Entire REM line shut down during rush hour due to computer problem

A train is seen stopped at a station during a media tour of the the Reseau express metropolitain (REM) in Brossard, Que. on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The automated light train network will have 26 stations and 67 km of tracks across Greater Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Montreal's new light-rail network experienced "technical problems" during the afternoon rush hour on Monday, as some passengers reported on social media that they were stuck on the train for close to an hour.

The Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there was a service disruption at Montreal's Central Station. The post was published at 5:26 p.m.

A previous post from 3:45 p.m. said the REM was down heading north from Brossard.

In an email to CTV News, an official from CDPQ Infra, which operates the REM, said, "Technical problems with the computer system are causing problems and errors at the control centre," and that a backup plan was in place.

"No safety issues have been raised," the email stated.

Passengers took to social media to air frustration with the breakdown and the lack of information from the operator. 

One person on X said he and several other passengers were stuck on the train between two stations and demanded to know when they would be able to get off.

Another person wrote: "Our train is stationary near Panama. Can we at least have some information?"

Shortly after 6:30 p.m., REM service started to be gradually restored, according to an update from the REM's X account.  

COMMUNICATION 'NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED': CDPQ INFRA

Philippe Batani, vice-president of public affairs at CDPQ Infra, confirmed in an interview with The Canadian Press that there was also a service breakdown earlier in the day on Monday.

"We're still in a break-in period, but this is a problem we've encountered for the first time today," he said.

"At the end of the day, the problem became more serious, forcing us to shut down the entire system so that we could take corrective action", he added, adding that "minor slowdowns" were observed throughout the day.

Batani acknowledged that the communication issue needs to be improved.

"We're taking notes. It's been mentioned to us that the way we communicate information to users when there are breakdowns needs to be improved," he said. "It's something that's at the top of our (priority) list."

With files from The Canadian Press