Loose gearbox blamed for Sept. 19 LRT train derailment
CTV
A loose gearbox has gotten the blame for the Sept. 19 train derailment on Ottawa's Confederation Line LRT.
The derailment, the second in six weeks, happened approximately half a kilometre away from Tremblay Station, just beyond the rail bridge over Riverside Drive. The Transportation Safety Board reported that the train derailed before entering Tremblay Station and continued in the derailed state over the bridge before hitting a signal mast and switch heater.
Speaking to city council on Wednesday, City Manager Steve Kanellakos said the Rideau Transit Group told the city, "The bolts that secure the gearbox to the (light rail vehicle) were not torqued properly or verified, according to Alstom."
The gearbox came loose and was dragged along the track, Kanellakos said.
The LRT has been shut down completely since the Sept. 19 derailment, but Kanellakos said there is currently no timeline for a return to service.