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

[Richard Eade]

From the January 21, 2026 CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...vice-9.7054679

In a memo from transit services general manager Troy Charter, OC Transpo said "spalling" — when flakes break off the metal surface inside the axle bearing — was detected on several cartridge bearing assemblies.
. . .
In the memo, Charter identified the latest setback as separate from the one that caused those previous issues.

Going way back to the TSB letter to the City of Ottawa, dated February 3, 2023: https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/securite-safety/rail/2022/r22h0037/r22h0037-01-23.html

There was clear evidence of fatigue failure in the hub, brittle overstress failure in the large bearing inner raceway and spacer, and spalling on the bearing raceway of the LRV 1127 axle A wheel position 1 failed cartridge assembly.

And, from that same TSB letter, with regards to the wheel-bearing assemblies that were detected as ‘bad’ and replaced before failuse:

At the time of replacement, the cartridge assemblies had accumulated between 64 140 km and 233 042 km in service, with the average mileage at replacement equal to 140 219 km.

From the January 22, 2026 CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...says-9.7056019

"As soon as I read the OC Transpo message, I had a little internal chuckle," said University of Ottawa professor Patrick Dumond.

"Now, it is a different issue, but I believe it's completely related to the previous issues we've had. They're both related to an overloading of these bearing cartridges."

So, Alstom said that the problem was the lock nut of the wheel-bearing assembly loosening off. These were ‘pinned’ so that they do not loosen.
Alstom said that the track configuration was not correct so there were corrections made.
The trains needed to travel slower became the solution; so their speed was reduced to a ‘crawl’.

After all of this, more spalling of bearing raceways is accidentally found while other service is being performed. I think that Alstom is out of excuses.

Ottawa should definitely be getting Metrolinx involved, and whoever is buying the Citadis Spirit vehicles for the Quebec City LRT, to ensure that Alstom is working to provide a corrected design. The City of Ottawa has been far too acceptant of excuses from Alstom. Maybe if all three stand together, they can get action.