RTM train service is plagued by delays, commuters say

Montrealers who use the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) commuter trains to get to work are growing increasingly frustrated with delays that leave them either waiting on the freezing platform or cramped inside stalled train cars for upwards of 30 minutes.

Katherine Bertrand, who uses the Vaudreuil-Hudson line starting at Pincourt station, says over the last month her train is habitually stopping between Vendôme station and the terminus at Central station.​

"Today for example, for 40 minutes we were just stuck in between and there's nowhere to go," she told CBC. "They say it's going to be five minutes and it ends up being 40."

She said that no explanation for the delay was given during her commute.

"There doesn't seem to be much accountability," said Bertrand. "As soon as the snow comes its a guessing game of when you'll be at work."

A spokesperson for the RTM told CBC Monday afternoon that the Deux-Montagnes line was delayed due to frozen brakes.

She said while staff are supposed to make regular announcements to keep users updated, they are often busy working on solving the problem itself.

Problems persist on Deux-Montagnes

Ivan Lu, who has been an RTM commuter for 16 years, said that Monday morning he was surprised to find an eight-car train arrive at Sunnybrooke station in the West Island instead of the usual 10-car.

As a result, he said, the train filled up quickly and couldn't take on anymore passengers halfway down the line.

"Almost no one could get on board at the next stop, it was too full," he said. "Hundreds of people were waiting under extreme cold conditions, close to –30 C, on the platform of different stations along the line."

Lu said even as one of the riders fortunate enough to get on at Sunnybrooke, his morning commute was no picnic standing for an hour packed in "worse than sardines."

On top of that, his train stopped for an additional 10 minutes with all the doors open, due to a medical emergency.

"Everybody was freezing in the train," he said. "I really expect them to have better services."

'A trying start to the year'

The RTM released a statement directed at users Monday morning, saying that they are aware of the problems and working to improve matters.

"It has been a trying start to the year for our commuter train network, mainly because of the extreme weather conditions we are currently experiencing," it says.

The statement, signed by executive director of operations Stéphane Lapierre, details how snow accumulation and temperature swings have had a "major impact on operations."

The RTM is "making every effort to improve the situation," Lapierre said, including ramping up efforts to execute its winter action plan and adding additional crews on the ground.

Switchers on the tracks have been subject to freezing even though they are supposed to be heated automatically, so rail staff are sometimes forced to operate them manually. That can take up to 20 minutes, the statement says.

The release also details a number of other issues, some of which the RTM says are beyond its control, including problems with the signalling system, vehicles on railway overpasses, broken level crossing barriers, and the passage of freight trains.