CTrain service resumes after nearly full-day shutdown in northwest Calgary
Overhead power lines were downed near the SAIT station on Red Line
Regular service has resumed on the Red Line of the CTrain network after downed power lines led to a temporary shutdown, Calgary Transit tweeted Tuesday morning.
Crews were still trying to get a section of the network back in service Monday afternoon — many hours after the initial incident that shut down that part of the Red Line.
The overhead power line that supplies electricity to the CTrain came down just before 10 p.m. Sunday, not far from the SAIT Station in northwest Calgary.
A three-car train was forced to stop on the bridge over 10th Street N.W.
Carol Henke with the Calgary Fire Department said 65 people were forced to stay on the train for about two hours while the power line was de-energized.
She said that while Enmax dealt with turning off the power, fire crews provided water and fans to help the passengers on the train stay cool.
"It is very uncomfortable, and different people tolerate that in different ways," Henke said. "So definitely trying to minimize that discomfort while keeping people as safe as possible by keeping them on the train unless it was absolutely safe to let them disembark."
Once the lines were de-energized, fire crews assisted passengers off the train and onto waiting Calgary Transit buses to move passengers between Sunnyside and Lions Park stations, she said.
Frustration on Twitter
Calgary Transit says its focus was restoring service to customers.
"While we work to restore service, shuttle buses are in place to help connect customers to open CTrain stations," a spokesperson told CBC News.
The statement also says transit riders should plan ahead and keep updated by checking out the Calgary Transit website or following it on Twitter.
"Any chance this is going to be fixed before the afternoon rush hour?!" wrote one transit rider.
"It would be great if the announcement could be made earlier in the NW so arrangements can be made for those of us that have meetings or appointments downtown," wrote another.
The City of Calgary says the incident is under review.
With files from Scott Dippel