LRT investigation finds 10th train in need of axle repair

Ten train cars in OC Transpo's LRT fleet now need repairs, according to the investigation into a broken axle that shut down the Confederation Line for a week. 

The tenth single car was flagged on Wednesday morning as investigators want another look at its axle, according to a memo by the City of Ottawa. 

Rideau Transit Maintenance has started repairs on the cars — a process expected to continue throughout the week. As the vehicles are repaired, they will be inspected and returned to service. 

Nine cars, plus one whose wheel snapped off, have to be repaired. The LRT has 39 cars, which means more than a quarter need to be fixed. 

All but two of the cars have now been inspected and the pair that remain include the train that was broken and another that is undergoing unrelated maintenance. Once maintenance is done, it will be inspected. 

The first train found to have a broken axle will undergo more detailed analysis and inspections to determine the root cause of the issue. That investigation is not expected to wrap up any time soon. 

Wednesday's morning service had nine double-cars on the line and by the end of the day there were 11. The City of Ottawa says customers can expect a train every five minutes. 

One train was held in the yard Wednesday morning because of an error code indicator the city says is unrelated to the ongoing wheel-axle inspections.

After requests from three city councillors for an emergency transit meeting were denied, the city says a detailed update on the investigation will be presented at the regularly-scheduled transit commission meeting on Sept. 20.