MONTREAL — At approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, a loud impact called to the attention of those in the vicinity, including at least one rail enthusiast, that something had gone quite wrong with the delivery of a new bilevel commuter car for Montreal-area commuter operator EXO.
The new car, built by China’s CRRC and riding atop an 89-foot flat car, had struck the remains of the former lift superstructure of the former Lachine Canal lift bridge at milepost 73.2 of Canadian National’s St-Hyacinthe Subdivision. The demolition of the structure, which has not been used since the late 1960s, is scheduled to begin soon. A CN crew was making a reverse move onto the bridge before shoving the car into the west end of the EXO facility in neighboring Point St-Charles Yard.
The car was one of two, a coach and a cab-control car, that had recently arrived in the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, en route to Montreal. It is not known at this time which of those cars was involved. The tarp covering the commuter car was torn and damage to the car was plainly visible.
Pre-pandemic, VIA Rail Canada Budd-built dome cars on the Montreal-Halifax Ocean regularly operated under the structure that was hit, as well as neighboring unused catenary bridges. VIA service to and from Central Station was disrupted by the incident, but has since been restored. EXO trains to and from St-Hilaire and Mascouche, which use the same trackage, do not run on weekends.
A Feb. 3 EXO press release said the car is part of a fleet of 44 ordered in 2017 for delivery in 2019. Because of delays from design modifications, the pandemic, and a desire to increase Canadian content in the 147-seat cars, delivery has just begun, and will continue through the year. They are expected to enter service beginning in 2023 following testing. The last ten cars in the order will not be placed into service until 2024, pending modifications to accommodate those with mobility difficulties.
EXO said in a statement to Trains News Wire on Wednesday that “an assessment of the damage caused to the cars by last Saturday’s incident will be carried out by the insurers of CRRC and its carriers. We are not able to assess at the moment if this will delay the commissioning of the new cars.”
The cause of the accident is being investigated by CN, EXO, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
— Updated at 8:10 p.m. CST with images of accident from photographer Victor Planché; updated at 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 16 with statement from EXO.
If it can’t roll on on it’s on wheels, then it should have been trucked to it’s destination.
Never underestimate the versatility of single-level railway passenger cars! Not only would there be more height clearances, but also adoption to both high level and low level station platforms.
Measure twice then…… Measure again!
Gonna have to time slip them as well – Operations personnel doing B&B work. Tsk. Tsk.
Is the bridge itself being demolished or just the catenary supports?
The “lift superstructure” was cut off at track level many decades ago. The struck structure is a remnant of the tunnel electrification.
Always be suspicious of mainline stock that cannot be delivered on it’s own wheels.
Doh! That will buff out