O-Train Line 1 [Stage 1 | Confederation Line] | In Service

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

That old Transitway infrastructure is just so hideously ugly. I can almost smell it just from looking at the photo

Sir, I must demand you take that back. It's iconic and incredibly functional.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

That old Transitway infrastructure is just so hideously ugly. I can almost smell it just from looking at the photo

The piss-soaked concrete is a heritage smell.

[J.OT13]

Mayor says progress made on LRT, Highway 174 transfers

Mark Sutcliffe says provincial LRT takeover could eventually save Ottawa $85M a year

Arthur White-Crummey · CBC News · Posted: Apr 21, 2026

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says the city has reached “the next big milestone” in getting Metrolinx to take over Ottawa’s LRT, though it doesn’t come with any timeline for when that will actually happen.

He signed an agreement with Ontario Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria on Tuesday and called it a “giant step forward” in a deal that he said could one day save the city $85 million per year.

The agreement reaffirms what Premier Doug Ford already committed to last year.

“Nothing’s done until it’s done,” Sutcliffe said at a news conference after the signing.

“When you have a commitment like this, you go through the work … I think you’ve seen over and over again the premier has reiterated his commitment to get this done.”

He said the two sides will now have to do “the hard work to bring it across the finish line.” He called the process long and complicated and said the city’s multibillion dollar, long-term contract with Rideau Transit Maintenance is “part of the complexity.”

Ford committed to upload the LRT to Metrolinx, which currently runs transit systems in the Toronto and Hamilton areas, during the last provincial election campaign. He said it would free up significant funds for the city.

Sutcliffe noted that OC Transpo is running a budget deficit — last year it reached $52 million — and said the savings from the upload could be reinvested in the transit system to help close the gap.

==SNIP==

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-ontario-upload-lrt-otrain-highway-174-9.7171667

[Richard Eade]

I wonder where the $85M/y figure comes from? Previously they were talking about $4B over 30 years = $133M/y (on average).

So has the total been reduced to $85M x 30y = $2.55M? And, that 30-year maintenance contract has been counting down, so it is not even 30 years any more.

I wonder if the Province is only thinking of covering the remainder of the maintenance agreements, and not off-loading the payback of Ottawa’s capital cost.

Man, I would really like to have actual INFORMATION instead of another confirmation that they are looking into the possibility of maybe uploading something.

Anyway, my suspicion is that IF the Province takes on part of the O-Train costs ($85M/y, apparently), the City will simply remove most of that amount from the annual OC Transpo budget. (How is that for cynicism?)

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

I wonder where the $85M/y figure comes from? Previously they were talking about $4B over 30 years = $133M/y (on average).

So has the total been reduced to $85M x 30y = $2.55M? And, that 30-year maintenance contract has been counting down, so it is not even 30 years any more.

I wonder if the Province is only thinking of covering the remainder of the maintenance agreements, and not off-loading the payback of Ottawa’s capital cost.

Man, I would really like to have actual INFORMATION instead of another confirmation that they are looking into the possibility of maybe uploading something.

Anyway, my suspicion is that IF the Province takes on part of the O-Train costs ($85M/y, apparently), the City will simply remove most of that amount from the annual OC Transpo budget. (How is that for cynicism?)

Your final sentence fills me dread and resignation that you might be right.

In summary.. we are looking to offload costs rather than inject funding.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

Your final sentence fills me dread and resignation that you might be right.

In summary.. we are looking to offload costs rather than inject funding.

Seems pretty clear best case it will be a bit of both. I doubt they reduce the budget by $85 M but probably keep funding stable rather than injecting the money it needs. Let's them resturn to more modest tax increases or even a freeze going into election which would also make Ford happy as he doesn't care if more $ actually end up in transit.

[sseguin]

Ever wonder how an O-Train actually enters service each day?

From leaving the Belfast maintenance and storage facility, to the handover between operators, and finally entering the mainline through the connector tunnel—there’s a lot more going on than you might expect.

• Video Link

[Kitchissippi]

With Metrolinx taking over the O-Train, I wonder what that is going to do to future expansion plans. OC Transpo was originally motivated to build the O-train to save on bus operating costs, why reasons would Metrolinx have to expand the system and take on more expenses?

[skyscraperaccount]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

With Metrolinx taking over the O-Train, I wonder what that is going to do to future expansion plans. OC Transpo was originally motivated to build the O-train to save on bus operating costs, why reasons would Metrolinx have to expand the system and take on more expenses?

According to a resolution passed by City of Ottawa a little while ago, any agreement to upload should include:

"g. that the Province consult and collaborate with the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo on the planning, design, procurement, construction, delivery and operation of Stage 3 LRT to Kanata, Stittsville and Barrhaven; and"

https://glengower.substack.com/p/lrt-upload-discussions-continue-on/comments

I really dislike the proposed route. Amongst my issues, the proposed placement of the Eagleson Station and its completly ridiculous connection to the existing park and ride on the other side of Eagleson and on the other side of the Queensway.

[Edison53]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

With Metrolinx taking over the O-Train, I wonder what that is going to do to future expansion plans. OC Transpo was originally motivated to build the O-train to save on bus operating costs, why reasons would Metrolinx have to expand the system and take on more expenses?

Lots of time to work that out, I expect. Can’t imagine anyone in their right mind taking over this mess unless and until it is fixed and stable. Judging from what I seen about Alstom’s work to fix the derailment issue (never mind anything else), that is likely two or three years away. By then there may be a new government in Queens Park.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by skyscraperaccount

I really dislike the proposed route. Amongst my issues, the proposed placement of the Eagleson Station and its completly ridiculous connection to the existing park and ride on the other side of Eagleson and on the other side of the Queensway.

The route for Stage 3 was decided years ago. At Eagleson there will need to be a pedestrian overpass to the park & ride on the south side of the highway.

I'm not sure what the other alternatives are considering there is already a corridor to Terry Fox on the north side of the highway.

[Kitchissippi]

I guess my point is, what is going to motivate Metrolinx to move forward with the expansions? I fear that they're too Toronto/GTHA-centric, and their future budgets will get sucked up by the massive needs there before anything is thrown eastward.

The advantage is that there will be more critical mass, and the province might have more expropriation powers to create better ROWs (I'm thinking about the stupid jog into the middle of Woodroffe for the plan towards Barrhaven). There's definitely a positive getting some transit planning decisions out of the hands of our local politicians.

[Truenorth00]

Provincial dollars will go where the economic and political return is greatest. Really hard to make a case for Stage 3 on either ground. The thing is ridiculously expensive and nobody is even sure if ridership will be added. Politically, would it flip a single riding?

[skyscraperaccount]

Originally Posted by TransitZilla

The route for Stage 3 was decided years ago. At Eagleson there will need to be a pedestrian overpass to the park & ride on the south side of the highway.

I'm not sure what the other alternatives are considering there is already a corridor to Terry Fox on the north side of the highway.

Ideas:
new park and ride at the end station at Hazeldean equiv in size to Eagleson to serve stittsville/Kanata. Cost would be offset by not having to build a pedestrian bridge that spans the Qway and Eagleson.
Add a new park and ride at the CTC stop to service those coming in from far Stittsville, Kanata North/West and out of town. Maintain park and ride at Centrum.

The stop at Eagleson isnt my only issue with the route but if we are 'stuck' with the route as far as Centrum given r.o.w. then there isn't much to be done at this point.

[dougvdh]

Originally Posted by skyscraperaccount

Ideas:
new park and ride at the end station at Hazeldean equiv in size to Eagleson to serve stittsville/Kanata. Cost would be offset by not having to build a pedestrian bridge that spans the Qway and Eagleson.
Add a new park and ride at the CTC stop to service those coming in from far Stittsville, Kanata North/West and out of town. Maintain park and ride at Centrum.

The stop at Eagleson isnt my only issue with the route but if we are 'stuck' with the route as far as Centrum given r.o.w. then there isn't much to be done at this point.

The cost of park'n'rides should be offset by charging for parking, not cutting out other insfrastructure that provides broader benefit. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that park'n'rides should not be part of OCTranspo capital budgets. The initial capital should be funded out of road budgets. Leave transit capital for expanding actual transit service.

[J.OT13]

Blair Station bus platform outside the fare paid zone (so north side, inner Greenbelt buses). Part of the elevator addition and replacement project.



And this is inside the stairway, opposite the legacy elevator.

[sseguin]

We built a tracker to follow every O-Train Line 1 train we can observe in service.

By combining community sightings and fixed camera footage, we’re tracking how service levels change over time.

Here’s what the data is showing:

• Video Link

This video focuses on observed service levels based on our tracking. It’s not about contradicting official updates, but understanding how repair progress translates into day-to-day operations.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by sseguin

We built a tracker to follow every O-Train Line 1 train we can observe in service.

Would be interesting to see current (or peak daily) observed pphd throughput and compare it to the advertised throughput at launch. What was it - 24,000?

Wonder what's the delivered capacity right now, 20%?

[skyscraperaccount]

Originally Posted by dougvdh

The cost of park'n'rides should be offset by charging for parking, not cutting out other insfrastructure that provides broader benefit. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that park'n'rides should not be part of OCTranspo capital budgets. The initial capital should be funded out of road budgets. Leave transit capital for expanding actual transit service.

Yeah, I've mentioned that in another comment. OC transpo should be running the trains/busses and managing the people. Infra should be transportation budget (I made this comment in regards to the broken/lack of/paywalled washrooms).

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Would be interesting to see current (or peak daily) observed pphd throughput and compare it to the advertised throughput at launch. What was it - 24,000?

Wonder what's the delivered capacity right now, 20%?

Ultimate capacity is supposed to be 24k phpd, but launch was supposed to be I think 12k, was actually around 10k, but now probably more like 4,500.