Production of next generation Montreal metro trains delayed

CTV Montreal: Azur trains on hold The introduction of the next generation Azur metro cars will be on hold for a while due to production issues, Denise Roberts reports.

Delivery of new Azur trains for the Montreal metro system will be delayed several months due to a supply issue, Bombardier Transportation announced Thursday.

The production issue will result in the temporary layoff of about150 workers at the plant in La Pocatière where work on the trains will be halted on April 28 and only resume in late October.

Five metro trains have been completed but will not be operable until the automatic control system software is ready.

The control system is manufactured by Ansaldo STS, a subcontractor of Alstom, Bombardier's partner in the consortium responsible for producing the new trains.

Delivery of the first trains is now expected at the end of 2015 rather than in the second quarter, as originally planned.

Bombardier could be forced to pay penalties due to the delay but the company ensures that all 469 cars will be delivered before the end of 2018, as promised in the contract.