the border between the boroughs of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It...
(C) - 32- JarryJarry (Montreal Metro)Jarry is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 33- CrémazieCrémazie (Montreal Metro)Crémazie is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located on the border between the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 34- SauvéSauvé (Montreal Metro)Sauvé is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Ahuntsic district in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(T, Sauve station) - 35- Henri-BourassaHenri-Bourassa (Montreal Metro)Henri-Bourassa is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Ahuntsic district in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- 36- CartierCartier (Montreal Metro)Cartier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in Pont-Viau, Laval, Quebec, Canada . It is part of an extension of the line into Laval and opened on April 28, 2007.- Architecture :It is a normal...
- 37- De La ConcordeDe La Concorde (Montreal Metro)De la Concorde is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Laval-des-Rapides area of Laval, Quebec, Canada...
(T, De La Concorde stationDe La Concorde (AMT)De La Concorde is an commuter train station in Laval, Quebec, on the Blainville-Saint-Jerome Line of the Agence métropolitaine de transport , the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services in the Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada area.The station was...
) - 38- MontmorencyMontmorency (Montreal Metro)Montmorency is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Laval-des-Rapides area of Laval, Quebec, Canada . The station is part of an extension to the line to Laval and opened on April 28, 2007,...
- 39- De l'Agora (*) (Armand-Frappier et Du Souvenir)
- 40- St-Martin (*) (C) (St-Martin Ouest / Chomedey)
- (*) New Metro station
- (C) Corresponding Station with other metro line or branch of the same line.
- (T) Corresponding Station with train line.
West Island
- Montreal's West IslandWest IslandThe West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
newspapers have discussed in 2006 and 2007 plans to extend Line 5Line 5 Blue (Montreal Metro)The Blue line is one of the four lines of the metro in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the fourth to be built, notwithstanding its name. Line 3 was planned, but never built...
from SnowdonSnowdon (Montreal Metro)Snowdon is a station on the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Snowdon neighbourhood of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
into the Notre-Dame-de-GrâceNotre-Dame-de-GrâceNotre-Dame-de-Grâce , also nicknamed NDG, is a residential neighbourhood of Montreal located in the city's west-end. It is one of five districts of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
area of Montreal, as depicted in its original design. A further extension to Dorval was discussed to improve the connection between Downtown MontrealDowntown MontrealDowntown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
and Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport..
Pioneer in tunnel advertising
In the early years of the Montreal Metro's life, a unique mode of advertising was used. In some downtown tunnels, cartoons depicting an advertiser's product were inscribed on the walls of the tunnel at the level of the cars' windows. A retail film processing outfit called Direct Film advertised on the north wall in the Atwater-to-Guy (now Guy-Concordia) tunnel (Green Line) during 1967-1969. Strobe lightStrobe light
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope...
s, aimed at the frames of the cartoon and triggered by the passing train, sequentially illuminated the images so that they appeared to the viewer (passenger) on the train as a movie. Today known as "tunnel movies" or "tunnel advertising", they have been installed in many cities' subways around the world in recent years, for example in the Southgate tube station in London, the MBTA Red Line in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, MARTA
Marta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, the DC Metro, San Francisco's Montgomery Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
station, and on the North South MRT Line
North South MRT Line
The North South Line was the 1st Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 44 km long with 25 stations, and is operated by SMRT Corporation...
on the Mass Rapid Transit
Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT is a rapid transit system that forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station, opened in 1987 establishing itself as the second-oldest metro...
of Singapore.
See also
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of North American rapid transit systems by ridership
- Metro systems by annual passenger ridesMetro systems by annual passenger ridesThe most-used metro systems in terms of passenger rides per year:# Tokyo Subway 3.161 billion # Moscow Metro 2.348 billion # Seoul Subway 2.048 billion...
- Société de transport de MontréalSociété de transport de MontréalThe Société de transport de Montréal is a public transport agency that operates transit bus, and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
- Agence métropolitaine de transportAgence métropolitaine de transportThe Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...
- Transportation in CanadaTransportation in CanadaCanada is a developed country whose economy includes the extraction and export of raw materials from its large area. Because of this, it has a transportation system which includes more than of roads, 10 major international airports, 300 smaller airports, of functioning railway track, and more...
- Rapid transit in CanadaRapid transit in CanadaRapid transit was first introduced in Canada with the opening of the Toronto subway in 1954, built by the Toronto Transportation Commission . Montreal later introduced the Montreal Metro in 1966, though there were plans to build a rapid transit system since 1902...
- Rubber-tired metroRubber-tyred metroA rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
- List of bridges spanning the Saint Lawrence River and Saint Lawrence Seaway
- List of bridges spanning the Rivière des Prairies
- List of crossings of the Rivière des Prairies
- Table of Montreal Metro stationsTable of Montreal metro stationsThis is a list of the metro stations on the four lines of the Montreal Metro, in Quebec, Canada.-Line 1, Green:-Line 2, Orange:-Line 4, Yellow:-Line 5, Blue:-Odonyms & Namesakes:-References:: source for dates and distances....
- List of Montreal bus routes
- Montreal Expo ExpressMontreal Expo ExpressThe Expo Express was a rapid transit system consisting of five stations and a 5.7-kilometre route. Built for Montreal’s Expo 67 and costing around $18 million, the trains carried 1,000 passengers each and ran approximately every five minutes....
— demo mini-rapid transit line during Expo '67 - Underground City, MontrealUnderground City, MontrealMontreal's Underground City is the set of interconnected complexes in and around Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
External links
- Société de transport de Montréal (STM)
- Montreal by Metro
- History of Metro station names in Montréal
- Montreal Metro Google Maps mashup
- Agence métropolitaine de transport — Information on extension to Laval
- Marc Dufour's site — Behind the scenes information in French
- Topology of lines, garages, shops, interchanges and switches & crossovers.
- CBC Digital Archives - Going Underground: Toronto's Subway and Montreal's Metro
- CBC Television Archives Talking about how hard it can be to open doors in Metro Stations.
- Sounds of the Montreal Metro by yototo
- Voir un schéma détaillé d'un Bogie
- Exterior and interior station photos, in black and white only.
- Metro Bits - Photo gallery featuring art and architecture of various stations in Montreal
- Le prolongement de la ligne 4 du métro dans Longueuil