ALP-45DP Thread

[AMTFan1]

Allright. Question: besides the Deux-Montagnes train, does every line have it's own model of train and locomotives?

Since the Deux-Montagnes line is the only electric train line in the AMT commuter train network and the four other lines (Vaudreuil/Hudson, Mont-St-Hilaire, Candiac and Blaiville/Saint-Jérôme) are diesel lines, those four other lines can switch locomotives and train cars.

When the Deux-Montagnes train line was rebuilt in 1995, the STCUM (Société de Transport de la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal) bought the MR-90 EMU's train cars that are still being used today, and no electric locomotives were bought. Now the Deux-Montagnes line is victim of its own success since it's the busiest train line and the trains are overcrowded. Since 2009, the AMT has received the new multi-level cars and deployed them on the four diesel lines, but for the Deux-Montagnes line, the AMT needs the ALP-45DP locomotives in order to deploy the multi-level cars on this line. But CN is forbidding the use of the ALP-45DP on its tracks and the AMT can't do anything else than waiting CN's authorization...

One of the advantages of the ALP-45DP locomotives is that they can be used on both diesel and electric train lines and the AMT will be now able to switch cars and locomotives between all of its train lines.

[Montrealrail1]

For the Blainvile line,all train run with ALP45DP,exept one of them,still running F59PHI

for the Candiac and Vaudreuil line,it will be soon probably
here's few of the at Sortin yard,now called Lachine yard,by AMT










but,they should make something for Montreal/Deux-Montagnes line,where's MR-90 EMUs are running
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=416544

[sparkyhero]

Yes I know about Deux-Montagnes, I live near Sunnybrooke. Why won't the ALP-45DP's run on the Mont-St-Hilaire line?

[AMTFan1]

Here are some videos that I've taken during the past few days of the ALP-45DP locomotives on duty on the Blainville/Saint-Jérôme line, I've seen ALP-45DP #1355, 1360, 1362 & 1368 during the evening rush hour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhaU7L0vOAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhV62ryMz4s

[dowlingm]

Yes I know about Deux-Montagnes, I live near Sunnybrooke. Why won't the ALP-45DP's run on the Mont-St-Hilaire line?

MSH is a CN owned line and they won't play ball.

[AMTFan1]

Yes I know about Deux-Montagnes, I live near Sunnybrooke. Why won't the ALP-45DP's run on the Mont-St-Hilaire line?

MSH is a CN owned line and they won't play ball.

With time, CN should trust the German built locomotives since none of them has derailed yet at Lucien-L'Allier station. The tracks at that station are also in poor condition as in Central Station. But I've learn from some sources in the metrodemontreal.com forum that Bombardier engineers and technicians have modified the wheel profile of the ALP-45DP in order to reduce the lateral forces. That is the reason why CP has authorized those locomotives. But the modification of the wheel profile was only a precautionary measure in order to avoid any further derailment since the cause of the Central Station derailment was really a track defect:

http://www.metrodemontreal.com/forum/vi ... 234#220234

[AMTFan1]

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSBC) is publishing today the investigation report concerning the Montreal Central Station derailment that occured on December 2011. We'll know more about the causes of the derailment of AMT ALP-45DP 1352:

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/a ... 130122.asp

CN should give the authorizations right now to the AMT in order to put back the ALP-45DP on duty on the Deux-Montagnes and Mont-St-Hilaire train line.

[Montrealrail1]

Finnaly,the report come out..

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-repor ... 1d0099.asp

[sparkyhero]

I hope the CN is going to play ball soon about the ALP-45DP's, I know a lot of angry people who take the overcrowded Deux-Montagnes train every morning!
By the way, I found this Youtube video, it's about commuter rail in the US and Canada, and the AMT is the first agency shown in the video, it's pretty cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRDYUiP0bqU

[sparkyhero]

The problem with the ALP-45DP's is huge because it could slow down the Repentigny-Mascouche line project, which was already due for 2012 and is now due for early 2014. In The Gazette, it is said that AMT and CN have planned several meetings in the following weeks in order to discuss the problem. The AMT says that they are confident the new locomotives will be back soon on the Deux-Montagnes line, therefor not interfering with the construction of the Repentigny-Mascouche line, but CN still has to give it's approval... Since the report blamed the poor track conditions for the derailment and CN has since then made the ajustments, I don't know why this isn't going foward...

[sparkyhero]

Here is an AMT trainspotting video at Vendôme, there are several close-ups of some ALP-45DPs in action!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbqNcssMqOY

[AMTFan1]

From some recent news, after the TSBC has released it's investigation report on the Central Station derailment and blaming CN's track conditions, CN expects the AMT to assume the bill for its own failure to keep Central Station's tracks in a good state. CN is claiming 7.3 million $ in order to repair and strengthen its infrastructure along its network even if the AMT and Bombardier has done the necessary work in order to reduce the excessive lateral forces produced by the ALP-45DP.

http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... -voies.php

As long as the AMT doesn't pay for the repairs of CN's tracks, CN won't allow the ALP-45DP on its network, even if it's CN's duty to assume the maintenance of its infrastructure. And in the mean time, Deux-Montagnes line riders must endure overcrowded and increasingly unreliable MR-90 EMU's which are due for a major overhaul starting next year. As for the Mont-St-Hilaire trains, they are still hauled by ageing and fuel-hungry F40PH’s.The Mascouches line must also be opened next year. The new locomotives were bought specifically for this new train line and CN seems to be doing the odious by restricting the use of those locomotives.

Meanwhile, the ALP-45DP are being used on CP's tracks and are on duty on the Saint-Jerôme line, they will be deployed on the Vaudreuil/Hudson line this month.

[AMTFan1]

The ALP-45DP are now on service on the Vaudreuil/Hudson line. Meanwhile, AMT 1350, 1352 (the one that has derailed in Central Station in December 2011) and 1353 were transferred few days ago from CN to CP network. This could mean that it will still take some time before those locomotives can be used on CN trackage.

[sparkyhero]

Where will the old Vaudreuil-Hudson locomotives run? Mont-Saint-Hilaire?

[AMTFan1]

Où iront les anciennes locomotives de la ligne Vaudreuil-Hudson? Mont-Saint-Hilaire?

Most of those locomotives like the F40PHs and the GP40 PH3s are leased, so they will return to their original owner which are Amtrak and New Jersey Transit. On the Mont-St-Hilaire line and Candiac line, they will start using the F59PH which were bought from GO Transit recently once they will have done the necessary modifications on them so that one locomotive will be enough to propel a train composed of 10 multi-level cars. They will also modify their paint scheme so that they'll have the same livery as the ALP-45DPs and the F59PHIs.

In the meantime, here are some pictures of AMT 1350, 1352 and 1353 being transferred to CP:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3399500

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3392395

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3398975

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3398973