To address long-standing bearing problems in the axles of light-rail cars, the axle hub assembly is going to be completely redesigned, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe announced Monday. “That alone will not solve all of our issues, but I and the team at OC Transpo are hopeful that this redesign will be a giant step forward. At last we are working on the root problem, and not just the issues that arise from it,” Sutcliffe said.
To help deal with the bearing issue in the short term, equipment will be installed at 16 points along the Confederation Line to grease up the track in tight curves, Holder said. It will take several weeks to complete the installations. Staff are also working to optimize a maintenance plan for the system, Holder said. R1 buses are currently running the length of the line, except for Cyrville station. A shuttle instead connects Cyrville and St-Laurent stations.