OC Transpo reopens section of LRT shut down due to mechanical failure
CBC News | Posted: December 18, 2022 4:50 PM | Last Updated: December 18, 2022
R1 replacement buses were running between Rideau and Hurdman stations
LRT Line 1 service between Rideau and Hurdman stations resumed just before 6 p.m. on Sunday, after maintenance crews complete repairs on a mechanical failure in the overhead cable system that caused OC Transpo to shut down the stretch of track.
At approximately 11:45 p.m. Saturday, part of the Overhead Catenary System — the cables that supply electricity to the cars — experienced a mechanical failure near Lees Station, according to Renée Amilcar, general manager of transit services.
One train was nearby and stopped safely, while roughly 20 passengers transferred to a replacement bus.
Rideau Transit Maintenance staff went to the site Saturday night to assess the problem and began repairs Sunday morning, she wrote in a release.
The track was closed for about 18 hours. For much of the day Sunday, replacement buses ran between Hurdman and Rideau stations.
In an update Sunday afternoon, Amilcar wrote that a preliminary review suggests the failure may have been due to an "issue with a previous repair."
Amilcar said earlier Sunday the system would reopen, once it was safe to do so. And that more details on what caused the problem are expected later this week.