REM Light Rail- Phase I, Receives the Highest Honor

The 2024 AGA Awards “Most Distinguished Project”

Corbec, the galvanizer for the REM Light Rail- Phase (I) project celebrates 2000 tonnes of steel and 1200 tons of hot dip galvanizing; a low carbon footprint solution.

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The project recently won 2 major distinctions: The highest honor - the 2024 AGA (American Galvanizers Association) Award for the “Most Distinguished Project”. In addition, it was the winner in the “Engineering” Category and the recipient of an Award of Excellence in Steel Construction conferred by the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC).

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Congratulations to the project team and its partners.

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What's not to like about the hot dip galvanizing story for mass transit?

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Low initial cost, renowned exceptionally long and low maintenance service life, factory-controlled reliable quality and tight product control and identification, extremely high abrasion resistance. 2000 tonnes of steel and 1200 tons of hot dip galvanizing; an all-around low carbon footprint solution.

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The Team:

Galvanizer: Corbec Inc.

Owners: Réseau Express Métropolitain (CDPQ)

Architect: Bisson Fortin

Engineer: Zilco Inc.

General Contractor: Réseau Express Métropolitain / Kiewit-Eurova

Fabricators: Structures XL, Quirion Métal, Canam

Erector: Structures de Beauce

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Components Galvanized:

Structural steel and misc. metal for power supply towers, safety railings, staircases etc. Rebar for concrete structures, bolts, anchor bolts and related hardware.

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Project Description:

‍An automated driverless light rail system to serve the commuter needs of the four million Canadians living in Greater Montreal.  The second phase opens in 2024 and will have 42 miles of line and 26 stations.

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In July 2023 phase one of the long-awaited REM Light Rail system opened for public use.  This 10-mile, five station line connects the on-island city center with suburbs on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River.  The line uses elevated sections, bridges, and tunnels as well as on grade railbed.  This section was completed first as it is the most urgently needed due to severe congestion on all the bridges crossing the Saint Lawrence.

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When the second phase opens in late 2024 the total network will have 42 miles of line and 26 stations. Total cost is estimated to be $7.5 billion USD.  

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With the financial challenges of urban light rail projects all too well known the designers focused on both initial and ongoing costs to minimize the risk repeating the risk of financial disaster that has befallen so many of these projects around the world.  

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Fully automated trains with no drivers is a high profile example of these cost reduction efforts.  Less publicised but perhaps far more important was the effort to reduce construction costs, especially on-site labor.  Montreal has the highest construction labor rates on earth, so every venue was examined.  

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Galvanizing brought powerful benefits to the project, especially considering the damp cold climate and the widespread use of de-icing chemicals for many months of the year.  The long-proven low-cost performance of Hot-Dip on corrosive Canadian roadway conditions was well known to engineers but lees well known were the precision product control capabilities of modern galvanizing plants.  Consistently high-quality finishes and bar-code-controlled bundle identification streamlines on-site erection and the amazing impact durability of zinc on steel eliminated almost all costly onsite damage remediation.

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This, combined with the very high capacity of several local galvanizing plants also insured JIT turnaround further lowering costs and speeding completion schedules.

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With well over a million riders already have enjoyed zipping past freeway gridlock on their daily commutes.  Hot-Dip has contributed to speeding up the availability of this essential service, lowered its construction cost and will also extend the service life and lower the operating costs as well.  

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A great and high-profile example of the amazing value equation of today’s Hot-Dip corrosion stopper!

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