The Metro Line LRT experienced two signal failures on Saturday, including a train entering the wrong track at the NAIT station.
The Amalgamated Transit Union said an oncoming train from Kingsway entered the northbound track where a train was leaving the NAIT station at approximately 6:30 a.m.
“When it departed NAIT station here, there was another oncoming train that departed Kingsway and they were both on the same tracks,” Amalgamated Transit Union President Mark Tetterington said. “Both the trains stopped as they’re supposed to, so that all worked but it shouldn’t be happening, period.”
Eddie Robar, Edmonton Transit System’s manager, told CTV News the northbound train was docked at the NAIT station.
“The southbound track was already occupied and the northbound train switched over to the southbound track, but the train wasn’t moving at NAIT station – it was docked in the station at the time,” Robar said.
Both officials said the LRT fail-safe was activated and no one was injured in the incident.
There was also a 7-9 minute delay at 2 p.m. at the same station when a signaling issue prevented another train from leaving for the next station.
The city is blaming the software for the two incidents, and said their contractor Thales is investigating.
“It’s a software issue, so when you leave that Kingsway station the line assignment should be telling it to go to the correct side of the station platform, and in this case, it gave it an incorrect line assignment,” Robar said.
These two incidents came only two weeks after crossing arms lifted at the wrong time near NAIT. Ward 2 councillor Bev Esslinger voiced the frustration of many Edmontonians at the LRT’s issue-filled existence.
“Enough is enough already. We really have to solve this,” Esslinger said. “We have to get it at full speed and we need to hold the right people accountable.”
Metro Line trains will continue to run at lower speeds until all issues are resolved.
With files from Angela Jung
