Questions about plans for Montreal and Quebec

I'm hoping to take a trip to Canada this year and one of the lines I definitely want to ride is VIA between Montreal and Quebec City. I've also seen some of the proposals for speeding up trains across Canada. One major reoute planned would take Corridor trains off the Drummondville Sub and send them via Trois Rivieres instead. This would save a lot of time as it would avoid two scenic but slow St. Lawrence River crossings and the roundabout trackage now used between Charny and Gare Palais. I'm also wondering, would the Chaleur and the Ocean change too or would they continue to run through Drummondville?

This is also related somewhat to my second question. Besides the service to Deux Montagnes, the Mount Royal Tunnel is also expected to accomodate the St. Jerome and Repentigny-Mascouche Lines. In addition to three commuter lines, the tunnel is also expected to handle an increasing number of intercity trains. Will the present two track tunnel and Gare Central be adequate for this?

If and when a high-speed line is established between Montreal and Quebec City, it may or may not follow the north shore of the St. Lawrence River through Trois-Rivieres. Whether this route would serve Central Station and go under Mount Royal, or follow some other path is unknown. These decisions, and many more, have not yet been made. In the meantime, and don't hold your breath waiting, VIA trains will continue running on the present route. Again, what would happen to the long distance train route has not been determined. Since neither the Gaspe nor Halifax trains currently serve Gare du Palais, I would expect they will continue running south of the St. Lawrence regardless of any other changes.

While the plan for the new Repentigny/Mascouche suburban train is use the Mount Royal Tunnel from day one, any reroute of the Blainville/St.-Jerome line through there is far into the distant future. It's difficult to predict what the frequency of trains may be once that happens, but based on today's numbers, the double track line should have plenty of capacity to handle it.

True, this is all very far off, but it's too much fun to Google and read about the various plans. If every idea comes to fruition, the Mount Royal Tunnel would have three commuter lines (with local and express peak trains) and one or two intercity lines depending on what routes are finally chosen. During rush hour the place may someday look like Amtrak's North River tunnels.

If we want to talk near term, Deux Montagnes could use additional trains tomorrow. Is it true CN won't allow additional D-M trains while their freight has to cross at grade? A flyover alone can take a decade to build. Granted, AMT doesn't have tons of cash to throw around. That they were able to open three new commuter lines with a fourth one imminent is very commendable.

Wingnut wrote:This is also related somewhat to my second question. Besides the service to Deux Montagnes, the Mount Royal Tunnel is also expected to accomodate the St. Jerome and Repentigny-Mascouche Lines. In addition to three commuter lines, the tunnel is also expected to handle an increasing number of intercity trains. Will the present two track tunnel and Gare Central be adequate for this?

When I asked about the tunnel's capacity, at a recent AMT public meeting, I was answered that there was now less than a train every 15 minutes, while tunnels of smaller gauge in NYC had a train every 3 minutes. I was also told that they were currently conducting a feasability study for possibly building a second tunnel in a + or - 15-year time frame.

Marc