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
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.