WATCH ABOVE: The new Montreal metro cars are being tested in the city’s underground metro. Public transit users will see them in action, but still can’t ride them. As Global’s Gloria Henriquez reports, testing the new cars will also cause service disruptions.
MONTREAL – Metro riders can finally see the new Azur metro trains in action.
Starting Tuesday, commuters will the see test trains rolling along with the regular metro cars.
“This is proof that this project is still going on, that this is a good project,” said Philippe Schnobb, STM Chairman.
After months of night trials, the Azur trains have been cleared to roll during regular hours.
“The aim of these tests is to make as many kilometers as we can,” said the STM’s Executive Director François Chamberland.
“If everything goes well, they’ll roll every day.”
Trains need to be tried in everyday situations and this testing period is expected to create some hiccups.
“We want to sort out these problems before the beginning of next year when we put them them in service with passengers,” said Chamberland.
For now, the two trains running between the orange and the blue lines will not be picking up passengers.
One is a prototype carrying sand bags simulating the weight of passengers and the other one is a fully finished model.
They will start rolling during off-peak periods then move to operating in high traffic.
READ MORE: Montreal’s new metro trains unveiled
As the prototype rolled into Henri Bourassa station, officials patted each other on the back.
“It’s great news for Montreal, great news for collective transport, but it’s also great news to show the government of Quebec is working clearly with the metropolis,” said Montreal’s Mayor Denis Coderre.
It’s a feeling echoed by Québec’s Transport Minister Robert Poeti.
“Economically, it’s not easy at this time…but it’s $2.8 billion on it,” he proudly mentioned.
“We’re in for 75 per cent and the City of Montreal is in for 25 per cent…together we’re going to deliver it to the metropolis.”
If everything goes according to plan, commuters could be riding the Azurs as soon as the end of this year or the beginning of next.
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