Head of CDPQ-Infra has complained to the consortium making the cars that an inspection revealed various manufacturing defects.
Author of the article: Montreal Gazette
Publishing date:Nov 12, 2021
The REM's first train cars were unveiled in Brossard on Monday November 16, 2020. The front car has a lowered window so that kids can get a great view outside.
PHOTO BY DAVE SIDAWAY /Montreal Gazette
A preliminary inspection of train cars made in India and destined to be used in Montreal’s Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) network revealed manufacturing flaws that could represent a “potential risk of injury” to passengers, Radio-Canada reported on Friday.
Citing a letter from the head of the Caisse de dépôt affiliate overseeing the REM project and addressed to the train manufacturing consortium formed by Alstom and SNC-Lavalin, the report details what the letter said were a series of manufacturing defects discovered during an inspection of the first batch of rolling stock delivered to Quebec.
Train car assembly, wiring, and finishing all exhibited “a breach of principles” and of best practices for the construction of trains, Jean-Marc Arbaud, head of CDPQ Infra said in the letter to consortium director Eric Appert, adding the quality of the product delivered was “not of the level expected.”
A preliminary inspection of train cars made in India and destined to be used in Montreal’s Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) network revealed manufacturing flaws that could represent a “potential risk of injury” to passengers, Radio-Canada reported on Friday.
Citing a letter from the head of the Caisse de dépôt affiliate overseeing the REM project and addressed to the train manufacturing consortium formed by Alstom and SNC-Lavalin, the report details what the letter said were a series of manufacturing defects discovered during an inspection of the first batch of rolling stock delivered to Quebec.
Train car assembly, wiring, and finishing all exhibited “a breach of principles” and of best practices for the construction of trains, Jean-Marc Arbaud, head of CDPQ Infra said in the letter to consortium director Eric Appert, adding the quality of the product delivered was “not of the level expected.”
Photos accompanying the letter depict exposed and damaged wiring, an access door that is poorly fitted and dented as well as welding issues with bars used by passengers for support.
In his letter, Arbaud also questions the “general quality” of how the trains are constructed at the Sri City plant in India, adding with 30 per cent of the trains already having been completed, there is “a significant risk” of more repairs being necessary.Arbaud said he is “concerned” by the inspection’s findings, which he said show neither the contract for the trains nor best practices had been respected.
A spokesperson for CDPQ-Infra told Radio-Canada “there is trend developing in certain parts of the production chain we would like to see corrected,” adding, however, authorities were “very confident” those corrections would be carried out and the REM project as a whole had not been compromised.
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