Passenger service returns to Confederation Line Friday, City of Ottawa confirms

Light rail trains will again carrying passengers by the end of this week.

The third party firm hired to examine recent O-Train derailments and oversee Rideau Transit Group's (RTG) return-to-service plan says it has has reviewed more than 200 investigation reports, technical documents, plans, and analyses; and has conducted over 100 inspections, site visits, meetings, and monitoring sessions.

With all of that in mind, and after a successful testing period, Transportation Resource Associates (TRA) has given the City of Ottawa the go-ahead to start running passenger service on its light rail Confederation Line starting Friday, November 12. 

The city says service will start with seven trains and one spare and will expand incrementally, with full service expected to be in place by the end of the month.

TRA is expected to continue to be actively engaged in RTG’s return-to-service plan and is developing a plan for ongoing monitoring that will compliment OC Transpo’s existing oversight programs. 

Ottawa public transit users have been without light rail services since a derailment near Tremblay Station on September 19. There had been another O-Train derailment before that, on August 8. 

In a memo, Tuesday, City Manager Steve Kanellakos said R1 replacement bus service will be maintained come Friday. City staff will be assessing, based on actual ridership levels, whether R1 replacement bus service can be reduced.