The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is investigating videos showing fans of “urban exploration” illegally accessing the operator’s box of moving trains in the metro.
Each Montreal metro train has two identical operator boxes at each end so that it can run in both directions. Thus, only the box located at the front is occupied by an operator when the train is in service.
It was in the one located at the back that three different videos discovered by The newspaper which have been posted on TikTok in recent weeks.
The authors, who do not identify themselves, are likely fans of urban exploration (Urbex), this tendency to explore forbidden or abandoned places, often in search of thrills and reactions on social networks.
“Small wrinkled in the subway cabin,” wrote one of them in his video published less than a week ago.
Investigation
Isabelle A. Tremblay, spokesperson for the STM, indicated that these videos were transmitted internally in order to “investigate”.
“On access to the operator’s box, operators are instructed to keep the box doors as well as the connecting doors locked at all times. On-board controls are inactive when there is no operator on board.”
The STM also claimed to be “aware” of the “international” popularity of urban exploration.
Over the past few months, The newspaper has also seen the circulation of several other amateur videos published by urban exploration accounts where we recognize the interior of the metro tunnels.
The newspaper reported in November 2023 that the annual number of intrusions into metro tunnels had also doubled since the pandemic.
“We are aware that some people take an enormous risk by entering the underground metro network and we deplore this type of activity which is dangerous,” recalled Mr.me Tremblay. In fact, these people are greatly compromising their health and safety by acting in this way with a very high level of electrification.”
This is not the first time that urban explorers have attracted the attention of authorities. Last January, daredevils broadcast their climb of the Samuel-de-Champlain Bridge tower on social networks. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) announced a few weeks later the arrest of three minors in connection with this event.
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