Bogies, bearings and greasing the rails: Solutions for Ottawa's beleaguered LRT

Excess grease found on the axle of one light rail vehicle during a routine inspection caused the latest shutdown of the system, which had lasted nine days as of Wednesday.

Published Jul 26, 2023 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 5 minute read

A file photo of an LRT car on a curved section of the Confederation Line in Ottawa. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

In the coming days, Ottawa transit users will know whether the LRT will be running again next week.

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The $2.1-billion Confederation Line has been shut down since July 17 after excess grease was found on the axle of one light rail vehicle during a routine inspection. If all goes according to plan, the LRT system should re-open gradually starting on Monday.

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Here’s a look at what went wrong, what’s being done to fix it and how long that fix will take.

Q: There have been mentions of bearings, axles and axle assemblies. What’s the real problem?

A: The subject of this investigation is focusing on the axle hub assembly, also known as the “cartridge.”

The hub contains the bearings, the wheel is attached to the hub assembly and the axle shaft is inserted inside the assembly. The wheels are not being replaced as part of this work, and it’s unclear for now whether the axles will have to be replaced, said Richard Holder, the City of Ottawa’s director of engineering services.

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Six light rail vehicles that have been inspected have hubs that are above the threshold for measuring the amount of “play” within the hub. Play is necessary in the hub, but, if it reaches a certain threshold, there can be a problem.

Designers are looking to strengthen the bearing assembly by modifying its components, said Nicola Truchon, CEO of the Rideau Transit Group (RTG), which has the contract for maintaining the system.

One problem is that there is little room in the “bogey,” which is the structure underneath the light rail vehicle. The choice of materials and their configuration must be efficient, Truchon said.

Q: How long will it take to fix the problem?

A: Two or three years for full fleet deployment, but that’s only an estimate so far.

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The hub assembly is under investigation. There’s a preliminary design and the detailed design phase will take a few months. Then a prototype must be built and there will be a testing phase.

“We’ll be pushing as much as possible to accelerate that schedule as much as possible,” Truchon said, “but we’re not in a position now to commit to a specific timeline.”

Q: What are “restraining rails” and what is being done to adjust them by Monday?

A: Restraining rails are a common design feature of North American railways, said Richard Holder, the city’s director of engineering services. They’re a “passive safety device” used to mitigate the risk of derailment on curves.

Inspections of the LRT track have shown that, although the restraining rail is within the design tolerances of the track, contact has been made between the restraining rail and the light rail vehicle wheels, Holder said.

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RTG has started resetting the restraining rails in the whole system to minimize the risk of contact, which will reduce the forces on vehicle wheels. All the restraining rails should be realigned by Sunday.

Q: Why are technical experts talking about lubricating the rails?

A: All trains have lubrication systems, said Enriquez Martinez Asensio, RTG’s general manager. In this case, one is on board the trains and is supplied by the pneumatic system.

One mitigation measure in the current situation would be to use machines with pumps to apply lubricating product to the tracks. As a train passed, it would pick up the lubrication and distribute it along about 300 to 400 metres of track, Asensio said. This additional measure will help the system to function smoothly until there is a permanent fix.

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Engineers must determine how much grease needs to go on the rails. Or, as Asensio put it, “the exact amount of product that is necessary to adapt the coefficient of friction to the parameters that we need in this operation.”

A LRT car on the Confederation Line on a curved section of the track near Hurdman Station in Ottawa. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

Q: What’s the next milestone to getting the trains running again by Monday?

A: On Friday, the city expects to receive an analysis of the hub assembly by the manufacturer, Alstom, in France.

There have also been ongoing updates to draft “safety notes,” which are being prepared by Alstom and RTG. The notes may point to making adjustments to the operation of the system, such as slowing down the train at certain points. As soon as all safety requirements are met, service will be gradually restored.

“But now, in this case, we know we have a specific problem with the bearings,” says Renée Amilcar, the city’s general manager of transit services. “And we’re glad to know we’re working on a long-lasting solution.” Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

Q: When the problem components are redesigned and replaced, will there never be another problem?

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A: No rail transit system is problem-free, City of Ottawa transit services general manager Renée Amilcar said.

“Everywhere through the world there are problems. But now, in this case, we know we have a specific problem with the bearings,” Amilcar said. “And we’re glad to know we’re working on a long-lasting solution. But we’re aware of the fact the other problems will arise in the future. ”

Q: Is the system a dud in need of a complete do-over?

A: Having rail-based transit in Ottawa is the next step in growing this city, said Ottawa-based Shane Séguin, editor of Rail Fans Canada, a community of enthusiasts who track Canada’s public transit rail systems.

Ottawa’s LRT system has had its fair share of issues since opening in 2019, but, over the course of the past four years, the most noticeable and recurring problems, such as doors, power and control systems, have been resolved, Séguin said.

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“In the time since the derailments two years ago, the issues and service interruptions have been few. It’s unfortunate that the current issue of wheel bearings and axle assemblies continues to cause significant disruptions. However, should the proposed axle redesign indeed address it, we will be left with a reliable and dependable system,” Séguin said.

There has been some discussion about scrapping the trains or ripping up the track, Séguin acknowledged, but that would take far longer than two or three years. The fixes may very well leave Ottawa with the system it has long wanted, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to make these vehicles work, he argued.

“The announcement that all the parties are in agreement and moving forward with an axle redesign that can solve these issues is the direction I’m happy we are taking.”