Scarborough RT could be decommissioned early after train car derailment, TTC says

The TTC says it is bringing in external experts to review what caused a Scarborough Rapid Transit train car to derail Monday, with the transit agency even considering shutting the line down permanently — months ahead of its scheduled decommissioning.

Five of the 45 people onboard were hurt when the rear car separated from the rest of the train and derailed just south Ellesmere Station. Stuart Green, spokesperson for the TTC, said Tuesday the injured people were treated for "severe bumps and bruises" and taken to hospital as a precaution.

The TTC has replaced all of the RT with shuttle buses running from Kennedy to McCowan stations. The closure will remain in place until further notice.

"It is going to be at least a few days," Green told CBC Radio's Metro Morning. The agency has already begun exploring what went wrong with the help of outside experts who specialize in train derailments.

"The damage was significant. We need to know exactly what caused it. Was it something to do with age? Something to do with infrastructure? Was it the vehicle? All of that is under investigation," Green said. "At this point we just don't know what caused it."

Green added that there are internal conversations happening about whether the light rail service will be resumed at all.

University of Toronto engineering professor Amer Shalaby said the current Scarborough Rapid Transit line has been running much longer than what it was designed for.

"We have waited far too long and debated too much on how and what should replace the Scarborough RT," he wrote in an emailed statement.

"I guess what happened is a lesson on the risks associated with inefficient decision making for our strategic transit projects."

Line 3 is a 6.4-kilometre rapid transit line with six stations that opened in 1985. Its trains have been in service 10 years past their design life, according to the TTC's own website. The line is scheduled to be decommissioned in November and is set to be replaced by buses until the Scarborough Subway Extension is finished, likely in 2030 at the earliest.

Green said the November timeline would give the city time to prepare, including altering traffic signals and installing more rapid bus lanes. It also would give the TTC leeway to reroute other buses and allocate the staff and resources needed to operate the replacement bus network, he said.

Green added that the TTC currently has capacity to move up its timeline if need be, but cautioned it would take some time to implement the bus network the agency intends to replace the RT.

"We know how to run a shuttle service, but it's not going to be the best shuttle service," he told guest host Eli Glasner. "But it won't be the kind of service that our customers deserve."

The derailed train car was removed from the tracks overnight, with crews examining the tracks.

In a statement Monday, TTC CEO Rick Leary apologized to those who were onboard the train that derailed and transit riders rely on the RT to get around. 

"I want to apologize to all those impacted by this incident and to assure our customers that safety is always paramount to all we do," Leary said.

Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop told reporters at the scene the train "flipped off the tracks."

Passengers "were thrown inside when it happened, and our crews were able to assist them getting out and then deliver them to the care of paramedic services," Jessop said.