The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced that the Blue Line extension project office awarded the contract for the line’s new train control system.

The adoption of a communications-based train control (CBTC) system is an opportunity to modernize the Montréal métro’s train control system for the entire Blue Line.

The use of CBTC will thus be an upgrade for the Blue Line system. The $217,173,941 contract was awarded to Ground Transportation Systems Canada Inc. and includes installation, maintenance, and certain options for the CBTC system.

The project is funded primarily by the Quebec government, with support from STM.

New System Details

The new system consists of devices placed at different points along the tracks and on the train cars themselves that make it possible to detect the location of each train and communicate effectively with them.

The new system will be installed first on the existing Blue Line and later on the line extension. The system on the métro network’s other three lines will also eventually need to be upgraded.

Progress on the Blue Line Extension

The Blue Line extension is currently under construction. The project office recently issued the final call for tenders for the construction of the tunnel and the excavation of some of the future stations and auxiliary structures (CI12).

The project office is currently analyzing the bids received; the bid analysis and assessment results will be available in the summer of 2024.

The Blue Line extension project will add five new stations east of Saint-Michel station, all the way to Anjou.