REM Dreams/Reality/Nightmare???

 As the sidereal path approaches Summer Solstice, four MBC members (A.T. Lane, Louis Rubinstein, Laura Snowball and your rapporteur, G.T. Bishop) embarked at various stations on the ancient EXO train to the West Island for a fixture ride to attempt to follow the futuristic REM from its western extremity to the Canora station just before it enters the tunnel through Mount Royal.

As the members rolled leisurely along to their start point, there were fond remembrances of the recent, idyllic Spirit Tour of Vancouver Island admirably hosted and guided by Birdie Munger. Then followed a discussion as to whether the start point should be Baie d'Urfe or Ste Anne de Bellevue. Even Ile Perrot was put forward until G. T. pointed out that this station had been crossed off the schedule due to construction.

Finally, Ste Anne de Bellevue was decided and the members managed to wrestle their bicycles off the train, which, for some reason, loomed high above the station platform. It is difficult to imagine how an elderly or infirm person could disembark at this station and such a hazardous situation would never be tolerated if it was a private company but a government run entity somehow can blithely ignore it. (Rant #1)

In any event, the members prepared to set off to find the bike path that would lead them past the Morgan Arboretum and to the first stop of the Anse-a-l'Orme REM station, which had to have its name changed from Ste Anne de Bellevue given that it in no way is located anywhere near Ste Anne. (Rant #2)

As with most bike paths, this one stops abruptly (Rant #3) just past chemin L'Anse a L'Orme and the members continued on chemin Ste Marie passing green fields littered with signs suggesting future development in store.

Beyond mounds of dirt and gravel rose the glass structure of the REM station being admirably guarded by a coffee-carrying security person.

The members stopped to ask the guard how the work was proceeding. He responded that things were moving along but he had just been told that the date for beginning operations had been pushed back from 2023 to 2024! We then asked when in 2024 but he said he did not know.

Feeling privy to some insider information, the members continued on chemin Ste Marie to follow the snake-like line towards Kirkland, the next station.

A fortuitous Tim Horton's was nearby and the members (except virtuous Louis who was trying to shed some of the calories acquired during the Spirit Tour) took the opportunity for a coffee break. Discussion ensued as to how the access to the REM station would be achieved. There is supposed to be an elevator. Would there be escalators? Also, what would happen if a train broke down between stations? One can only imagine walking a kilometer or more along the elevated rail in the middle of winter in order to get down.

Continuing on towards Fairview, the members passed through a lovely park, fenced for its own protection, before sneaking through a parking lot and onto the sidewalk by the 40 service road.

Like most bike paths, the sidewalk abruptly ended (Rant #4) and the members were forced to skip through various parking lots in their attempt to stick near the REM line.

Needless to say, these lots full of vehicles will not change with the coming of the REM since the stations in the West Island are spaced so far apart. Perhaps if a bike path paralleled the REM, the odd person might use the train on a nice day and then bike the last leg to their place of work.

Eventually, no avenue was available for advancement and the members were forced to head to a nearby residential street to get past boulevard St. Charles.

What is to become of all this land adjacent to the REM?

Past St Charles, A.T. led the way along another sidewalk by the 40 service road until it, surprise, ended. (Rant #4 redux)

A. T. spied a break in the trees beyond the REM line and the members snuck underneath the REM, past a large building in the process of being demolished and through a barricade to the street. A.T. mentioned that he believed this area was the Fairview forest that concerned people were trying to protect from development.

At the next available street, the members turned back towards the REM line where the Fairview station stood proudly like a glass castle in the sky.

Looking at the proximity (or lack of) of the station to the Fairview Shopping Centre or boulevard St Jean beyond, A.T. remarked again how the location of these stations seemed to be sited to encourage development rather than serve existing installations and the people who used them. Ultimately, would this push to develop doom the Fairview forest?

It was now time to cross the 40 as the REM line does near boulevard St Jean and head towards the Technoparc to see the progress on the airport line and tunnel.

The Comfort Inn was looking quite inviting after the ordeal of crossing the 40 and several hours now under a full sun. Louis was remembering the cooler, greener outskirts of Victoria of just the previous week as well as his youth.

A.T. made a valiant effort to keep following the REM line south of the 40 but it was not possible though they did see an interesting makeshift garden constructed adjacent to a business' parking lot.

 

The members ended up, finally, on the bike path beside boulevard Hymus though Louis was content to stay on the road. When it ended (Rant #3 redux), a zigzag to Aviation road led to the Technoparc where Laura Snowball was keen to see the bird sanctuary.

The foray into the Parc Ecologique des Sources as it is now known was short due to the path being muddy from the recent rains. Instead, A.T. suggested the members investigate the nearby marsh that had reportedly been drained as a result of the construction of the REM tunnel to the airport.

Obviously, whatever damage had been done to the ground beneath the marsh had been repaired and the recent rains have helped to re-establish the marsh area.

A.T. then led the members past the piles of curved, gasketed concrete blocks no doubt destined for installation in the tunnel. One wonders what the condition of the gaskets will be after months and months drying out in the sun.

The sidewalk led to an access road at the edge of the airport proper where a fellow in a 'red' shirt stood beside a large motorcycle speaking an Eastern European language into his phone.

A call to CSIS was perhaps in order but the member's thoughts were more on lunch and the decision was made to carryon. Exiting the Technoparc past the tunnel construction, the members saw the tanks of liquid nitrogen that were used, not very successfully, to freeze the ground to prevent the draining of the marsh as well as the massive girder crane making its way inexorably towards the tunnel entrance.

Crossing the 40 once again, the members came to the point where the REM line towards the West Island splits to create the airport branch line just south of the Parc Nature Bois de Liesse.

With the orientation of the REM line to the airport being to and from downtown Montreal, people from the West Island will have to transfer trains in order to double back to get to the airport. It appears the small platform being constructed just east of the split might be for this purpose as a waiting area for airport bound passengers from the West Island. It also appears that the REM authorities do not expect there to be too many of these passengers.

After all this concrete, the members were pleased to arrive at Bois de Liesse though it came with its own concerns.

After a brief health stop, the members continued in the park to find the Deux Montagnes line and where it splits to create the West Island/Airport line. Ignoring the Voie Barree sign, they were fortunate to come upon a kind construction worker who allowed them to pass through and avoid doubling back to Gouin.

The members exited the park and then followed a dirt path that paralleled the REM Deux Montagnes line where workers were in the process of laying rail on new concrete ties.

There was also a ramp section that had been constructed but it was unclear why as there did not appear to be anything beneath that would require raising the REM line in the air.

It was noted that the construction differed from the all concrete construction of the other sections of the REM in the West Island. This ramp over nothing used a steel support girder similar to the new Champlain bridge. One wonders if this is a refinement of the original and possibly cheaper to construct?

G.T. led the way in a brave attempt to follow the REM line but the trail dwindled increasingly until it was no more than a few inches wide and the members were forced away to a nearby street where they picked up a bike path that led directly to the Bois Franc station.

Once again, the way was blocked and the streets were followed until the members picked up O'Brien to make their way south towards Montpellier station. Unfortunately, G.T. had a sideways tumble passing under the REM line when a large hole could not be avoided and he couldn't get his foot uncleated fast enough. While he dusted off the dirt and his embarrassment, A.T. had a chance to chat with a construction worker about the REM in that section.

At this point, Louis parted ways with the group as his grandfather duties were calling. Laura, A.T. and G.T. made their way as quickly as possible to TMR for a much delayed lunch passing De Ruisseau station along the way.

It appears that not all the rail sections are being replaced.

Getting clear of the 40 at the St. Croix, the remaining three members shot down Graham and got the last two sandwiches at the cafe with Laura chancing her egg salad sandwich that she brought along. They then rode past Canora where it wasn't exactly clear where the station was supposed to be before parting ways just south of Jean Talon.

A.T.'s route home included a chance to show that even deities in Montreal are not immune to the construction frenzy.

In the end, our insider knowledge about the REM construction delays was brief and the media was advised later that day.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rem-delay-cdpq-infra-1.6494398

It was obvious, in many places, the work that had been done to the REM over the last year though one wonders if the revised schedule can be totally attributed to issues with the Mount Royal tunnel. Will this be the last revision?

Total distance ridden approximately 50K depending on the member's final destination.

G. T. Bishop