Deux-Montagnes line to get double-decker trains — for now
Commuters will see double-decker trains for the first time on the Deux-Montagnes line starting on Monday, although it’s a temporary measure intended to improve service on the delay-plagued route.
The Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM), the regional commuter train agency, announced on Sunday that it’s adding one train with 10 double-decker cars known as the 3000-series starting Monday morning. The agency tested the cars, which are already in service on other commuter train lines, on the Deux-Montagnes line on Saturday. The train with the double-decker cars will make six departures each weekday.
In the mornings, it will depart from the Deux-Montagnes station at 5:50 a.m. and 8:05 a.m. and from Central Station in downtown Montreal at 6:45 a.m.
In the afternoons, it will depart from Central Station at 3:45 p.m. and 5:50 p.m. and from Deux-Montagnes at 4:43 p.m.
Each trip could be a few minutes longer than usual, the agency said.
The cars are to be deployed for an as-yet undetermined period of time to allow the agency to step up repairs and improvements to the older existing cars that are used on the busy line, the RTM said. The train with double-decker cars will also allow the agency to improve the reliability of the service on the Deux-Montagnes line, it said.
The older cars are more vulnerable to winter weather conditions, which explains delays earlier in January.
Commuters have complained of waiting in freezing cold weather for delayed trains and of being stuffed onto overcrowded trains that stall on the tracks.