More O-Train closures, changes in July for construction
Line 1 closing some weekends, Line 2 scaling back some evenings
OC Transpo says work to extend Line 1 east and monitor Line 2's wheels means more evening and weekend changes in the coming weeks.
Maintenance and expansion work took the east-west Line 1 partially or fully out of service for a few days earlier this month.
The transit service announced another batch of changes Friday.
Line 1 won't run the morning of Sunday June 29, as previously announced, along with the morning of Sunday July 6 and all day July 26 and 27.
R1 replacement buses will run during the closures.
Those closures will allow for work to connect the existing Line 1 between Tunney's Pasture and Blair stations with the eastern extension between Blair and Trim Road, which is expected to open at some point later this year.
OC Transpo says to expect more changes later in summer as the east extension gets closer to opening.
Axle monitoring on Line 2
Changes to the north-south Line 2 will let OC Transpo install equipment to monitor the axle bearings on its trains.
Problems with those bearings, part of what hold the wheels to the train, have plagued Line 1.
Line 2 has different trains, but OC Transpo says Transport Canada requires this kind of monitoring. The system is being set up near South Keys station.
"[It] allows for proactive monitoring of the condition of the trains' axle bearings and detects any potential wear that may require further investigation," the memo says.
Installation means Line 2 service will be cut by half, with trains coming every 24 minutes instead of every 12, after 8 p.m. on July 7 to 9, 14 and 15, 21 to 25 and 28 until Aug. 2.
OC Transpo says the changes work around Canada Day and Bluesfest.