SKYTRAIN services were down once again Wednesday afternoon.
Translink said in a statement: “The Expo line problem between the two stations this afternoon was fixed as of 1:45 p.m. Full service has resumed.
“The disruption, which started at approximately 1:30 p.m. today, was due to a modem issue affecting the same switches at Metrotown and Joyce Stations that disrupted service Tuesday evening.
“BCRTC and the contractor are currently working to ensure that the switch system is functioning properly and stabilized.
“Though we don’t anticipate further service disruption, we are mobilizing extra staff, including SkyTrain Attendants and Transit Police, to Metrotown and Patterson Stations to assist passengers this afternoon should this occur. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers as we work to resolve this matter.”
ON Tuesday, the Expo line problem that started around 6 p.m. was fixed at 9:45 p.m.
Thousands of passengers – including The VOICE editor who took two hours to travel between Scott Road Station and Waterfront Station (6-8 p.m.) by switching trains and buses – were once again stranded. A few couldn’t help but curse, but most were remarkably calm and well-behaved though terribly frustrated.
The Translink statement read: “We are resuming normal service. We want to remind our passengers that our trains were running all night with the exception of the impacted stations where we had a bus bridge implemented, no different from a detour during a traffic accident on a freeway.
“While we recognize the inconvenience and longer commute times for our passengers, we appreciate their patience and calm behavior while our staff worked on repairing the problem and helping redirect passengers via alternate means.
“While some crowds still remain at Broadway and Nanaimo stations, people can expect no more than a 15 minute maximum wait to board their train.
“The problem has since been isolated to a less than one-year-old faulty modem at Metrotown station. The modem is located in the computer that controls the switch group, including ten track switches for Edmonds and Joyce.
“This modem is a more robust and commercial version of a regular consumer modem. The modem’s purpose is to communicate between field devices and our central control.
“As the modem is still under warranty, the supplier will do some analysis of the premature failure.”
But passengers are angry with both useless politicians – provincial and municipal – and incompetent Translink bosses who have mismanaged the whole Translink system.