O-Train Line 1 returning to double car-only service at last

Photo: Ottawa O-Train leaving St.Laurent Station tunnel. (via Saboteurest/Wikimedia Commons, used under a Creative Commons license.)

Like most things with OC Transpo, it seems Christmas came late for O-Train riders, but did eventually show up nonetheless.

OC Transpo announced last week that, as of Monday, January 8, the fragile light rail system will provide exclusively double-car service like it was designed to do. Ever since re-opening in August following an extended outage, OC Transpo had been running single-car trains to accommodate an enhanced inspection regime. Later, some double-car trains were added to service.

From a city news release:

The return to double-car train weekday service is made possible by a new measure that adds pins to the restraining nut on the axle hubs. This was proposed by Rideau Transit Group (RTG) and Alstom at the September Transit Commission meeting and is expected to extend the life of the wheel hub assemblies on the vehicles while continuing to ensure the ongoing safe operation of the fleet.

RTG has completed analysis and testing of the nut pinning solution, and OC Transpo and Transportation Resource Associates (TRA) are satisfied that safety requirements have been met. Alstom and RTG are now applying it to the wheel hub assemblies on the trains. This added measure allows for the immediate return to double-car train service during weekdays on O-Train Line 1.

Single-car train service will continue to operate on weekends to meet current ridership levels.