Montreal's new REM back up and running after 3rd service disruption in as many days

Service on the Réseau express métropolitain (REM), Montreal's new light-rail train line, was interrupted for an hour Wednesday morning, triggering the service's emergency backup plan for the third time in as many days.

Trains were stalled in both directions, between the Brossard and Gare Centrale stations, due to what REM authorities described on social media as an "incident."

Shuttle buses were being offered to stranded commuters. Service gradually resumed around 6:35 a.m.

Jean-Vincent Lacroix, a spokesperson for CDPQ Infra, which built and oversees the REM, told Radio-Canada the issue was due to a computer problem at the control centre, which prevented the trains from running. The staff had to restart everything, he said. 

"We had a good scare this morning when the systems didn't respond," said Lacroix in a Wednesday morning interview. "We hoped it wouldn't last long, but the team was quick."

However, Lacroix said he can't guarantee these kinds of service disruptions won't happen again in the short term. 

"As we're in the [early] phase, there could be other events like this," he said. "We want to have a good back-to-school season, we want the autumn to go well … but this summer, with the launch, there are a few adjustments to be made." 

It's been a tough first week for the long-awaited network. Following a smooth test run over the weekend, when the rides were free, the REM's official launch on Monday was marred by two service disruptions within 24 hours. 

A stuck railway switch stopped service for an hour and 15 minutes during morning rush hour, and a similar issue at 11 p.m. led to another breakdown in service for about an hour.