OTTAWA -- Service is reduced on the Confederation Line as a fleet-wide inspection is conducted on trains after a crack was discovered on the wheel of one of the train cars.
OC Transpo announced Friday morning that the O-Train is running on a reduced schedule as Rideau Transit Maintenance “carries out critical work on some of the rail cars.”
Trains were running every 10 minutes at 8 a.m. At 10:26 a.m., six trains were in service on the route between Blair and Tunney's Pasture stations.
By 3:45 p.m., there were nine trains in service.
In a memo to Council, Transportation Services General Manager John Manconi said a reduced number of trains are in service.
“While undertaking (Thursday’s) maintenance program one train wheel set was found to have steel crack on a wheel,” Manconi wrote.
“As a precaution and in accordance with safety operational procedures, a fleet-wide inspection began overnight and is currently underway. As more vehicles are inspected, they will be put into service.”
S1 supplemental bus service from Blair, Hurdman and Tunney’s Pasture stations directly to downtown Ottawa was brought in, but Manconi later said due to light passenger load along the Confederation Line, the S1 Supplemental Bus Service was being pulled from service.
In another memo Friday afternoon, Manconi said inspections would be complete by 9 p.m.
"So far only two vehicles are affected," Manconi wrote. "Inspections will continue on the fleet until root cause is determined and safety sign off are provided. All safety protocols remain in place . We expect that weekend service will not be impacted and if needed we will reduce the fleet count taking advantage of the low ridership to enable maximum time for inspection."
