Broken wire on LRT car shuts down O-Train between uOttawa and Tremblay stations

An Ottawa light rail transit car stopped near Lees Station on Saturday, Feb. 12. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/lrtmakesmelate)

O-Train service was shut down between three stations Saturday morning after a wire on an LRT car broke, causing it to stop just outside a station.

Rideau Transit Maintenance and OC Transpo are investigating after the broken wire shutdown service between uOttawa and Tremblay stations for approximately nine hours.

Transit Services General Manager Renee Amilcar says a train experienced a loss of power just outside Lees Station just before 9 a.m. 

"The system’s safety design features reacted as intended to the gap in power and brought the train to a stop," Amilcar said in a memo to council.

"As the investigation and repairs are ongoing, the train will remain stopped until it can be safely removed from the line."

OC Transpo staff assisted customers onboard the stopped train to safely access the nearby station.

Amilcar says RTM technicians have found a wire called a "parafil" - which supports the Overhead Catenary System – had broken.

RTM is now investigating the root cause of the break while making repairs to support the wire.

"The investigation into the root cause will determine if this incident is related to earlier parafil issues and verify that previous corrective action is still relevant," said Amilcar. "This incident does not appear to be related to the power loss experienced on January 22, 2022."

Photos on social media showed crews working on the overhead wire of the train near Lees Station late Saturday morning.

O-Train service remains shutdown between uOttawa and Tremblay stations. R1 Replacement Bus Service is running between the stations.

Amilcar announced service had resumed along the full line between Blair and Tunney's Pasture stations just before 6 p.m. 

"Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) has inspected and made repairs to the catenary system," Amilcar said. "A root cause investigation regarding today’s incident is underway. Our top priority remains providing a safe service for our customers."