No timeline for LRT return to service as OC Transpo inspects every train

OC Transpo does not have a firm timeline for when it will resume service on the full length of the LRT Confederation Line, which has been shut down since afternoon rush hour Monday due to a bearing issue on a train.

Every axle on every train must now be inspected before OC Transpo can reopen the system, said Richard Holder, director of engineering services at the City of Ottawa, at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. The full news conference is available to watch in the player above.

As of Tuesday afternoon, OC Transpo had completed an inspection of the full length of the track and inspections of five trains in its fleet, Holder said.

The transit agency will also conduct a full test with an out-of-service "bogie" train. Sensors will be used to better understand wear and tear on operating trains.

In response to a question about heavy ridership during Bluesfest, Holder said bogie testing will consider whether different "loading" scenarios played a role in the issue, including the crowds over the past two weeks.

The shutdown

In a tweet at about 5 p.m. Monday, OC Transpo said LRT service between Tunney's Pasture and Blair stations had stopped and all stations were closed due to a "technical issue."

Ottawa's general manager of transit services, Renée Amilcar, said in a pair of Monday memos that a routine inspection revealed an issue with a bearing.

Excess grease discovered on a single bearing during a routine inspection Monday afternoon prompted the closure, she said. The issue with the bearing crossed a threshold and prompted the suspension of service on the line.

"Even if we are not sure if something will happen, we have to take that decision," Amilcar said.

The train on which the bearing issue was discovered had last been inspected eight days earlier, according to Holder.

R1 replacement bus service is connecting all but one LRT station until further notice. A shuttle is connecting Cyrville and St-Laurent stations instead of R1 buses stopping at Cyrville.

Tuesday morning replacement buses would run every 10 minutes to start the day and every five minutes during peak periods, Amilcar said.

OC Transpo may also consider allocating more buses to the R1 route to help reduce transit times.

"It's clear buses will never replace a train, we understand that," she said in French during Tuesday's news conference.

Bearing issue a recurring problem

The bearing problem with the train is similar to past issues, Amilcar said.

The derailment of a train in August 2021 involved a wheel that was severed from the axle due to a "catastrophic bearing failure," according to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB).

After that derailment, a complete inspection of every train took five days to finish.

In a February 2023 letter to city officials, the TSB said the problems that caused the derailment in August 2021, as well as a component failure in July 2022, "continue to pose a risk to safety until the issues are resolved."

Testimony at the LRT public inquiry suggested a larger problem: that the way wheels meet the rail on sharp curves puts too much stress on train components, including the bearings.

In response to the TSB, Amilcar wrote in a February memo to council that OC Transpo had already undertaken several measures to fix the issues.

During maintenance work on the Confederation Line from June 5-19, some sections of track in the tunnel were replaced, Holder said. He did not say whether the city had considered a more comprehensive redesign of any sections of track.

Amilcar said she will provide another update Wednesday.