When the REM stops, operations centre springs into action

When someone or something gets onto the tracks of the REM’s light-rail network, a team of 12 employees in Brossard springs into action in seconds.

“It’s an instant reaction,” said Vincent Roy, the head of engineering of operations at Pulsar, which operates the REM.

Inaugurated in 2023, the REM will be the world’s largest automated light-rail network once all the stations are up and running. Despite the high-tech nature of the network and the security measures in place, the automated system relies on a group of nearly 50 employees who work in three shifts around the clock at the REM’s operations centre.

“This is the brain of the operations of the REM,” says Vincent Roy, the head of engineering of operations at Pulsar, which operates the REM, seen Thursday, May 7, 2026. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

“There is an alarm (when there is an intrusion on the tracks),” Roy said. “Operators get a live video feed and they make sure if it’s someone on the tracks, an animal or a false detection, and they will confirm the intrusion and press on the emergency stop button.”

Like the red stop buttons seen on ski hill chairlifts, a set of red buttons are located underneath a see-though plastic cover in the centre of the room. When an intrusion is confirmed, operators press on the buttons that cut power to the part of the network where the intrusion is located. That then triggers an automatic stop on all trains within that area. It takes trains 300 metres to stop after the brakes are activated.

This all happens in a nondescript white building just a stone’s throw away from the REM’s Brossard terminus.

“Basically, this is the brain of the operations of the REM,” Roy said.

Sitting at overly wide desks, operators are each focused on the eight screens on their desktops as well as a screen at the back of the wall that shows the status of the REM network and its trains. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

The so-called brain was one of the first buildings to be built during the REM’s construction, and Roy has been working there since 2020. The building also houses one of three maintenance centres on the network, where trains are parked for repairs or maintenance.

Although the light-rail network has several maintenance centres, there is only one operations centre. Because while the REM may be automated, it still relies on humans to make quick decisions to ensure safety and the smooth operations of the network. That has to be done in a centralized location where all the salient information can be analyzed so decisions can be made quickly.

“It’s so the left hand can talk to the right hand, and a decision can be taken from one spot with clear information,” Roy said.

There are three shifts of 12 employees.

Traffic operators monitor more than 7,600 cameras and ensure the trains are running smoothly, according to a predetermined schedule. About 95 per cent of the network can be seen through the cameras, and 99 per cent of the trains are visible.

“Obviously, we don’t have enough eyes to monitor all those cameras, so we rely on a lot of technology, which detects fires, objects left behind or even if a camera is masked by paint or whatever,” he said.

The REM control centre operated by Pulsar in Brossard is seen Thursday, May 7, 2026. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

On this day, trains were running on time and there were relatively few incidents to be concerned about. The room where operators work looks like a data centre. It has a grey carpet and beige walls with assorted maps of the network affixed to them. At the far end of the room, a large yellow circle with the word “Pulsar” decorates the wall. Sitting at overly wide desks, operators don’t have much time to look at their surroundings because they are each focused on the eight screens on their desktops as well as a screen at the back of the wall that shows the status of the REM network and its trains. Green lights show the area of the network where trains are running. One area — the branch heading to Trudeau airport — is in purple because there are no trains running there at the moment.

The Anse-à-l’Orme branch is still days away from welcoming its first passengers, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at this room. Operators pay attention to all areas of the network where trains are running. The area of the map of that branch is lit up in green, and it shows where each train is located on the network.

However, the system has had its failings in the past.

In November, two brothers, ages 19 and 22, died when they were struck by a REM train as they were part of a group trying to cross Highway 10 in Brossard by foot. The tracks go through the middle of the highway. Roy wouldn’t comment on the incident because it is still under investigation, but he said operators at the centre were working that shift because the network is monitored 24 hours per day. At night is when there is the most activity because workers have just four hours to perform a slew of maintenance operations when the network is shut down.

And when ice and snow buildup wreaked havoc with the REM’s operations this past winter, the tension could be felt in this room as operators had to localize the problems, pause the trains in the areas affected and dispatch teams to correct problems like frozen switches or ice buildup on overhead wires.

“We feel that frustration here because we would like to provide the service,” Roy said. “But there is always a learning curve. Something happens, we react and adapt and try to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Agents can drive to and access different parts of the network, with entry points located about every 250 metres on the tracks. All such work, however, is coordinated with the operations centre as operators ensure the current on the tracks is turned off and that trains aren’t running.

The operations centre also tries to prevent problems before they arise, Roy explained.

“We monitor the weather and if there is a risk of ice, we will put an antifreeze on the wires and run the trains 24 hours to prevent buildup,” he said.

Aside from the traffic monitors, there is also a group of energy system operators who monitor the roughly 250,000 elements, such as ventilation systems, elevators and lighting — all the equipment that powers the network.

“Hydro-Québec provides us the energy and we control it internally,” Roy said. “So the stations are energized by us. We have seven points of injection, and they all have redundancies. So if there is a (power failure) at one injection point, these operators can reconfigure the system.”

Energy systems operator Alexandre Frigon at work in the REM control centre operated by Pulsar in Brossard on Thursday, May 7, 2026. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

There are also communications agents working on site to ensure the proper messages are broadcast throughout the REM’s trains and in its stations. These agents also communicate to users when they press on intercoms located within the network. Other agents ensure there is communication on social media and through text messages so would-be riders are informed of any breakdowns.

All of this is coordinated by a supervisor, who Roy said is the maestro of the room, ensuring all teams are working together properly.

Responding quickly to emergencies requires teams to be trained intensively and also to update their training, Roy said.

When problems occur, teams also analyze the issues and put in place measures to prevent them from recurring. All of this is practised during simulations that are part of routine training all operators must undergo.

“We also simulate situations with fire services and ambulances to make sure that everyone all together can respond when there is a major incident,” Roy said.

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Jason Magder

You'll often see Jason Magder donning a hard hat and florescent vest at a local construction site. As The Gazette's transportation reporter for more than a decade, he has seen the new Champlain Bridge built, the old one demolished and followed the ups and downs of the city's transit system. He has been covering news in Montreal for 25 years.

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