Canada: On its social media accounts, the Chinese manufacturer has published an interior photo of an intermediate coach which can accommodate 147 passengers and has a dedicated area for bicycles and strollers.
Since June, the first push-pull train consisting of six such coaches has been run by the Canadian regional operator Exo on the Saint-Jérôme line of about 63 km. The remaining 38 coaches are expected to enter service by summer 2025.
Ladder leading to the upper deck of the CRRC train for Montreal. Source: CRRC
Inside the CRRC train for Montreal. Source: CRRC
Under the contract, signed in 2017, with an option of 2019, CRRC is to produce 36 intermediate and eight head coaches at a cost of US$ 150.8 mln. However, the deliveries were initially delayed for almost three years, from June 2019 to February 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in design documentation, and the authorities’ requirement to improve the localisation level. The subsequent postponement for more than a year was forced by communication issues between coaches, revealed during the tests and caused by a fault in components from a Canadian supplier.
