“We are working with RTM to restore normal service for Sunday.”
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Shuttle buses were operating along the Confederation Line between Blair and Hurdman stations Saturday after the LRT lost power in the city’s east end.
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OC Transpo said it appeared the prolonged cold snap affected the LRT’s overhead catenary power lines.
“At approximately 7 a.m., some of the trains in service on O-Train Line 1 experienced a loss of power in the eastern portion of the rail line,” the city said in a media release. “As a precautionary safety measure and according to standard operating procedures, five trains came to a stop along the line. As the investigation and repairs are ongoing, these trains will remain stopped until they can be safely removed from the line. Any customers onboard the stopped trains were able to exit safely at a station.”
By just past 6 p.m., OC Transpo tweeted an update saying that trains were operating every eight minutes between Tunney’s Pasture, the west end of the line, and Tremblay Station. R1 replacement bus service was operating every 10 minutes between Blair and Hurdman, down slightly from every five minutes in the afternoon. “ Services are running well and technicians on site continue working to restore service. Updates to follow,” the post added.
The extreme cold that idled the trains Saturday came after the city’s $2.2-billion system performed throughout Monday’s blizzard without problem. Trains continued to run when the half-metre of snowfall left many OC Transpo buses spinning their wheels. In its first winter of operations, however, the LRT was plagued by inadequate heaters that allowed snow and ice to build up on track switches.
