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Exo (public transit)

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Exo, stylized as exo and officially known as Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM; English: Metropolitan Transportation Network), is a public transport system in Greater Montreal, including the Island of Montreal, Laval (Île Jésus), and communities along both the North Shore of the Mille-Îles River and the South Shore of the St. Lawrence River. It was created on June 1, 2017, taking over Montreal's commuter rail services from the former Agence métropolitaine de transport as well as bus and paratransit services from the various suburban municipal and intermunicipal transit agencies.[3] Exo operates the second busiest such system in Canada after Toronto's GO Transit.[citation needed]

Exo
An outbound train on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire Line
An outbound train on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire Line
A stylized icon of a train on a pink background
Exo train network symbol
A stylized icon of a bus on a black background
Overview
LocaleGreater Montreal
Transit type
Number of lines
  • 5 (commuter rail)
  • 219 (bus)
[1]
Number of stations
  • 52 rail stations
  • 11 bus terminuses
[1]
Annual ridership
  • 44,737,400 (bus)
  • 6,147,995 (commuter rail)
  • 652,719 (paratransit)
  • 69,164 (on demand)
(2023)[1]
Chief executiveSylvain Yelle
Headquarters700 rue de la Gauchetière, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Websiteexo.quebec/en Edit this at Wikidata
Operation
Began operation
  • 1859 (first section)
  • January 1, 1996 (as AMT)
  • June 1, 2017 (2017-06-01) (as Réseau de transport métropolitain/Exo)[2]
Operator(s)Alstom
Reporting marksEXO
Infrastructure manager(s)
Number of vehicles
  • 41 locomotives
  • 206 passenger cars (2023) [1]
Network map as of July 2023

Exo's territory is concurrent with Montreal Metropolitan Community limits, with the addition of the Kahnawake First Nations reserve and the city of Saint-Jérôme.[4] It serves a population of approximately 4 million people who make more than 174,000 trips daily in the 4,258.97 km2 (1,644.40 sq mi) area radiating from Montreal.[5][1]

Partners in transport

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Exo's parent agency, the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), is charged with transportation planning for the Greater Montreal area.

Exo operates commuter train service as well as the bus service outside of the three main population centres of Greater Montreal. In these areas service is provided by the Société de Transport de Montréal on the Island of Montreal, the Société de Transport de Laval in Laval, and the Réseau de transport de Longueuil for the urban agglomeration of Longueuil.

Commuter rail

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The interior of an Exo commuter train

Exo's commuter trains are its highest-profile division. It uses diesel-electric push-pull trains. The Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines run on Canadian National trackage and operate out of Central Station, while the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines run on Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) trackage and operate out of Lucien L'Allier terminus, beside the historic Windsor Station. The Saint-Jérôme line also runs on CPKC trackage and on Exo's own trackage between Sainte-Thérèse and Saint-Jérôme.[6]

Operation of all commuter rail was provided by contract to CN and CP (on their respective rail networks) until June 30, 2017. Operations were taken over by Bombardier Transportation beginning July 1, 2017, on an 8-year contract.[7]

The train lines are part of Greater Montreal's integrated public transit network including bus, regional light rail (REM) and Metro, coordinated by the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM).[8] Many train stations serve local bus terminals, and a few provide connections to Metro, REM and Via Rail and Amtrak national rail services.

Commuter train lines
Train lines Line length Start Terminus
  Vaudreuil–Hudson 51.2 km (31.8 mi) 1887 Hudson Lucien-L'Allier
  Saint-Jérôme 62.8 km (39.0 mi) 1882 Saint-Jérôme Lucien-L'Allier
  Mont-Saint-Hilaire 34.9 km (21.7 mi) 1859 Mont-Saint-Hilaire Gare Centrale
  Candiac 25.6 km (15.9 mi) 1887 Candiac Lucien-L'Allier
  Mascouche 52 km (32 mi) 2014 Mascouche Gare Centrale

History

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Takeover from private rail operators

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Further information: Deux-Montagnes line § History, and Vaudreuil-Hudson line § History

Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) had long operated commuter trains in the Montreal area, but by the 1980s, their services had dwindled to one route each. The Commission de transport de la communauté de Montréal (CTCUM, predecessor of the STM), which already managed Metro and bus services across the Island of Montreal, assumed management of CN's Deux-Montagnes commuter service and CP's Rigaud service in 1982 as the two railways began scaling back their services.[9]

In 1997, management and financing of both lines was transferred to the newly created Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), which had been established to distribute funding and coordinate transportation planning among the numerous transit operators throughout the Greater Montreal Region.[9]

Service expansion

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Further information: Saint-Jérôme line § History, Mont-Saint-Hilaire line § History, Candiac line § History, and Mascouche line § History

Later that year, the AMT inaugurated service between Blainville and Jean-Talon (now Parc) train station in Montreal's Park Extension district. Originally, the service was designed to provide a temporary alternative for motorists from Laval and the North Shore of Montreal, while the Highway 117 Dufresne Bridge was being repaired. The service proved to be so popular that the AMT continued to fund it, and even extended a number of trains to the Lucien-L'Allier station downtown in 1999, and continues to provide off-peak daytime weekday service on this line. The service was extended further north to Saint-Jérôme in January 2007.[9]

In 2000, the AMT inaugurated its service to McMasterville,[10] and later extended it to Mont-Saint-Hilaire in September 2002.[9]

 
Montréal-Ouest station in Montreal West

In 2001, the AMT initiated a pilot project, launching service on a fifth line to Delson.[11] This was later extended to Candiac in 2005.[12]

A new Train de l'Est (East Train) line to Mascouche was announced by the Quebec government in March 2006.[13] After delays and cost overruns,[14] it started service in December 2014.[15]

In 2014, the AMT acquired the entire Deux-Montagnes line from CN, including the right of way, infrastructure, trackage, other railway equipment, grounds, curb lanes, rights in the Mount Royal tunnel and air rights, in a $97 million transaction.[16]

Creation of Exo

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On June 1, 2017, the AMT was disbanded in a reorganization of metropolitan transit authorities. A new agency, the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) was created to be responsible for operating commuter rail and suburban transit services.[17] In May 2018, the RTM adopted the Exo brand (stylized exo, all-lowercase), to represent the sub- and exurban nature of its service area.[18]

In 2019, Exo proceeded to rebrand all of its lines with numbers in the format "exo1", "exo2", etc. When the ARTM launched its new metropolitan signage in 2023, Exo renumbered the lines again starting at "11".[19] It also adopted a new logo for train service in a distinctive colour to differentiate from other rapid transit services, rolling out progressively on signage since 2020.[20]

Evolution of Montreal suburban rail network logos
  •  
    Logo used by the CTCUM and STCUM until 1997
  •  
    Logo used by the AMT from 1997 until 2020
  •  
    Logo used by Exo as of 2020

Alignment with the new REM

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The construction of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) led initially to the closure of the Mount Royal Tunnel in May 2020, causing the Deux-Montagnes lines to terminate at Bois-Franc station, and the Mascouche line was rerouted around the Western end of Montreal in order to reach Central Station from the south.[21] On December 31, 2020, the Deux-Montagnes line was closed permanently for conversion to the REM.[22]

In May 2023, Exo announced that Lucien-L'Allier terminal would be closed starting April 2024 to rebuild the platforms and add a canopy. Trains on the Candiac, Vaudreuil-Hudson and Saint-Jérôme lines would terminate at Vendôme.[23]

Rolling stock

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Exo has a variety of rolling stock, some of it acquired from GO Transit, the rest built specifically for it. There are a total of 256 cars and locomotives in the fleet.[citation needed]

Locomotives

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Current locomotives

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Maker Model Number in service Numbered Year built Comments
Electro-Motive Diesel F59PHI 11 1320–1330 2000 Used on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint-Jérôme, and Candiac lines.
F59PH 10 1340–1349 1990 Acquired from GO Transit. Used on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Saint Jérôme, Candiac, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche lines. (All diesel routes)
Bombardier ALP-45DP 20 1350–1369 2011 Used on the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Vaudreuil-Hudson, Mascouche and Saint-Jérôme lines.[24]

Future locomotives

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On January 28, 2022, Exo announced that it had ordered 10 Siemens Charger locomotives to replace the older F59PH locomotives in their fleet.[25]

Retired locomotives

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Maker Model Number in class Numbered Year built Service years Comments
Electro-Motive Diesel F40PH 16 223, 243, 270-271, 274, 293, 297, 301-302, 310, 319, 330, 372, 400, 411, 418 1977-1985 2000s-2010s Ex-Amtrak. All sold off to various leasing firms, tourist railroads, or other commuter railroads.
F40PH-2CAT 2 4117-4118[26] 1981 2008-2012 Leased from NJ Transit until the arrival of the ALP-45DP locomotives.[27]
GP40FH-2 5 4135, 4137, 4140, 4143, 4144[27][28] 1966-1967
F59PH[a] 3 526, 530, 532 1988 2010s Ex-GO Transit; leased from Rail World.[27]
3 18523, 18524, 18531 Ex-GO Transit; leased from Rosen-Beaudin Leasing.[27] Distinct from the 1340 series locomotives still in service.
FP7 6 1300-1305 1952 1982-2001[27] Ex-CP 4070-4075, 4040. Replaced by the F59PHI locomotives in 2001.[27] 1301 now on the DGVR as "WM 243".[29][30] 1306 to the Stourbridge Line as "PRR 9880".[29]
1306 1951
GP9RM[27] 4 1310-1313 1959 1990-2010s Ex-Canadian National, rebuilt by CN in 1990.[29] 1311 preserved at Exporail.
  1. ^ Distinct from the 1340 series locomotives still in service.

Passenger cars

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Current coaches

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Maker Model Number in service Numbered Year built Comments
Bombardier Transportation Bombardier BiLevel Coach 22 2000-2003[27] 2004 Control cars.
Low platform only
2020-2037[27] 2005 Low platform only
Bombardier MultiLevel Coach 160 3000 series 2009-2011 [31]
High and low platform compatibility. Required for service on Mascouche and Mont St-Hilaire line
CRRC Tangshan Bi-level coaches 6 2050 series 2022- Started service June 2024[32]
Low platform only

Future coaches

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Maker Model Number ordered Numbered Year ordered Comments
CRRC Tangshan Bi-level coaches 24 TBD June 2017 [33]
20 April 2019[34]
Bombardier Transportation Bombardier BiLevel Coach 22 2000 series March 2018[35] Similar to the 2000 series coaches built in 2004

Retired coaches

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Maker Model Number built Numbered Year built Comments
Bombardier Transportation Single-level coaches 24 701-708, 720-735[27] 1989 Renovated 2011-2013. Retired in 2022 following the delivery of new coaches.
Hawker Siddeley RTC-85SP/D coaches 80 102-111, 200-204, 1036-1103, 1201-1258[27] 1967-1976 Ex-GO Transit. Retired after the arrival of the Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches. Car 104 on display at the Toronto Railway Museum in GO Transit colours.[36][37][38]
Canadian Vickers Gallery Car 9 900-901, 920-926[27] 1969 Ex-Canadian Pacific Railway. Retired in 2010.
Morrison–Knudsen Single-level coaches 14 5156-5234[27] 1987-1988 Leased from NJ Transit in the late-2000s and early 2010s.[27]
Other retired rolling stock
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Maker Model Number built Numbered Year built Comments
Canadian Car and Foundry Head-end power cars 7 600-606 1958 Former boxcars rebuilt into head-end power cars by the Canadian National Railway in 1989, for use alongside the GP9RMs.[27]
Bombardier Transportation MR-90 58 400 series 1994-1995 Electric multiple units used only on the Deux-Montagnes line. Retired in 2020 when the Deux-Montagnes line was closed for conversion to the Réseau express métropolitain.

Further details

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The 22 bilevel coaches are in operation on the Saint-Jérôme line. The AMT did not purchase additional bilevels as it sought to standardize its train fleet with the arrival of the multi-level coaches. However, 20 additional bilevels were purchased by the RTM in March 2018.

On December 18, 2007, the AMT awarded Bombardier a $386-million contract to build 160 multi-level commuter cars. These cars are based on NJ Transit's Multilevel series, and are able to enter the Mount Royal Tunnel, unlike the older GO-style BiLevel cars. They are numbered in the 3000s.

Fares

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As of July 1, 2022, the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) which is responsible for the distribution of fares in the Greater Montreal area has designated 4 zones on its territory A, B, C and D. The Island of Montreal is under zone A. Laval and Longueuil are part of zone B. The northern and southern suburbs of Montreal (off-island) are part of zone C. Zone D is territory not under the authority of the ARTM but it is still responsible for the distribution of fares there as well. [39]

If a trip starts and ends on the island of Montreal, an all modes zone A fare is required. This includes all modes of public transit (i.e. bus, Metro, REM or Exo). If a trip leaves zone A (Montreal) then a fare for the corresponding zone is required. For example, a trip between Montreal and Laval will require an all modes AB fare. Fares are valid for 120 minutes after the first validation. There are no fare gates; instead, a proof-of-payment system is used, where fare inspectors randomly check tickets

All fares are available in a cheaper "reduced" category for children 6 to 17 years old, and seniors that are 65 or older. Additionally, monthly passes are available in a "student" category (which is cheaper than the regular fare but more than the reduced fare) for students 18 to 25 years old. To benefit from the reduced or student fares, the passenger must have a reduced-fare Opus card with their name and photo on it. Travel on the commuter trains is free for anyone 5 and under as well as a maximum of 5 children 6 to 11 years old per person 14 and up traveling with them.

Following the introduction of the Opus, smart card system tickets and passes are now sold by automated vending machines at each station. The machines accept cash, credit and debit cards. Purchases of more than $80 must be paid by cards. Tickets and passes are also sold at a few stores near the suburban stations. Consult the full list on the RTM's website.[40][41] Passes are valid for a calendar month, and are normally on sale from the 20th of the previous month to the 5th of their month of validity. Passengers can also subscribe to OPUS+ which automatically debits the passenger's bank account or credit card and adds the pass to the passenger's Opus card.

History

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A regional transit agency in Greater Montreal was first created by the Quebec government in 1995 with the Agence métropolitain de transport, with the mandate of developing, coordinating and promoting transit throughout the area; improve and develop the commuter rail network, and; encourage integration of different modes of transit. On December 20, 1996, the AMT took over responsibility of the commuter trains from the Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal (STCUM).[9]

On June 1, 2017, the AMT was disbanded in a reorganization of metropolitan transit authorities. A new agency, the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) was created to be responsible for operating commuter rail and suburban transit services.[42]

In May 2018, the RTM adopted the Exo brand (stylized exo, all-lowercase), to represent the sub- and exurban nature of its service area.[43]

Buses

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An Exo commuter bus in Downtown Montreal.
 
An Exo commuter coach at Mansfield Terminal in Downtown Montreal, headed for Sainte-Martine.
Main article: Exo bus services

Exo runs multiple bus lines through its subsidiaries serving Montréal suburbs.

Exo operates all commuter bus services for the North Shore and South Shore suburbs, excepting the cities of Longueuil and Laval, which have their own transit agencies.

Ridership

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In 2018, Exo carried 174,710 passengers on a typical weekday — 77,210 on the trains and 97,500 by commuter bus, including adapted transport.

Number of Passenger Trips (2023)[1]
Rail lines
  Vaudreuil–Hudson line 2,263,792
  
  Saint-Jérôme line 2,085,468
  
  Mont-Saint-Hilaire line 780,760
  
  Candiac line 677,144
  
  Mascouche line 340,861
  
Subtotal — Rail lines 6,147,995
Bus routes
Exo North Shore buses 8,217,932
  
Exo South Shore buses 6,737,806
  
Exo Paratransit 652,719
  
Transit on demand 69,164
  
Subtotal — Bus system 15,677,621
Total — Exo System 21,825,616

Future projects

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Vaudreuil–Hudson Line

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Main article: Vaudreuil–Hudson line

To increase service on the Vaudreuil-Hudson Line, there are plans to add dedicated tracks for commuter trains. The current tracks are used by Exo under permission from Canadian Pacific Kansas City. On July 1, 2010, service to Rigaud was discontinued, due to Rigaud's reluctance to pay annual fees; the rail line now ends at Hudson.[44]

Candiac Line

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Main article: Candiac line

The possibility of extending the Candiac Line to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Saint-Philippe was examined by the Quebec Government in 2014. In 2016, the study's final report rejected that option, citing longer travel times by train for people in the area.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Rapport annuel 2023" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  2. ^ Décarie, Jean-Philippe (2017-05-15). "L'objectif de la mobilité intégrée" [The Objective of Integrated Mobility]. La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  3. ^ "Status, mandates and territory". Exo. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  4. ^ Act respecting the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RLRQ, c. R-25.01, section 3)
  5. ^ "À propos" [About] (in French). Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  6. ^ "The challenge of coordinating train traffic in winter". Exo. 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  7. ^ Agence QMI (2017-07-03). "Retour à la normale sur le réseau de trains de banlieue" [Back to normal on the commuter train network] (in French). TVA Nouvelles. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  8. ^ "À propos" [About us] (in French). Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  9. ^ a b c d e Barrieau, Pierre. "L'Évolution des trains de banlieue montréalais : 170 ans de service (1847 - 2017)" [The Evolution of Montreal Suburban Rail: 170 Years of Service (1847 - 2017)] (PDF) (in French). Université de Québec à Montréal.
  10. ^ "Le train de banlieue attire plus d'usagers que celui de Blainville à ses" (in French). L'oeil régional. 2000-06-03. p. A1. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  11. ^ "Un nouveau train de banlieue Delson-Montréal" [A new Delson-Montreal commuter train] (in French). TVA Nouvelles. 2001-04-17.
  12. ^ "Candiac-Montréal en train" [Candiac-Montreal by train] (PDF) (in French). La Presse. 2004-11-16. p. A7. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  13. ^ Shields, Alexandre (2006-03-18). "Le train de l'est sur les rails" [The Train de l'est is on track] (in French). Le Devoir. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  14. ^ Magder, Jason (2014-11-30). "$671 million later, a train to Mascouche". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  15. ^ Magder, Jason (2014-12-01). "AMT's new Train de l'Est from Mascouche has successful first morning". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  16. ^ "L'AMT FAIT L'ACQUISITION DE LA LIGNE DE TRAINS DE BANLIEUE DEUX-MONTAGNES" [The AMT acquires the Deux-Montagnes train line] (in French). Agence métropolitaine de transport. 2014-02-28. Archived from the original on 2014-03-04.
  17. ^ "Nouvelle gouvernance dans les transports collectifs" [New governance in public transit] (Press release) (in French). Réseau de transport métropolitain. 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  18. ^ "Le Réseau de transport métropolitain devient exo" [The Réseau de transport métropolitain becomes exo] (in French). Exo. 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  19. ^ "Your train lines are getting new numbers". Exo. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  20. ^ "Un nouveau symbole pour le train" [A new symbol for the train]. Exo. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  21. ^ Bruno Bisson (2020-05-11). "Le tunnel du mont Royal fermé" (in French). La Presse. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  22. ^ Magder, Jason (September 18, 2020). "Trains to stop running on Deux-Montagnes line Dec. 31, ahead of schedule". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  23. ^ Sanikopoulos, Audrey (2023-05-29). "La gare Lucien-L'Allier va devoir fermer pour se refaire une beauté". TVA Nouvelles. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  24. ^ "AMT electro-diesel arrives in Montréal". Railway Gazette International. 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  25. ^ "Siemens Mobility to Modernize Montreal's Exo Train Fleet With Sustainable Locomotives". Financial Post. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  26. ^ "AMTL - Agence métropolitaine de transport Locomotive Roster [F40PH-2CAT] - Railroad Picture Archives.NET". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Godfrey, John; Turcotte, Jean-Francois (September–October 2010). "Canadian Rail No. 538" (PDF). Exporail. Canadian Railroad Historical Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  28. ^ "AMTL - Agence métropolitaine de transport Locomotive Roster [GP40FH-2] - Railroad Picture Archives.NET". rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  29. ^ a b c "Old Time Trains". www.trainweb.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Old Time Trains". www.trainweb.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Bombardier clinches big deal for new commuter trains". CBC News. December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  32. ^ Sargeant, Timothy (2024-06-21). "New railcars rolling out on exo's Saint-Jérôme commuter rail line". Global News. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  33. ^ "CRRC to supply commuter coaches to Montréal". Railway Gazette International. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  34. ^ "Montréal increases CRRC coach order". Railway Gazette International. 18 April 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  35. ^ "RTM - Le RTM en action". rtm.quebec. Archived from the original on 2018-03-15.
  36. ^ "GO Transit restores cab car to mark 50th anniversary | Trains Magazine". Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  37. ^ GO Transit [@GOtransit] (14 May 2017). "It's finally here! Please welcome the latest addition to the @TORailwayMuseum: a restored original GO cab car from…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  38. ^ Toronto Railway Museum [@TORailwayMuseum] (13 May 2017). "The Toronto Railway Museum was pleased to welcome a very special part of our rail heritage to Roundhouse Park today…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  39. ^ "ARTM – Fare reform". Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain | ARTM. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  40. ^ "Exo - Metropolitan ticket offices and sales outlets".
  41. ^ "Exo – OPUS card".
  42. ^ "Nouvelle gouvernance dans les transports collectifs" [New governance in public transit] (Press release) (in French). Réseau de transport métropolitain. 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  43. ^ "Le Réseau de transport métropolitain devient exo" [The Réseau de transport métropolitain becomes exo] (in French). Exo. 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  44. ^ Montreal Gazette: "All aboard for the last train to Rigaud", April 23, 2010. Archived April 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
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