OC Transpo says damage was found on part of the overhead power line on O-Train Line 1 overnight, causing service disruptions Friday morning and slowing trains down in a part of the line that has seen problems before. Trains are running the full length of Line 1 between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations, but passengers will notice delays on the eastbound track between uOttawa and Hurdman. “Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) has completed an assessment of the damage discovered during an overnight inspection and determined that trains can safely operate on both tracks between uOttawa and Hurdman stations at a reduced speed. Repairs will be completed later tonight, after service ends for the day,” said Transit Services associate general manager Troy Charter in an email to city council and the media late Friday morning. Charter said earlier in the day that damage was discovered on the overhead catenary wires east of uOttawa Station during an overnight inspection. The exact nature of the damage is unclear. Charter said there were “low passenger volumes” during the morning. E1 bus service from Blair to downtown will have additional buses, but supplementary R1 service ended after the morning peak. “Staff will be at stations throughout the day to assist customers on their trips,” said Charter. “Information is being shared with transit customers through social media, text alerts, web updates, and station announcements. We thank our customers for their patience during this incident and updates will continue to be shared as more information becomes available.” Hurdman to uOttawa common spot for issues The stretch of O-Train Line 1 between Hurdman and uOttawa stations has seen numerous issues over the years. During freezing rain in March, a train’s pantograph—the device atop the car that connects to the overhead wires—exploded near Lees Station, causing delays for four days. While several issues in the area have been related to weather, other incidents of damage have occurred, including a “gouge” found in a wire in 2024 and a broken support arm in 2023. Earlier this month, Ottawa’s transit committee was told it would cost $2 million to install heat tracing technology on the overhead wires on Line 1 to prevent future damage caused by freezing rain buildup. New GM acted quickly, councillor says Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney, who sits on the city’s transit committee, told CTV News Ottawa that Transit Services general manager Rick Leary immediately acted to put in measures to keep the line running safely. “I think this is a noted sea change from the past. We’d rather address the issue immediately rather than just not deal with it and then have the line be down for an extended period,” he said. “I can tell you firsthand, the GM knows the issues, especially in the east end side of the tracks where we see all the issues, and that’s why prevention as well as immediate rectification is key to victory, to make sure this train continues to run and not have long outages.” With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Marano
