Metrolinx, operator of GO Transit, yesterday announced that the site clean-up – where a 41-year old worker was killed on Saturday night – is continuing apace.
It also said it might take “days” for the service to return to normal. Repair work was earlier forecast to take until today (Thursday, December 2). Now it may go over the coming weekend.
“As work continues at the scene where a railway worker died on the Lakeshore East Line last Saturday (Nov. 27), GO Transit officials are working to keep customers moving. The repairs, and delays, are expected to continue for coming days,” said a company statement.
In an update provided at 2:25 pm yesterday, Metrolinx said the clean-up and repair works at the Pickering site, is complicated. Workers expect their mission to continue through the upcoming weekend.
“The job is taking dozens of people and involves righting at least two rail vehicles that toppled over on Saturday night,” the update said.
When lifting occurs, experts create an exclusion zone to ensure everyone stays safe. It is an area around the lifting operation where people are excluded, other than the ‘riggers’ – experts setting up the lines – and machine operators, it explained. This is why crew members can be seen standing well away from the rail truck.
The operation itself involves many Metrolinx teams, as well as experts from the contractor. Experts for the contractor have developed a ‘work methodology plan’ to outline how tasks are performed. Part of that effort is a risk assessment, with controls put in place to keep everyone safe. The exclusion zone is an example of one of these controls.
The contractor has been performing this work because they are one of the most capable rail recovery teams in the country, Metrolinx said. They are doing this against the backdrop of having lost a team member during the incident on Nov. 27.
On the night of November 30, the excavators lifted and re-railed the rail truck – which weighs over 61,000 pounds.
The ballast car was lifted yesterday morning (Dec. 1).
Lakeshore East users
And as a reminder to Lakeshore East customers, Metrolinx said GO Transit is running half-hour service to all stations along that line using a combination of rail and bus services. However, journey times for customers using stations between Oshawa and Rouge Hill and travelling to Union Station, face delays of approximately 30 minutes.
Lakeshore East GO trains continue to run between Union Station and Guildwood GO, and between Pickering and Oshawa GO stations. Shuttle buses bridge the gap and take customers between Guildwood and Pickering GO stations, where they are able to connect with a Lakeshore East GO train.
Customers are asked to plan ahead, give themselves extra time and be sure to check the GO Transit website before heading out the door.
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