Ottawa

Switch problem no longer disrupting Confederation Line service

OC Transpo is blaming a problematic switch near Tremblay station for slow LRT service on the Confederation Line during Monday morning's commute. A fix had been found by Monday afternoon.

Track closure was initially expected to last throughout the day Monday

A red-and-white light rail train pulls into a station on a snowy day.
A light rail train approaches Tunney's Pasture station in November 2019. A switch problem reduced Confederation Line service to a single track Monday, causing delays. (Andrew Lee/CBC)

OC Transpo is blaming a problematic switch near Tremblay station for slow LRT service on the Confederation Line during Monday morning's commute.

In a memo, transit general manager Renée Amilcar said the unspecified problem started overnight, forcing the closure of a section of track and delaying service Monday morning. It also led to crowding at some stations, and extra buses were brought in to help.

East-west service on Line 1 resumed using a single track and that was expected to affect frequency throughout the day. In an update around 3 p.m., however, Amilcar said technicians had taken "measures at the switch" to reopen the track and keep trains on schedule for the afternoon commute.

A switch problem east of Tremblay station also disrupted train service last Tuesday morning.

Snow-covered switches led to problems during the Confederation Line's inaugural winter, forcing OC Transpo to replace electric switch heaters with gas-powered ones, including near Tremblay.

A 2022 public inquiry found the $2.1-billion project was rushed into service in 2019 due to construction delays and political pressure from the city.