OC Transpo bringing double-car LRT service back on weekdays
OC Transpo says passengers on the Confederation Line will see more double-car trains starting next week.
Service on the LRT has been largely relegated to single-car trains following last summer's 28-day shutdown over axle issues. Some double-car trains have been made available during peak periods in the past four months, but OC Transpo now says that regular double-car service will run on weekdays starting Monday.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"The move to double-car trains is due to a new measure that extends the life of the wheel hub assemblies on the vehicles while continuing to ensure the ongoing safe operation of the fleet," said a memo written by acting GM of Transit Services Richard Holder.
Trains will operate approximately every five to six minutes, he said.
Single-car train service will continue to operate on weekends to meet current ridership levels.
The move to single-car service in August came as a result of an updated safety note from train manufacturer Alstom that now requires axle hub assemblies to be replaced every 60,000 km of service. Running single cars was meant to reduce the amount of service kilometres on each vehicle in order to extend the life of the axle hubs.
The return to double-car service, which is the service level that was promised for Line 1, comes as part of a test of a short-term solution to axle hub problems that have troubled the line for years.
The city's Transit Commission heard last month that the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) and Alstom have proposed placing a pin in the restraining nut on the axle hubs to prevent it from unscrewing. This is meant to serve as a stop gap until Alstom redesigns the axle hub assemblies and the new assemblies are fully installed across the fleet, which was touted by OC Transpo officials as the permanent solution to the problems with the axles.
In his memo, Holder said Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) completed the necessary testing and analysis of the proposed nut pinning solution.
"OC Transpo and Transportation Resource Associates (TRA) are satisfied that safety requirements have been met and the hub assemblies with the nut pinning solution can now be deployed to in-service vehicles. This added measure allows for the immediate return to double-car trains on Line 1," Holder wrote.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was happy with the announcement.
"I’m pleased to see the return of double-car train service. This brings us one step closer to delivering a level of service that our customers expect and deserve," he said in a City of Ottawa news release.
Transit Commission chair Coun. Glen Gower added, "This is great news for commuters who I know will appreciate the extra space on O-Train Line 1. We continue to work to improve service reliability for transit riders."
Holder added that test trains would operate during regular service hours over the next couple of months to gather additional data for ongoing safety assurance and to allow for early detection of potential issues.
Transit riders might see these test trains on occasion. Announcements at stations will advise customers that the approaching train is not in service. Test trains are also labelled with decals.
A Line 1 test train at Hurdman Station. (Ted Raymond/CTV News Ottawa)
There have been three major incidents related to the wheel hub and axle bearing assembly since August 2021, including the derailment of an LRT vehicle at Tunney's Pasture Station. O-Train service was interrupted for 28 days in July and August 2023 after a routine inspection discovered excess grease on an axle hub assembly on one train.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.