City calling on RTG to explore adding heat detectors to LRT vehicles
The City of Ottawa says it agrees with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada that the risk mitigation regime on Ottawa's LRT is insufficient and they're telling the Rideau Transit Group to explore the idea of adding heat detectors on the trains.
In a memo sent Tuesday afternoon, City Manager Steve Kanellakos responded to a rail safety advisory letter sent by the TSB on Monday. The TSB said that the LRT train that derailed outside Tunney's Pasture Station on Aug. 8 had experienced problems several hours before and that a wheel on one of the cars had severed from its axle because of what it called a "previously undetected catastrophic roller bearing failure and subsequent axle journal burn-off."
The TSB noted that Ottawa's LRT trains do not have heat detection systems which might have caught the overheated axle before a problem occurred and that the strategy of mitigating these problems through routine inspection wasn't good enough.
Kanellakos agreed.
"While a limited number of urban light rail systems include this feature, it is not consistently applied on Canadian urban light rail systems. Alstom’s maintenance regime should manage and mitigate this risk, according to their established practices,” Kanellakos wrote. “The City and the TSB have now determined that these practices are insufficient. In reviewing RTG’s safety documentation and the recent derailment, the TSB specifically notes in the RSA letter that the current mitigations for a roller bearing failure have proven to be insufficient and this is the area that RTG needs to address with Alstom.”
He said that the city is now asking RTG to find a solution to detect these issues before they occur.
"[T]he City will be using our rights under the Project Agreement, to require RTG to explore solutions that would provide an early detection of bearing failures," Kanellakos wrote. "As noted in the TSB letter, the arrangement of bearings precludes effective visual inspection and temperatures cannot be monitored by traditional wayside hot bearing detectors (heat detection units mounted at track level)."
Kanellakos said a final determination of the root cause for this failure is required from RTG and their subcontractor to determine the repairs and mitigation strategies that are required.
The Confederation Line was shut down for five days following the Aug. 8 derailment and nine additional train cars had to undergo additional maintenance to repair loose axle bearings
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
BREAKING Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street