Exo receives its first delivery of new train cars

MONTRÉAL, Febr. 3, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Exo, the public transit network serving the North and South Shores of Montréal, is about to receive the first two units from a total order of 44 new train cars. These cars will modernize the rolling stock on the exo network and enhance the experience of customers by providing quality and comfort considered state of the art in the rail transportation sector.

Exo receives its first delivery of new train cars (CNW Group/exo)

The cars in question will be delivered in the coming days to the Pointe-Saint-Charles maintenance centre. Over the coming weeks, they will undergo minor finishing work and assessment. In the months to come, the cars will be subject to a series of tests before they are put into service. The cars will officially be revealed to the public in early spring when health measures allow it.

The final step before commissioning

This initial delivery will allow exo to launch the commissioning schedule for the new cars, the final step in a project totalling nearly $196 million.

Exo has begun the process, after which the cars will be put into service on its network. The new cars will undergo complete mechanical safety checks, static tests in the maintenance center and dynamic tests on the network as well as braking tests.

Exo expects to receive the rest of the cars from the order over the course of the year and plans to put them into service on the network in early 2023. The last 10 cars are undergoing final adjustments to be accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. These cars will be received at a later date and enter into service in 2024.

The train cars were ordered in 2017, with delivery initially scheduled in June 2019. However, due mainly to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as technical adjustments to the cars and increased local content, the first deliveries were delayed until now.

Cars specifically designed for exo's needs

The multilevel cars can accommodate up to 147 seated passengers and have been adapted to exo's needs through a collaboration between the project team and the manufacturer, CRRC. This substantial order has also enabled a dozen Canadian suppliers, including eight from Quebec, to build and develop partnerships with CRRC. More than 28% of the content in the cars is local.

Quotes

"We're thrilled to receive the first units in this historic order for exo. This first delivery gives us the momentum to begin the final steps that will allow us to put the new cars in operation in early 2023. Exo trains are an indisputable part of the sustainable mobility equation, which is why we continue to invest in modernizing them to build a reliable and efficient transit system."

—  Sylvain Yelle, General Director of exo

"Throughout the project, we've worked very closely with the supplier to design the cars. Our maintenance teams are in place to complete the necessary tests and assessment to put the cars into service. The result is very high-quality cars that are specifically designed to meet our needs, giving our customers an exceptional, state-of-the-art travel experience."

—  Michael Émond, Director, Maintenance and Rolling Stock Project Management

In closing, let's remember that this project is made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Québec through the Programme d'aide gouvernementale au transport collectif des personnes (PAGTCP).

About exo

Since June 1, 2017, exo has operated public bus and paratransit services on the North and South Shores of Montréal, as well as the train network in the Greater Montréal Area. The second largest public transit operator in Greater Montréal, exo's network includes 5 train lines, 229 bus lines and 87 taxibus lines.

SOURCE exo

Media contacts: Catherine Maurice, Media Relations, Tel.: [phone], ext. 4057, [email protected]; Jean-Maxime St-Hilaire; Media Relations, Tel.: [phone], ext. 4057, [email protected]