The project office of Montreal’s automated light rail network, Réseau express métropolitain (REM), has officially unveiled the first four light rail vehicles. The 67-km (41.6-mile) network is expected to begin partial service in 2022 with full operation in 2024 with 26 stations, connecting downtown Montreal to the South Shore, North Shore, West Island and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
Montreal’s futuristic, for-profit passenger railway system, Réseau express métropolitain (REM), moved from concept to concrete Feb. 8 with the award of $C6.3 billion of construction contracts by its owner-operator, Caisse de dépot et placement, Quebec’s huge public pension fund.
A 100-year-old tunnel through Mont-Royal has become a choke point for parallel projects to build new intercity and regional commuter railways radiating from Montreal’s Central Station.