Ottawa LRT service 'better than the one' before the 54 day shutdown, RTM CEO says
Rideau Transit Maintenance will replace a section of rail in the LRT tunnel overnight and add an eighth train to the Confederation Line Thursday, as the service slowly ramps up following the derailment two months ago.
Meanwhile, the head of Rideau Transit Maintenance says the system operating today is "better than the one" that was shutdown following the derailment on Sept. 19.
"We took advantage of the shutdown period to do a lot of work on the vehicles, to address a lot of the backlog issues and working in partnership with TRA and the city we've established some very solid long-term goals around quality control, around safety management and we will continue to work with TRA," said RTM CEO Mario Guerra.
"I can say with a great degree of confidence that the system that the citizens of Ottawa have today is better than the one that unfortunately was taken out of service some time ago."
The city hired Philadelphia-based TRA in October to oversee the return-to-service plan. Officials from TRA remain in Ottawa to assist OC Transpo and the city with the relaunch of the system.
"It's not a lemon," said TRA president Kenneth Korach, when asked whether Ottawa purchased a world-class system.
"There's no aspect of it that strikes me as being inherently defective or deficient. You've got a great system. Whether or not every aspect of is performing as well as it can, that's why we're here and that's why we're here to make improvements."
The O-Train returned to service last Friday, 54 days after the system was shutdown following the second derailment in six weeks.
Guerra told transit commissioners the extended shutdown allowed maintenance technicians to address outstanding issues with the LRT cars and the track.
The O-Train is currently operating on partial service with seven trains, stopping at stations every eight minutes.
OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar told the transit commission an eighth train will be added to service on Thursday, and 11 trains will be in operation by the end of the month.
"We need to be proud today that the safety work that needed to be done was done and we will remain vigilant," said Amilcar, while providing an update on the transit system in French.
"The safety of our passengers is not at risk. Give us a chance to deal with this aspect of safety."
Late Tuesday, video on Twitter highlighted "very loud and grindy" sounds on the Confederation Line as it travelled around a corner between Rideau and uOttawa stations in the tunnel.
Amilcar told the transit commission that Rideau Transit Maintenance will replace a section of the track near Rideau Station overnight, and that should address the noise issue.
"There is a very specific location at the Rideau Station that we find a noise that is unusual," said Amilcar in French, noting the track was grinded.
"We decided to avoid having that noise and to avoid having concerns, we will change and replace this segment (of the rail). We will start the work tonight and then we think the noise will be gone permanently."
Earlier in the meeting, Amilcar said it is important for transit riders to remember that some wheel noise is expected.
"It is normal that a train on steel wheels on a steel rail track, it's noisy."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: Traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Terrifying': Manitoba resident speaks on wildfire and evacuation
As a pair of wildfires burn near Flin Flon and The Pas, a number of Manitobans are being told to evacuate their homes.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
Jerry Seinfeld speech prompts pro-Palestinian demonstration at U.S. university graduation ceremony
A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting "free Palestine" amid a mix of boos and cheers.
No concert ticket? No problem — Swifties can still gather at 'Taylgate' in Toronto
Whether you were lucky to nab tickets to one of Taylor Swift's six sold-out Toronto concerts in November or not, a new 'fan experience' hopes to get you into the party spirit.