Full LRT service may not be restored until mid-December: City
While some LRT trains may be accepting passengers next month, the City of Ottawa says it could take another month to have full service restored on the Confederation Line.
In a memo to city councillors, sent Tuesday, City Manager Steve Kanellakos said the plan to restore partial LRT service to the line following the Sept. 19 derailment is proceeding and some service should be restored within the first two weeks of November.
"We can advise that significant progress has been made to prepare for the resumption of partial Line 1 service since the Transit Commission was updated last Wednesday. Additional RTG technicians have been deployed to inspect the trains and conduct necessary work to relaunch the system. The independent rail safety expert, Transportation Research Associates (TRA), is actively monitoring their progress," Kanellakos wrote.
The Confederation Line has been out of service since Sept. 19, when an LRT car derailed at Tremblay Station, damaging the car, the track, the station platform and track infrastructure. Council heard that improperly torqued bolts on one of the train cars led to a gear box becoming loose, which then led to the derailment. There were 12 passengers and the operator on board at the time. No one was hurt.
Kanellakos said RTG has provided a Nov. 29 target date to have full service restored, which includes 15 trains in the morning rush period and 13 in the afternoons. That, however, is dependent upon the same vetting process that is needed for the resumption of partial service using seven trains plus a spare.
"The November 29 date provided by RTG is a target and is subject to validation of the vehicle inspection program by TRA and the City. Accordingly, staff anticipates a return to full service is achievable by mid-December," Kanellakos said. "The City has made clear to RTG that the O-Train Confederation Line 1 will only return to service once TRA completes their assessment, and the City accepts their recommendations."
Kanellakos wrote that once partial service resumes, additional trains will be added incrementally as they pass inspection until the full complement of vehicles is available.
In his memo, Kanellakos said some testing would begin on parts of the line this week.
"These preliminary test trains will be used to verify correct operation of the trains and the infrastructure that was repaired," he wrote.
City council meets Wednesday, but presently the only transit-related item on the agenda is a motion to extend the transfer window between bus trips by an additional 60 minutes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.