Ottawa LRT: Finish-to-end journey time longer following axle hub failure

OC Transpo is cautioning riders of the Confederation Line that an end-to-end journey between Blair and Tunney’s Pasture stations will take an additional 4 to 5 minutes because the investigation into an axle hub failure continues.

Twenty autos had been pulled for inspections final week after a wheel hub on one practice failed for a motive that has but to be decided. Rideau Transit Upkeep (RTM) says this failure is totally different from the axle bearing drawback that led to a derailment in August 2021.

All trains with greater than 175,000 kilometers of service had been pulled for inspection and are to have their axle hubs changed. In a memo Saturday, OC Transpo normal supervisor Renée Amilcar mentioned there have been 22 autos, or 11 double-car trains, in operation as of Saturday. The road runs with as much as 15 double-car trains throughout peak intervals on weekdays.

Nonetheless, the Rideau Transit Group and Alstom—the producer of the practice vehicles—have requested OC Transpo to scale back speeds alongside sure sections of the observe whereas the investigation into the reason for the axle hub failure continues.

“Because of decrease speeds, clients will see a small change in journey occasions; end-to-end service shall be an additional 4 to 5 minutes,” Amilcar wrote.

OC Transpo says its typical end-to-end time is lower than 25 minutes.

The Transportation Security Board can be investigating. The TSB was knowledgeable final week when the axle hub failure on one car was found. Earlier this week, RTM CEO Mario Guerra mentioned he suspects tools fatigue could have been the trigger.

“I believe as soon as we begin doing non-destructive testing on the hub that failed, in addition to the entire hubs we’re taking off, then we’ll be capable to inform whether or not this was one occasion or if it is one thing that is permeated all through ,” he advised reporters Tuesday.

The axle hub failure was reported simply earlier than a part of the LRT’s overhead energy line was broken in Sunday’s thunderstorm, chopping service to a part of the road for a number of days. Full service was restored Friday afternoon.


TECHNICAL ISSUE ON EASTERN PORTION OF LINE

Amilcar’s memo Saturday didn’t point out an unspecified technical concern that can be inflicting delays.

OC Transpo mentioned simply earlier than 10:30 am Saturday that service at Cyrville and St. Laurent stations was solely accessible on the eastbound platforms. Prospects had been requested to vary trains at St. Laurent.

The difficulty was resolved simply after 12:40 pm, however the nature of the problem has but to be disclosed.