Metrolinx says it is increasingly concerned about Bombardier’s late delivery of a key testing vehicle for the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch LRT lines, but hopeful that the company will improve soon.
“We still have some time, but with every passing day we become more concerned that it could have an impact on our opening day and we’ve made it pretty clear to Bombardier that it’s just not an option,” Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins told CP24.com Wednesday.
The regional transportation agency placed an order for 182 light rail vehicles back in 2010 at a cost of $770 million.
The testing vehicle for the light rail lines was supposed to arrive back in 2014 so that Metrolinx could begin the lengthy testing in shop and on track before the vehicles are approved for the line. However that arrival date was then adjusted to spring 2015 and the agency is still waiting.
Both the Eglinton Crosstown and the Finch LRT line are slated to open in 2021.
“So far we’re not announcing that we’re going to be delayed, but we want to keep that on track,” Aikins said.
She said Metrolinx is in touch with Bombardier almost daily and the company has verbally communicated that it now expects the test vehicle to arrive in the fall, though a written proposal for delivery of all the vehicles is expected in the coming weeks.
In an email to CP24.com, Bombardier spokesperson Marc-Andre Lefebvre said the company is "more than confident that it will meet its commitments" to ensure service can begin on the Eglinton Crosstown Line in 2021, particularly because they will deliver pilot vehicles this fall.
"(This gives) an 18-month period to conduct the planned nine-month period of qualification testing," he said. "Since production of the vehicles is required only to start in the second quarter of 2018 to meet the Metrolinx target of 42 vehicles by January 2020, this will enable us to have a nine-month buffer period, that is more than sufficient, to resolve any potential issues that might arise in qualification."
Aside from the LRT vehicles, Bombardier also builds GO trains for Metrolinx at its Thunder Bay facility and drives them under contract.
Aikins said Metrolinx has not found any problem with the quality or delivery of those vehicles and the agency is expecting the same for its LRT fleet.
“We have a very long-standing, positive relationship with them and we’re expecting the same quality and commitment for our LRT’s. We have been disappointed that they aren’t meeting their commitments and we have made that clear to them,” she said.
Aikins did not provide specifics on the penalties that could accompany a late delivery, but said “there are a variety of options” that could be exercised.
Bombardier has made headlines recently for endless delivery delays for the TTC’s new streetcar fleet.
However the company recently announced that it was making changes to its production line to try and ensure that there are no further delays.
Aikins said the rest of the work on the Eglinton Crosstown is proceeding on time for the 2021 target.
“On the western portion our two TBMs (tunnel boring machines) broke through the Yonge headwall so they are finished their work,” Aikins said. “The eastern tunnel boring machines are well on their way and should be finished before the end of the year. And we’ve now started work on all 25 stations.”
