[nfitz]

REM is branded as REM

It is now. Your question was "I really don’t know how the media comes up with these terminologies."

I'm merely explaining to you the origin of the usage of this by the Montreal media - because that's the term used by CDPQ - and before that the Quebec Ministry of Transport.

 

[Kyle Campbell]

REM is branded as REM - and almost all Montreal locals literally call it that these days - just “le REM” or “the REM” (not R-E-M or light rail). A lot of my friends take it for work daily and I don’t know any one of them who calls it “light rail”, just “le REM”. Most local radio stations both Franco and Anglo also refer to it as Le REM on their daily morning and evening rush hour traffic reports.

Interesting. In Ottawa, I'd say people use "The LRT" more often than they do O-Train, despite the branding

 

[SFO-YYZ]

Interesting. In Ottawa, I'd say people use "The LRT" more often than they do O-Train, despite the branding

I think it’s more of a language / translation issue. In the francophone world (esp France), nobody uses the term “LRT”. Le train léger is a direct translation of LRT but it’s very rarely used.

“Le Tramway” is the most commonly used terminology in the francophone world when people want to describe at-grade LRT systems like Finch West or ION LRT or even TTC Streetcar network. But obviously, nobody in Quebec calls REM “le tramway” because it’s a totally different animal from all of the above. Hence, most Montrealers now just refer to it as “Le REM”, almost like how Vancouverites call their system “Skytrain”.

This makes sense because Quebec currently has two actual “tramway” (LRT) projects - le tramway de l’Est et le tramway de Québec (le TramCité) - both of which are clearly branded as “tramways” (LRT equivalent) from day one so as to distinguish them from le REM and Montreal’s existing Metro.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

I think it’s more of a language / translation issue. In the francophone world (esp France), nobody uses the term “LRT”. Le train léger is a direct translation of LRT but it’s very rarely used.

“Le Tramway” is the most commonly used terminology in the francophone world when people want to describe at-grade LRT systems like Finch West or ION LRT or even TTC Streetcar network. But obviously, nobody in Quebec calls REM “le tramway” because it’s a totally different animal from all of the above. Hence, most Montrealers now just refer to it as “Le REM”, almost like how Vancouverites call their system “Skytrain”.

This makes sense because Quebec currently has two actual “tramway” (LRT) projects - le tramway de l’Est et le tramway de Québec (le TramCité) - both of which are clearly branded as “tramways” (LRT equivalent) from day one so as to distinguish them from le REM and Montreal’s existing Metro.

The irony for Québec is that the French (the country) adopted the English word "tramway" directly, rather than developing a separate term. Better call the language police.

 

[nfitz]

I think it’s more of a language / translation issue. In the francophone world (esp France), nobody uses the term “LRT”. Le train léger is a direct translation of LRT but it’s very rarely used.

The term I recall seeing in the French media and widely used by the Ministry of Transport in the first decade or so of this century in reference to the service from Central Station to Brossard was "SLR". Système léger sur rail.

Is this not the translation of LRT?

 

[SFO-YYZ]

The irony for Québec is that the French (the country) adopted the English word "tramway" directly, rather than developing a separate term. Better call the language police.

lol.

No one cares here. People think language police is on every corner of the street in Montreal like the KGB or something. All of my Franco and Anglo friends call it tramway. Even the Quebec government calls it Le Tramway de Québec. IMHO, still far more accurate than an elusive all encompassing vague term like “light rail”.

 

[CapitalSeven]

This makes sense because Quebec currently has two actual “tramway” (LRT) projects - le tramway de l’Est et le tramway de Québec (le TramCité) - both of which are clearly branded as “tramways” (LRT equivalent) from day one so as to distinguish them from le REM and Montreal’s existing Metro.

You forgot one, unless you think it's a Tramway à vapeur, which it may turn out to be.

 

[nfitz]

Indeed, I agree especially because 75% of the REM network isn’t even open yet! So yes, quite sometime before we see actual ridership results

I'd suspect that the 4-station southern branch south of Central Station won't see a massive ridership increase once they reopen the northern section. Most people aren't travelling from Brossard to TMR or Laval for example. Any passengers attracted to McGill station likely are just walking to Central now; perhaps those travelling to UdeM from the South Shore would be the only significant group.

So I'd think the current ridership for those 4 new stations would be pretty indicative. What is the current ridership?

 

[lrt's friend]

Exactly. I’m sure the decision will be dependent on ALTO’s phase 2 design and implementation. Of course, there’s always been a plan in place to connect to Dorval since day 1 but it’s really a matter of funding - about $500 mil to $1 billion for this 1 km tunnel plus possible reconstruction of the Dorval station.

It’ll be far more useful to build a REM branch to wherever new ALTO station will be (if not at gare centrale).

And tbh, currently it’ll take 20-25 min at most on REM to go directly from YUL terminal to Gare Centrale (the REM station at Gare Centrale is located literally next to the VIA rail platforms), so that’s already a pretty seamless and easy connection for most.

A lot of Ottawa residents go to Montreal for international flights. It is much preferred to Pearson. Going forward, a Dorval station is critical. With Alto, rail to plane will grow substantially from Ottawa but if we skip Dorval in long-term plans, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. I don't care how seamless the Gare Centrale connection is if it adds an hour to travel time coming from Ottawa, you have lost this market niche..

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

A lot of Ottawa residents go to Montreal for international flights. It is much preferred to Pearson. Going forward, a Dorval station is critical. With Alto, rail to plane will grow substantially from Ottawa but if we skip Dorval in long-term plans, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. I don't care how seamless the Gare Centrale connection is if it adds an hour to travel time coming from Ottawa, you have lost this market niche..

Montréal is closer to Europe than Toronto. So would also be cheaper.

 

[lrt's friend]

You forgot one, unless you think it's a Tramway à vapeur, which it may turn out to be.

View attachment 668507

This will never be built as federal workers continue to work from home and public service management does not challenge this to any degree. There are claims that federal workers have no offices to work in while many federal buildings are empty. It boggles the mind but the public service is a different world of special privilege

 

[lrt's friend]

7

Interesting. In Ottawa, I'd say people use "The LRT" more often than they do O-Train, despite the branding

I don't know about this especially with Line 2 and 4 being diesel trains. The O-Train moniker goes back 2001 when the first line opened. There are all kinds of different terms used because they kept changing the names of the lines so you hear all different versions.

 

[nfitz]

Montréal is closer to Europe than Toronto. So would also be cheaper.

Odd, as I've encountered more than one person in Montreal at Pearson, whilst flying to Europe, because it is cheaper than flying direct from Montreal.

Ancedotally, I've never encountered the opposite.

 

[dowlingm]

A lot of Ottawa residents go to Montreal for international flights. It is much preferred to Pearson. Going forward, a Dorval station is critical. With Alto, rail to plane will grow substantially from Ottawa but if we skip Dorval in long-term plans, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. I don't care how seamless the Gare Centrale connection is if it adds an hour to travel time coming from Ottawa, you have lost this market niche..

Ottawa residents would probably prefer to fly from their own airport, and given the significant pivot towards point to point single aisle airliners in recent years, the airlines may give them that opportunity. I think it’s arguable that at least some of the capital cost of bringing HSR to Dorval should be on the back of YUL airport improvement fees rather than the general taxpayer.

Non-stop destinations

YOW is Canada’s capital airport. Reserve your parking, check out our restaurants and shops, and prepare for your travels through the airport. Learn about…

www.yow.ca

 

[SFO-YYZ]

Ottawa residents would probably prefer to fly from their own airport, and given the significant pivot towards point to point single aisle airliners in recent years, the airlines may give them that opportunity. I think it’s arguable that at least some of the capital cost of bringing HSR to Dorval should be on the back of YUL airport improvement fees rather than the general taxpayer.

Non-stop destinations

YOW is Canada’s capital airport. Reserve your parking, check out our restaurants and shops, and prepare for your travels through the airport. Learn about…

www.yow.ca

I’m sure ADM would like nothing better than a Dorval connection, but right now their priorities are:

1) $10 billion terminal expansion and access road reconfig to alleviate current congestion. Without this, traffic into and out of YUL will get progressively worse. As of today, there are only 4 access into and out of YUL - the goal is to expand to 12. Many parts of this project is already underway (parking garage demolition).

2) YUL REM station has to open first, and that’s tied to the above project.

Keeping in mind that nearly all of the capital costs of the above is being financed by ADM and CIB thru their own revenues. The extension of REM to Dorval will likely cost another $1 - $2 billion, and that requires VIA Rail to also completely revamp the current poor state of that station to accommodate for a seamless connection to REM. Via rail also needs to put up funding.