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The head of OC Transpo says the LRT’s new link to Orléans is expected to open by the end of June as work on a plan to get more train cars on the rails shows promise.
Interim general manager Troy Charter told members of council’s transit committee on Thursday that “we still believe that we are on track for Q2 public service launch of the east extension.”
The project has already passed a key milestone known as “substantial completion,” but a shortage of train cars had raised questions about whether OC Transpo will be able to move on to a formal three-week testing period known as “trial running.”
“I think in order for people to have faith that things are going to improve, we need to move beyond the point of having 21 trains available per day,” said Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr.
OC Transpo needs 46 train cars to do the testing. But for weeks, just 21 available have been available as a stubborn bearing issue keeps most of them out of commission.
Metal has been flaking off inside the component that links the axles to the wheels, prompting OC Transpo to live by a simple rule: any train with axles above 100,000 kilometres of mileage is off the rails.
Carr asked OC Transpo about the slow progress on getting more cars into service. Charter said OC Transpo and its contractor are trying to “manage” the stockpile of those components, known as cartridge bearing assemblies.
“It’s not something that is readily available that you can purchase off the shelf,” he said.
Transit committee chair Glen Gower said it’s frustrating to see so little visible progress, but he said there is “work happening behind the scenes.”
“It’s like the metaphorical duck who on the surface of the water looks pretty calm, not doing much, but underneath those legs are flapping,” he said.
OC Transpo ‘settling on details’ of plan
Chief safety officer Sabrina Pasian gave the committee an update on that behind-the-scenes work. She pointed to progress on a solution that could allow OC Transpo to loosen or cancel the 100,000-kilometre rule.
“Our teams have been having very productive technical meetings with RTG, Altsom and their experts,” said Pasian, referring to the city’s maintenance contractor and the manufacturer of the trains.
“We are making progress and we are now in the process of settling on details of a revised containment plan.”
She said the plan could include acoustic and vibration monitoring that can detect bearing issues early, before they cause real problems.
Pasian said her team is working to “finalize” technical and safety details, and make sure everything is in place before bringing more cars into service.
She said the first priority is restoring regular service on the existing Line 1 between Blair and Tunney’s Pasture stations.
After that, OC Transpo will “turn our energies to bringing the train fleet up to a sufficient number to proceed with trial running in the east.”
West extension facing 6-month delay
Charter has been adamant that OC Transpo will hold RTG accountable for the service cut, which has led to crowding as single car trains quickly fill up at rush hour.
But on Thursday he wouldn’t tell reporters how OC Transpo is doing that, including whether it’s holding back monthly payments that total millions of dollars.
He cited “potential ongoing dispute litigation,” but insisted that OC Transpo is doing everything it can under its agreement with RTG.
Troy Charter, now OC Transpo’s interim general manager, attends a transit committee meeting on June 29, 2023. (Jean Delisle/CBC)
OC Transpo also gave an update on construction of the west extension to Algonquin and Moodie stations, with rail construction director Richard Holder revealing that there has been “slippage” in the schedule.
Contractor East-West Connectors is now expected to hand over the system to the city in the second quarter of next year, with preparations for opening beginning after June.
That’s about six months later than what was reported during the previous update in September.
Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper worried that new apartment buildings housing hundreds of residents are opening all along the western route — and now they’ll have to wait for service.
“Those apartments are not sustainable if we don’t have LRT within close proximity, and every time we lose a quarter, it seems as though another building is getting its occupancy,” he said.
“It’s having real-world implications on the congestion.”
