OC Transpo running 15 trains on O-Train Line 1 this week, about 60% of normal peak capacity

Once again, frustration from OC Transpo users. An expert weighs in on the latest issue.

OC Transpo says it will be running 15 light rail vehicles on Line 1 this week, as dozens of trains remain in maintenance for a recently-discovered issue.

Last Wednesday, OC Transpo said an issue with the cartridge bearing assemblies on the Alston Citadis Spirit trains on Line 1 called spalling had been identified. Spalling is caused when flakes break off the metal surface inside the axle bearing, creating pits that grow over time that can, if not addressed, lead to cracks and bearing failure.

As a result, all trains with a mileage over 100,000 kilometres were removed from service to have their cartridge bearing assemblies replaced.

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The issue does not affect Line 2 or Line 4, because those lines use different vehicles.

Service on Line 1 has been using a mix of single-vehicle and double-vehicle trains since the issue was discovered, leading to crowding at times on platforms and on trains during peak service.

On Friday, OC Transpo said 18 trains were available for service and 41 were undergoing maintenance.

On Monday, interim general manager of Transit Services Troy Charter said in an update that 15 trains were launched during the morning and afternoon peak periods, and he expected that level of train availability would continue this week.

“Service ran as expected [Monday] morning with trains operating at an increased frequency of every three to four minutes during the morning peak period,” Charter wrote. “While stations were busy, we did not observe platform crowding or vehicle overloads. Line 1 continued to operate during [Monday] morning’s weather event.”

Ottawa saw 14 centimetres of snow between Sunday and Monday.

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Typically, during peak service, OC Transpo runs 13 double-vehicle trains—26 vehicles—on Line 1, arriving every five minutes. The increased frequency during peak periods was announced Friday in an effort to alleviate crowding on single-vehicle trains and platforms.

On Friday, OC Transpo estimated 20 vehicles would be available as of Monday; however, Charter said the work being undertaken was complex and time consuming. OC Transpo clarified to CTV News Ottawa that 18 vehicles remained available Monday, though only 15 were launched for service.

Last week, OC Transpo’s acting director of Transit Service Delivery and Rail Operations, Joel Lemieux, said R1 bus service would not be required to supplement Line 1 because the current number of trains can accommodate the ridership and because taking buses away from regular service to put them on R1 would impact an already strained bus network.