Exo commuter rail

For the overall transit organization, see Exo (public transit).

Exo commuter rail service
Commuter train network logo
An outbound train on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire Line
Overview
Owner	Exo
Area served	Greater Montreal
Locale	Greater Montreal
Transit type	Commuter rail
Number of lines	5 [1]
Line number	Line 11 - Vaudreuil–Hudson Line 12 - Saint-Jérôme Line 13 - Mont-Saint-Hilaire Line 14 - Candiac Line 15 - Mascouche
Number of stations	52 [1]
Annual ridership	6,147,995 (2023) [1]
Website	exo.quebec
Operation
Began operation	1859 (first section) January 1, 1996 (as AMT) June 1, 2017 (as Réseau de transport métropolitain, later Exo)
Operator(s)	Alstom
Reporting marks	EXO
Infrastructure manager(s)	Canadian National Railway Canadian Pacific Kansas City Réseau de transport métropolitain CDPQ
Number of vehicles	41 locomotives 206 coaches [1]
Technical
System length	225.7 kilometres (140.2 mi) [1]
Network map as of July 2023

Exo commuter rail (reporting marks EXO) is a network of five radial commuter train lines serving the Greater Montreal area, operated by Alstom, using trackage owned by Exo as well as by Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City. ^{[2] [3]}

Exo's commuter trains are its highest-profile division. It uses diesel-electric push-pull trains. The Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines run on Canadian National trackage and operate out of Central Station, while the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines run on Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) trackage and operate out of Lucien L'Allier terminus, beside the historic Windsor Station. The Saint-Jérôme line also runs on CPKC trackage and on Exo's own trackage between Sainte-Thérèse and Saint-Jérôme. ^[4]

Operation of all commuter rail was provided by contract to CN and CP (on their respective rail networks) until June 30, 2017. Operations were taken over by Alstom (then Bombardier Transportation) beginning July 1, 2017, on an 8-year contract. ^[5]

The train lines are part of Greater Montreal's integrated public transit network including bus, regional rail (REM) and Metro, coordinated by the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM). ^[6] Many train stations serve local bus terminals, and a few provide connections to Metro, REM and Via Rail and Amtrak national rail services.

History

Takeover from private rail operators

Further information: Deux-Montagnes line § History, and Vaudreuil-Hudson line § History

Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) had long operated commuter trains in the Montreal area, but by the 1980s, their services had dwindled to one route each. The Commission de transport de la communauté de Montréal (CTCUM, predecessor of the STM), which already managed Metro and bus services across the Island of Montreal, assumed management of CN's Deux-Montagnes commuter service and CP's Rigaud service in 1982 as the two railways began scaling back their services. ^[7]

In 1997, management and financing of both lines was transferred to the newly created Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), which had been established to distribute funding and coordinate transportation planning among the numerous transit operators throughout the Greater Montreal Region. ^[7]

Service expansion

Further information: Saint-Jérôme line § History, Mont-Saint-Hilaire line § History, Candiac line § History, and Mascouche line § History

Later that year, the AMT inaugurated service between Blainville and Jean-Talon (now Parc) train station in Montreal's Park Extension district. Originally, the service was designed to provide a temporary alternative for motorists from Laval and the North Shore of Montreal, while the Highway 117 Dufresne Bridge was being repaired. The service proved to be so popular that the AMT continued to fund it, and even extended a number of trains to the Lucien-L'Allier station downtown in 1999, and continues to provide off-peak daytime weekday service on this line. The service was extended further north to Saint-Jérôme in January 2007. ^[7]

In 2000, the AMT inaugurated its service to McMasterville, ^[8] and later extended it to Mont-Saint-Hilaire in September 2002. ^[7]

Montréal-Ouest station in Montreal West

In 2001, the AMT initiated a pilot project, launching service on a fifth line to Delson. ^[9] This was later extended to Candiac in 2005. ^[10]

A new Train de l'Est (East Train) line to Mascouche was announced by the Quebec government in March 2006. ^[11] After delays and cost overruns, ^[12] it started service in December 2014. ^[13]

In 2014, the AMT acquired the entire Deux-Montagnes line from CN, including the right of way, infrastructure, trackage, other railway equipment, grounds, curb lanes, rights in the Mount Royal tunnel and air rights, in a $97 million transaction. ^[14]

Creation of Exo

On June 1, 2017, the AMT was disbanded in a reorganization of metropolitan transit authorities. A new agency, the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) was created to be responsible for operating commuter rail and suburban transit services. ^[15] In May 2018, the RTM adopted the Exo brand (stylized exo, all-lowercase), to represent the sub- and exurban nature of its service area. ^[16]

In 2019, Exo proceeded to rebrand all of its lines with numbers in the format "exo1", "exo2", etc. When the ARTM launched its new metropolitan signage in 2023, Exo renumbered the lines again starting at "11". ^[17] It also adopted a new logo for train service in a distinctive colour to differentiate from other rapid transit services, rolling out progressively on signage since 2020. ^[18]

Evolution of Montreal suburban rail network logo

• 
  Logo used by the CTCUM and STCUM until 1997
• 
  Logo used by the AMT from 1997 until 2020
• 
  Logo used by Exo as of 2020, part of the ARTM's uniform metropolitan signage

Alignment with the new REM

The construction of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) led initially to the closure of the Mount Royal Tunnel in May 2020, causing the Deux-Montagnes lines to terminate at Bois-Franc station, and the Mascouche line was rerouted around the Western end of Montreal in order to reach Central Station from the south. ^[19] On December 31, 2020, the Deux-Montagnes line was closed permanently for conversion to the REM. ^[20]

In May 2023, Exo announced that Lucien-L'Allier terminal would be closed starting April 2024 to rebuild the platforms and add a canopy. Trains on the Candiac, Vaudreuil-Hudson and Saint-Jérôme lines would terminate at Vendôme. ^[21]

Lines

Commuter train lines

Train lines	Line length	Start	Terminus
Vaudreuil–Hudson	51.2 km (31.8 mi)	1887	Hudson	Lucien-L'Allier
Saint-Jérôme	62.8 km (39.0 mi)	1882	‹See TfM› Saint-Jérôme	Lucien-L'Allier
Mont-Saint-Hilaire	34.9 km (21.7 mi)	1859	‹See TfM› Mont-Saint-Hilaire	Gare Centrale
Candiac	25.6 km (15.9 mi)	1887	‹See TfM› Candiac	Lucien-L'Allier
Mascouche	52 km (32 mi)	2014	‹See TfM› Mascouche	Gare Centrale

Fares

As of July 1, 2024

See also: Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain § Fare structure

Exo services operate within the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM)'s integrated fare structure for Greater Montreal. Trains on the network operate within zones A, B and C. All Modes fares include passage on the commuter rail network through the zones covered. ^[22]

As of 2024, the fare schedule still includes TRAIN fares applying the old AMT fare zones that are valid only on commuter rail lines. ^[23]

There are no fare gates at train stations. Instead, a proof-of-payment system is used, where riders are expected to validate their ticket on the platform. Fare inspectors randomly check tickets. ^[24] Tickets and passes are now sold by automated vending machines at stations, either onto an Opus card or a cardboard Occassionel card. ^[25]

Rolling stock

Exo has a variety of rolling stock, some of it acquired from GO Transit, the rest built specifically for it. There are a total of 256 cars and locomotives in the fleet.^{[ citation needed ]}

Locomotives

• 
  EMD F59PH locomotive from Delson-Candiac at Vendôme station
• 
  ALP-45DP locomotive from Vaudreuil-Hudson at Vendôme station
• 
  F59PHI locomotive at Lucien-L'Allier station

Current locomotives

Maker	Model	Number in service	Numbered	Year built	Comments
Electro-Motive Diesel	F59PHI	11	1320–1330	2000	Used on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines.
	F59PH	10	1340–1349	1990	Acquired from GO Transit. Used on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint Jérôme, Candiac, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines. (All diesel routes)
Bombardier	ALP-45DP	20	1350–1369	2011	Used on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Vaudreuil-Hudson, Mascouche and Saint-Jérôme lines. [26]

Future locomotives

On January 28, 2022, Exo announced that it had ordered 10 Siemens Charger locomotives to replace the older F59PH locomotives in their fleet. ^[27]

Retired locomotives

Maker	Model	Number in class	Numbered	Year built	Service years	Comments
Electro-Motive Diesel	F40PH	16	223, 243, 270–271, 274, 293, 297, 301–302, 310, 319, 330, 372, 400, 411, 418	1977–1985	2000s–2010s	Ex-Amtrak. All sold off to various leasing firms, tourist railroads, or other commuter railroads.
	F40PH-2CAT	2	4117–4118 [28]	1981	2008–2012	Leased from NJ Transit until the arrival of the ALP-45DP locomotives. [29]
	GP40FH-2	5	4135, 4137, 4140, 4143, 4144 [29] [30]	1966–1967
	F59PH [a]	3	526, 530, 532	1988	2010s	Ex-GO Transit; leased from Rail World. [29]
		3	18523, 18524, 18531			Ex-GO Transit; leased from Rosen-Beaudin Leasing. [29]
	FP7	6	1300–1305	1952	1982–2001 [29]	Ex-CP 4070–4075, 4040. Replaced by the F59PHI locomotives in 2001. [29] 1301 now on the DGVR as "WM 243". [31] [32] 1306 to the Stourbridge Line as "PRR 9880". [31]
			1306	1951
	GP9RM [29]	4	1310–1313	1959	1990-2010s	Ex-Canadian National, rebuilt by CN in 1990. [31] 1311 preserved at Exporail.

1. Distinct from the 1340 series locomotives still in service.

Passenger cars

The interior of an Exo commuter train

Current coaches

Maker	Model	Number in service	Numbered	Year built	Comments
Bombardier Transportation	Bombardier BiLevel Coach	22	2000–2003 [29]	2004	Control cars. Low platform only
			2020–2037 [29]	2005	Low platform only
	Bombardier MultiLevel Coach	160	3000 series	2009–2011	[33] High and low platform compatibility. Required for service on Mascouche and Mont St-Hilaire line
CRRC Tangshan	Bi-level coaches	6	2050 series	2022–	Started service June 2024 [34] Low platform only

Future coaches

Maker	Model	Number ordered	Numbered	Year ordered	Comments
CRRC Tangshan	Bi-level coaches	24	TBD	June 2017	[35]
		20		April 2019 [36]
Bombardier Transportation	Bombardier BiLevel Coach	22	2000 series	March 2018 [37]	Similar to the 2000 series coaches built in 2004

Retired coaches

Maker	Model	Number built	Numbered	Year built	Comments
Bombardier Transportation	Single-level coaches	24	701–708, 720–735 [29]	1989	Renovated 2011–2013. Retired in 2022 following the delivery of new coaches.
Hawker Siddeley	RTC-85SP/D coaches	80	102–111, 200–204, 1036–1103, 1201–1258 [29]	1967–1976	Ex-GO Transit. Retired after the arrival of the Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches. Car 104 on display at the Toronto Railway Museum in GO Transit colours. [38] [39] [40]
Canadian Vickers	Gallery Car	9	900–901, 920–926 [29]	1969	Ex-Canadian Pacific Railway. Retired in 2010.
Morrison–Knudsen	Single-level coaches	14	5156–5234 [29]	1987–1988	Leased from NJ Transit in the late-2000s and early 2010s. [29]

Other retired rolling stock

Maker	Model	Number built	Numbered	Year built	Comments
Canadian Car and Foundry	Head-end power cars	7	600–606	1958	Former boxcars rebuilt into head-end power cars by the Canadian National Railway in 1989, for use alongside the GP9RMs. [29]
Bombardier Transportation	MR-90	58	400 series	1994–1995	Electric multiple units used only on the Deux-Montagnes line. Retired in 2020 when the Deux-Montagnes line was closed for conversion to the Réseau express métropolitain .

Further details

The 22 bilevel coaches are in operation on the Saint-Jérôme line. The AMT did not purchase additional bilevels as it sought to standardize its train fleet with the arrival of the multi-level coaches. However, 20 additional bilevels were purchased by the RTM in March 2018.

On December 18, 2007, the AMT awarded Bombardier a $386-million contract to build 160 multi-level commuter cars. These cars are based on NJ Transit's Multilevel series, and are able to enter the Mount Royal Tunnel, unlike the older GO-style BiLevel cars. They are numbered in the 3000s.

References

1. "Rapport annuel 2023" [2023 Annual Report](PDF) (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-05.
2. "Bombardier aux commandes des trains de banlieue du Réseau de transport métropolitain" [Bombarider in the driver's cab of the Réseau de transport métropolitain's commuter trains] (in French). Réseau de transport métropolitan. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
3. "The challenge of coordinating train traffic in winter". Exo. 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
4. "The challenge of coordinating train traffic in winter". Exo. 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
5. Agence QMI (2017-07-03). "Retour à la normale sur le réseau de trains de banlieue" [Back to normal on the commuter train network] (in French). TVA Nouvelles. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
6. "À propos" [About us] (in French). Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
7. Barrieau, Pierre. "L'Évolution des trains de banlieue montréalais : 170 ans de service (1847–2017)" [The Evolution of Montreal Suburban Rail: 170 Years of Service (1847–2017)](PDF) (in French). Université de Québec à Montréal.
8. "Le train de banlieue attire plus d'usagers que celui de Blainville à ses" (in French). L'oeil régional. 2000-06-03. p. A1. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
9. "Un nouveau train de banlieue Delson-Montréal" [A new Delson-Montreal commuter train] (in French). TVA Nouvelles. 2001-04-17.
10. "Candiac-Montréal en train" [Candiac-Montreal by train](PDF) (in French). La Presse. 2004-11-16. p. A7. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
11. Shields, Alexandre (2006-03-18). "Le train de l'est sur les rails" [The Train de l'est is on track] (in French). Le Devoir. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
12. Magder, Jason (2014-11-30). "$671 million later, a train to Mascouche". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
13. Magder, Jason (2014-12-01). "AMT's new Train de l'Est from Mascouche has successful first morning". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
14. "L'AMT FAIT L'ACQUISITION DE LA LIGNE DE TRAINS DE BANLIEUE DEUX-MONTAGNES" [The AMT acquires the Deux-Montagnes train line] (in French). Agence métropolitaine de transport. 2014-02-28. Archived from the original on 2014-03-04.
15. "Nouvelle gouvernance dans les transports collectifs" [New governance in public transit] (Press release) (in French). Réseau de transport métropolitain. 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
16. "Le Réseau de transport métropolitain devient exo" [The Réseau de transport métropolitain becomes exo] (in French). Exo. 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
17. "Your train lines are getting new numbers". Exo. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
18. "Un nouveau symbole pour le train" [A new symbol for the train]. Exo. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
19. Bruno Bisson (2020-05-11). "Le tunnel du mont Royal fermé" (in French). La Presse. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
20. Magder, Jason (September 18, 2020). "Trains to stop running on Deux-Montagnes line Dec. 31, ahead of schedule". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
21. Sanikopoulos, Audrey (2023-05-29). "La gare Lucien-L'Allier va devoir fermer pour se refaire une beauté". TVA Nouvelles. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
22. "Find your fare". Exo. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
23. "Fare schedule. Public transit. Fares in effect starting July 1, 2024" (PDF). Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
24. "Voyager 101 - Validation des titres" [Travelling 101 - Ticket validation] (in French). Exo. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
25. "OPUS card and Solo card". Exo. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
26. "AMT electro-diesel arrives in Montréal". Railway Gazette International. 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
27. "Siemens Mobility to Modernize Montreal's Exo Train Fleet With Sustainable Locomotives". Financial Post. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
28. "AMTL – Agence métropolitaine de transport Locomotive Roster [F40PH-2CAT] - Railroad Picture Archives.NET". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
29. Godfrey, John; Turcotte, Jean-Francois (September–October 2010). "Canadian Rail No. 538" (PDF). Exporail. Canadian Railroad Historical Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
30. "AMTL – Agence métropolitaine de transport Locomotive Roster [GP40FH-2] - Railroad Picture Archives.NET". rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
31. "Old Time Trains". www.trainweb.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
32. "Old Time Trains". www.trainweb.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
33. "Bombardier clinches big deal for new commuter trains". CBC News. December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
34. Sargeant, Timothy (2024-06-21). "New railcars rolling out on exo's Saint-Jérôme commuter rail line". Global News. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
35. "CRRC to supply commuter coaches to Montréal". Railway Gazette International. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
36. "Montréal increases CRRC coach order". Railway Gazette International. 18 April 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
37. "RTM – Le RTM en action". rtm.quebec. Archived from the original on 2018-03-15.
38. "GO Transit restores cab car to mark 50th anniversary | Trains Magazine". Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
39. GO Transit [@GOtransit] (14 May 2017). "It's finally here! Please welcome the latest addition to the @TORailwayMuseum: a restored original GO cab car from…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
40. Toronto Railway Museum [@TORailwayMuseum] (13 May 2017). "The Toronto Railway Museum was pleased to welcome a very special part of our rail heritage to Roundhouse Park today…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.