At a glance
Key takeaways
- Vital track inspections were performed end to end on Line 2
- Rail surfacing work ensures a smoother ride on board
- This work was completed during the weekend, when the impact on customer trips can be minimized
- Get a behind the scenes glimpse at these maintenance activities
On June 13 and 14, trains were not in service on Lines 2 and 4 to allow for the completion of inspections and planned maintenance work.
The Next Stop Blog is here to recap the work that was done and share some behind-the-scenes footage of the maintenance.
What work was completed?
Staff worked diligently over the course of the weekend to perform track inspections from end to end, as well as the planned maintenance work required to keep the system running smoothly and safely. Proactive maintenance is a best practice on every major rail line and supports the long-term sustainability of the rail system.
Multiple maintenance activities were coordinated over the course of the weekend, including:
- Rail surfacing, for a smoother ride
- Maintenance of the expansion joints that connect concrete sections of the Dow’s Lake tunnel
- Geotechnical inspections of the soil and subsurface
- Improvements to rail corridor fencing, also known as the “guideway”
- Vegetation control, including cutting brush near the guideway
Go behind the scenes of Line 2 and 4 maintenance
How did we support customers?
These activities were planned to take place over the course of the weekend, when ridership is lower and the impact on customer trips could be minimized. To ensure staff had ample time to closely and rigorously inspect every aspect of the tracks, this work was performed day and night on June 13 and 14, and its successful completion was the result of a complete team effort.
R2 replacement bus service ran every 12 minutes between Bayview and Limebank, providing customers with an alternate method of reaching destinations along Line 2. Meanwhile, Route 105 “The Arrow” offered service to customers looking to travel along Line 4, with additional buses scheduled on the route so service could run approximately every 15 minutes.
To offer on-site support, staff were stationed at key locations throughout the weekend closure. As always,
our Travel Planner 
and the Transit App were available
for
all your trip planning needs, and our
website and
the 613-560-5000 phone could also be consulted for
additional information and
support.
With the maintenance work completed on the evening of June 14, regular Line 2 and 4 service resumed at the beginning of service on Monday, June 15.
Thank you to our customers and the crews
We remain grateful to our Line 2 and 4 customers for their patience while inspections and planned maintenance were completed. Completing this work in a timely manner allows for a service that is stable, reliable and above all safe for our customers and staff. Thank you to the crews who spent June 13 and 14 out on the rail system, diligently working to keep Lines 2 and 4 safe, reliable and in top shape for Ottawans to enjoy.
As we enter the busy summer season, stay tuned for the latest on construction, special events and other service changes and improvements by visiting octranspo.com, using the Transit app, or following us on social media.
