O-Train will not return to service until all vehicles are inspected, councillor says

Ottawa's light-rail transit system could remain closed into next week, as OC Transpo and Rideau Transit Group continue to inspect all 45 LRT vehicles following the issue with an axle bearing on one LRT vehicle this week.

Approximately 72 hours after the LRT system was shut down, only 15 LRT vehicles have been checked, with no new issues discovered, OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar said Thursday.

In an update to council on the third full day without LRT service, Amilcar said Rideau Transit Group is discussing return to service scenarios with the city, but did not say when the LRT will return to service to alleviate gridlock on R1 replacement bus service.

The O-Train was immediately shut down in the middle of the afternoon commute on Monday to allow for a full inspection of LRT vehicles and an investigation into the bearing issue after an issue was discovered on one vehicle. An axle bearing issue was discovered on one vehicle during a 50,000 KM inspection.

R1 replacement bus service is running between Blair and Tunney's Pasture stations.

As of Thursday afternoon, 15 LRT vehicles have been assessed, with no issues discovered. Amilcar said the inspection of the LRT vehicle where the wheel hub assembly was identified, "uncovered no additional issues."

While Amilcar said a return to service plan is being discussed, Coun. Riley Brockington said he was told on Thursday that OC Transpo "will inspect all 45 trains before return to service."

Brockington adds Amilcar hopes to be in a position to comment on a possible return to service date on Friday.

With only 15 of the 45 vehicles inspected since the O-Train was taken out of service on Monday, it will take several days to complete the inspection.

Amilcar says all LRT vehicles will be inspected for "excess grease" and "wear and tear to the axle hub assembly."

"RTG is pursuing additional equipment and resources to expedite this work."

Rideau Transit Group will also be conducting additional test train runs with various configurations, according to Amilcar.

A test train completed several runs in different train and track configurations, including different loads. A test train fitted with Smart Bugs to gather additional data completed several runs Wednesday night and Thursday.

Replacement bus service

The extended shutdown of Ottawa's LRT system will put additional pressure on OC Transpo buses and the R1 replacement bus service.

OC Transpo has increased R1 replacement bus service to 36 buses during peak periods, up from 28 during peak travel periods on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  By Wednesday afternoon, there were 32 buses available to run the R1 route.

"This change is being made to increase reliability and mitigate traffic issues that impact bus service," Amilcar said Wednesday.

The head of the union that represents OC Transpo drivers also says R1 service affects the rest of the system.

"I think my members are doing the best they can to service the public, but they're being pulled off regular service to do R1 service," Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279 president Clint Crabtree told Newstalk 580 CFRA. "It has an effect on the whole service when the train is down and we pull to R1 service, so it's affecting everything.

Starting Friday, R1 service will use Albert and Slater streets downtown, instead of Queen Street.

• Westbound R1 buses will run on Albert Street with stops at Bank and Kent
• Eastbound R1 buses will run on Slater Street with stops at Kent and O’Connor

New signage is being installed to notify customers about the alternate R1 stops, according to Amilcar.

Brockington says he was told the capacity issues with R1 is not due to a lack of buses, "but a lack of drivers."

Lees Shuttle Bus

OC Transpo is rolling out a new shuttle bus between Lees and Rideau stations.

"This will improve reliability and reduce travel times for customers," Amilcar said on Thursday.

• Westbound R1 service will run from Blair to Tunney’s Pasture station, stopping at each station except for Lees Station
• A shuttle will run between Lees, uOttawa and Rideau stations
• Customers travelling to Lees Station from the east can connect with the shuttle and Eastbound R1 service at uOttawa Station
• Eastbound R1 service will continue serve Lees Station

What needs to happen next?

There is no timeline for when service might resume. In Wednesday's memo, Amilcar said Rideau Transit Group was still working on a return-to-service plan.

Rail geometry assessments had been completed as of Wednesday, but the results of that assessment had yet to be analyzed to identify any non-conformances on the track, so that still needs to be done.

The city had completed what's known as an "instrumented bogie test" as of Wednesday, but additional test runs are expected, including one with a vehicle fitted with other specialized devices to gather additional data, which will need to be analyzed.

According to the city's director of engineering Richard Holder, an instrumented bogie test uses different instruments to measure a variety of data points during a trip across the line.

"They both measure the accelerations within the vehicle, but they also measure loads," he explained during a news conference on Tuesday. "So, we are accurately gathering data on the performance of the vehicle; how fast it’s moving, how it behaves within the curves and as it negotiates special track work, but we are simultaneously recording the impact of that behaviour on the loads within the assembly of the bogies, the axles and hub assemblies themselves."

There has been no indication from officials about how long the data analysis might take.