LRT service resumes after damaged wire disrupts travel for hours
OC Transpo says LRT service has resumed in full after more than seven hours of disruptions Wednesday.
The transit service announced just after 10 a.m. that there was a stopped train, and passengers could only use the eastbound platforms between uOttawa and Hurdman stations.
At 10:55 a.m., the transit service announced there was no LRT service between the three stations.Transit Services General Manager Renée Amilcar said in a memo that damage was found on the wires that power the train near Lees Station, described by Amilcar as a "gouge" in the overhead catenary system.
A stopped LRT train near Lees Station. Feb. 14, 2024. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)
R1 bus service ran between Rideau and Hurdman stations, while LRT service continued to operate between Tunney's Pasture and uOttawa and between Blair and Hurdman stations for much of the day.
Amilcar said in a second memo at around 5:30 p.m. that full service had resumed.
"Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) were able to complete a splice repair to the Overhead Catenary System (OCS) near Lees Station and have completed all necessary inspections to confirm the system is safe to operate in the area. R1 bus service between Rideau and St-Laurent stations will conclude shortly," she wrote.
In a memo to council late Wednesday evening, Amilcar provided more details about the issue with the overhead catenary wire and the reason for the full LRT line was shut down between uOttawa and Hurdman stations.
Just before 10 a.m., a westbound train with approximately 50 customers onboard stopped outside of Lees Station after the vehicle experienced a power loss.
"Preliminary indications are that the power loss may have been due to a mechanical fault with the pantograph which subsequently caused minor damage to the overhead catenary wire," Amilcar wrote.
At 10:40 a.m., a second train stopped near uOttawa Station due to an "unrelated mechanical issue," Amilcar said.
"Due to the location of this stopped train, it was no longer possible to continue travelling through the single track corridor, and R1 bus service was implemented to keep customers moving," Amilcar wrote, adding it was cleared from the line around 12:30 p.m. while repairs near Lees Station continued.
Both vehicles are undergoing further testing.
Amilcar says Rideau Transit Maintenance will continue a "more permanent repair" to the overhead wires this weekend during the maintenance period.
"At this time, it is not believed that this incident is related to current weather conditions or the issue that affected the OCS over the weekend."
Passengers forced to disembark stopped train
Passengers on one of the trains that stopped on the line were forced to disembark and walk back to the nearest station Wednesday morning.
The wind chill was around -20 at the time.
"Pretty stressful, especially because there's no answers on what's going on," said passenger Taylor Watson-Fluker, who goes to Carleton University.
Watson-Fluker ultimately chose to take an Uber instead of waiting for a bus.
Others chose to walk.
"It's an awfully expensive thing to have not working. But I love the train when it's running," one passenger said.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Peter Szperling and Josh Pringle
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feds 'not interested' in investing in LNG facilities: energy minister
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is 'not interested' in subsidizing future liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including the electrification of projects currently in the works.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Global measles cases nearly doubled in one year, researchers say
The number of measles cases around the world nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, researchers say, presenting a challenge to efforts to achieve and maintain elimination status in many countries.
Fair share: the right office solution can take finding the right partner
The rise of remote and hybrid work has made it harder to justify a full office, so more are leaning on co-working spaces that they share with many others for convenience and cost savings. The choice, however, comes at the expense of privacy and control.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.