Winter train plan: exo's initiatives during winter

Operating trains in winter is another story!

At exo, we’ve carried out a comprehensive review of all of our winter maintenance procedures. In Quebec, our operations face extreme weather variations in winter, which is why we’ve worked closely with our suppliers to prepare for the cold, humidity, freezing, snow and wind that can damage our infrastructure and trains.

Mesures across the entire network, 24/7

• Thorough inspection of trains on first departure, end of service, and between peak periods
• Preventive maintenance of trains by night crews provided by our supplier, Bombardier
• Preventive maintenance of tracks by our suppliers, CP and CN
• Electrical connection of trains at night in our garages
• Locomotives warmed up early according to weather conditions
• Additional staff and equipment sent to strategic areas on the network
• Close collaboration with our suppliers Bombardier, CP and CN, and guarantee they will be ready to act at all times
• Several means of communication to inform transit users of the service status

Constant monitoring and coordination with our suppliers

Our winter plan allows us to be ready for snowstorms, ensuring high-quality operations are carried out at our sites. Our crews and our suppliers’ teams work day and night on many different levels:

• Conference calls with Bombardier, CP and CN to plan and implement necessary preventive actions before snowfall (snow removal, additional resources, strategic points to monitor, etc.)
• Night teams evaluate at-risk sites and coordinate operations with our maintenance crews (snow and ice removal)
• Continuous communication and coordination with on-site teams and suppliers from the Operations and Surveillance Centre to obtain information on site status
• Real-time adjustment of actions, during morning and evening peak periods and in between peak periods

Special weather conditions: we double our efforts

While we do everything necessary to ensure the safety of our sites and punctuality of our trains, certain weather conditions make operations more difficult, such as freezing rain and heavy snowfall that require constant monitoring. That’s why we double our efforts by devoting more resources to maintaining and monitoring our sites. Here are some examples:

• A return trip by a MR-90 train on the Deux-Montagnes and Mascouche lines to prevent ice buildup on the overhead lines
• Special attention is paid to air intakes on the locomotives to prevent snow and ice from accumulating
• Increased cleaning and de-icing frequency for side doors
• Alternative transportation measures deployed in the event of emergency

Contact us!

If you observe a particular situation at one of our sites, please contact exo Customer Service to let us know. This information is important, and allows us to quickly monitor the situation if necessary.