Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[613Steve]

August 16 is the new RSA date which means that things are apparently on track for a September launch.

[CityTech]

FEDCO reporting that Alstom did indeed finish trains by July 7 deadline and substantial completion to be submitted "within 10 days"--so, by July 20. Certifier will finish their job by July 25, giving plenty of time to complete the 12 day test by August 15 for August 16 handover.

Its a handover date in writing so another penalty applies if its missed.

[Badyouken]

This is all good news, but I'll believe it when I see it. Sounds like Manconi is pleased, which is a nice change from last FEDCO meeting.

Trying to reconcile this with our friend Corvulpes' account - hopefully things will run smoothly.

[Badyouken]

Joanne Chianello on Twitter:

Coun. @AllanHubley_23 said my story on the trains that didn't work for a time last winter is FAKE NEWS. That report was written by one of the city's own rail managers.

I apologize to the folks in the FEDco meeting for losing my temper....I am not used to being called a liar by a member of council. But I guess I should get used to it.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by kmcamp

Trying to sum up positivity again, we are seeing only doubles. RTG may actually file for substantial completion again. The trains aren't really ready and the 12 day test will fail. However it might make sense for all involved to move to that stage, as it means we could do handover as soon as it hits the right level of reliability, whereas now there's at least weeks between where they hit the mark and the process allows handover

Yeah probably the right move. Minor bugs won't require a restart of the 12 day test, and WCS, they just fix the problem and start over.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Badyouken

Joanne Chianello on Twitter:

It's such a joke that the Chair of Transit Commission in this Council rode said transit a grand total of 1 time in his adult life. And that one time was for a photo op.
🞵🞵🞵🞵 Watson and his politicking.

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by Badyouken

Trying to reconcile this with our friend Corvulpes' account - hopefully things will run smoothly.

He/she hasn't said what their exact job is and they probably can't. I will say as a software consultant, my experience is that things can often look a lot worse on the ground than they are from the big picture.

[kmcamp]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

Yeah probably the right move. Minor bugs won't require a restart of the 12 day test, and WCS, they just fix the problem and start over.

I'm actually happy with today's Fedco result. I don't believe the August 16th date, but it may happen if we've lowered our expectations on "perfection" for the trains. That being said, OC Transpo still gave itself a 7 week buffer after handover, 4 weeks of "preparations" and 3 weeks of simultaneous bus service.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by kmcamp

I'm actually happy with today's Fedco result. I don't believe the August 16th date, but it may happen if we've lowered our expectations on "perfection" for the trains. That being said, OC Transpo still gave itself a 7 week buffer after handover, 4 weeks of "preparations" and 3 weeks of simultaneous bus service.

I don't believe anything coming from RTG at this point. I really hope there's some way the city can cancel the contract with them, given their track record.

EDIT: I'm referring to the 30-year maintenance contract, not the construction contract.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

I don't believe anything coming from RTG at this point. I really hope there's some way the city can cancel the contract with them, given their track record.

You can't cancel the contract at this point in time. In the grand scale of things, the work remaining to get the system operating is minuscule. Building the infrastructure is only part of the contract and so is the fabrication of the LRV's by Alstom. All you can do now is penalize them for failing to deliver according to their promised delivery date. Rest assured there will be similar situations with Stage 2.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by CityTech

He/she hasn't said what their exact job is and they probably can't. I will say as a software consultant, my experience is that things can often look a lot worse on the ground than they are from the big picture.

I think they're an operator based on what they've said in the past.

[Truenorth00]

I don't buy the date.

And given the reliability issues they seem to have, I am now worried, we're in for a world of hurt post launch because they might be rushing for RSA.

I hope I'm wrong on both counts.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Rest assured there will be similar situations with Stage 2.

Stage 2 is, in many ways, far less complex. Lots more surface running. Only two tunneled station (not in complex urban terrain and built cut-and-cover). Vehicles, signaling and control systems that are already in service and will be built, tested and serviceable well before any of the extensions come in to service. Construction risk is there. But there's far fewer unknowns.

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

I think they're an operator based on what they've said in the past.

Oh, well then I stand by what I said. An operator wouldn't necessarily know much. I thought they'd be a project manager or something.

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

I don't believe anything coming from RTG at this point. I really hope there's some way the city can cancel the contract with them, given their track record.

They can cancel it as its over a year late.. Past that there's a cancellation procedure in the contract. However it means finding someone new to finish the work and it would take months just to procure that and more months just to get them up to speed. Would easily delay the project by an additional full year or more.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I don't buy the date.

And given the reliability issues they seem to have, I am now worried, we're in for a world of hurt post launch because they might be rushing for RSA.

I hope I'm wrong on both counts.

The presentation states that the city expects to agree that substantial completion has been achieved.

I can't imagine why they would do that if they don't think it is completed. The blow-back would be all on the city for accepting a faulty system.

To me, the apparent alignment between RTG and the city is a good sign.

[rocketphish]

New LRT handover is Aug. 16, with public launch expected in September

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: July 10, 2019

The Rideau Transit Group says it can deliver the LRT system by Aug. 16, which means the Confederation Line would launch sometime in September, councillors heard Wednesday.

The public launch date of the LRT system hasn’t been determined, but Mayor Jim Watson says it would be announced four weeks in advance.

Transportation general manager John Manconi told the finance and economic development committee that RTG put the next handover date in writing on Tuesday.

Watson summoned Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge to Ottawa City Hall on June 26 to reiterate the city’s disappointment that the trains weren’t ready. The French executive committed to having the fixes complete by July 7. RTG bosses and city management were also at the meeting in the mayor’s office.

All 34 trains were delivered Sunday, Watson said. Alstom lived up to its commitment.

The main problems with the trains were related to the brake valves and door sensors. The city also reported deficiencies with the on-board communications system, operating monitoring system and the equipment that connects the trains to the overhead wires.

The original handover date for the LRT system was May 24, 2018. RTG missed subsequent handovers on Nov. 2, 2018 and March 31, 2019. The city is pursuing a $1-million penalty for each of those scuttled handovers. The company thought it could deliver the rail line by the end of June 2019, but that didn’t happen, either.

The 12.5-kilometre LRT system will run between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations via a 2.5-kilometre downtown tunnel. It’s the first LRT segment in an O-Train network that will be expanded over the next six years.

The city’s estimated cost overruns tied to the delay were $34.4 million at the end of June 2019. The city wants RTG to pay it.

More to come.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...with-public-launch-expected-in-september

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The presentation states that the city expects to agree that substantial completion has been achieved.

I can't imagine why they would do that if they don't think it is completed. The blow-back would be all on the city for accepting a faulty system.

To me, the apparent alignment between RTG and the city is a good sign.

What gives me pause is that they only have 10 doubles running. Until they have all of the doubles running, I'd be concerned about hiccups tripping them up.

Perhaps I'm being overly pessimistic. But once bitten, twice shy as they say....

[sseguin]

I have posted the latest FEDCO presentation on the O-Train Fans site.
Especially for those curious to see what was shown.
https://www.otrainfans.ca/news/confederation-line-update-fedco-july-10-2019

[Corvulpes]

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