Ottawa LRT service resumes following freezing rain shutdown
Full service resumed on Ottawa's light-rail transit system Thursday evening, 33 hours after a power issue during a freezing rainstorm shutdown the transit line.
OC Transpo announced just before 7 p.m. that full O-Train service was running between Blair Road and Tunney's Pasture.
"Trains are available at all platforms and all stations are open," the transit service said on Twitter.
LRT service partially resumed Thursday morning between Tunney's Pasture and Rideau stations, with service extended to uOttawa station as of 7 a.m. At 3 p.m., OC Transpo announced the O-Train is running in the east end between Tremblay and Blair stations.
In two memos to council, Transit Services general manager Renee Amilcar said Rideau Transit Maintenance staff completed several steps to restore service, including:
- Manual removal of built-up ice on the overhead wires
- Re-energizing of the system
- Inspection of stopped trains and removal from the line
The section between uOttawa and Tremblay stations was the last section to see LRT service resume. Two stopped trains stopped just east of Lees Station on the Rideau River bridge during the storm, and had remained there on Thursday.
Five LRT vehicles were immobilized Wednesday morning due to power issues, trapping passengers for lengthy periods of time until they could safely disembark the trains, with the help of firefighters and Rideau Transit Maintenance staff. OC Transpo shut down the full LRT line between Tunney's Pasture and Blair stations just before 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Rideau Transit Maintenance says the five vehicles stopped when the onboard systems detected power fluctuations from the overhead catenary system.
"When the overhead wire that supplies the power has ice on it, the pantograph on the vehicle is not making good contact, and we see big fluctuations in voltage. When the vehicle sees that, it shuts down to protect itself," Rideau Transit Maintenance CEO Mario Guerra said Wednesday.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
More enoki mushrooms, Lamborghini Urus and promotionally-gifted tumbler cups: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada, Transport Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued various recalls this week. Here's what you need to know.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Luciano Benetton says he's stepping down as chairman of family-run brand as losses top US$100 million
Luciano Benetton, a co-founder of the apparel brand, announced he was stepping down as chairman in an interview published on Saturday with Milan daily Corriere della Sera. He blamed current management for losses of 100 million euros (US$108.5 million) that he discovered last year.
Three dead after vehicle leaves road in Shediac: N.B. RCMP
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.