MONTREAL — Montreal commuter rail operator Exo is stepping up testing of new but long-delayed rolling stock, built by China’s CRRC under a C$196 million order placed in 2017. A set of the new bilevel cars is shown en route to Montreal on Saturday, Aug. 26, after a stop at Montreal West. The first cars in the 44-car order were originally slated for delivery in 2019, but the first cars did not arrive until February 2022. At the time, Exo attributed the delay to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as changes to the cars and an increase in the amount of Canadian content involved in their manufacture, and estimated the first cars would enter service early in 2023. The cars, with seats for up to 147 passengers, may be nearing their revenue debut.
One of the cars made news when it was damaged upon delivery in February 2022, striking the superstructure of a former lift bridge over Montreal’s Lachine Canal [see “New Montreal commuter car damaged ….,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 15, 2022].
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