Metrolinx CEO apologizes for week of GO train disruptions after derailment

Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay has apologized for a week of commuter chaos in and out of Toronto caused when a train partially derailed early Monday morning, damaging a track switch immediately outside Union Station.

Since 8:16 a.m. Monday, travel in and out of Toronto’s downtown has been disrupted by repair operations, which should wrap ahead of the weekend.

Through the disruption, Metrolinx offered regular written updates, but neither Lindsay nor any other member of the agency’s leadership team held updates or took questions.

“I want to start by offering my apologies to everyone who is a GO rider, and I am one myself,” Lindsay said at the launch of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT on Friday.

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“I’d say we’ve been trying to communicate to the best of our ability through this entire week. Our focus has obviously been first and foremost to repair and to recover from the incident that we had on Monday, which we have done.”

The issue was caused when a train heading west out of Union Station on Monday morning encountered a problem at a switch signal that led to the rear of the train coming off the track.

It led to the train being disabled in the centre of a key rail corridor, stopping trains travelling on that track and forcing diversions for others. Through the week, it led to revised timetables for the entire GO train network, which carries hundreds of thousands of people in and out of Toronto.

Lindsay said the work looked set to be complete some time on Friday and is currently undergoing final testing and inspections.

“Safety takes the time that safety takes,” he added. “We can say unequivocally it is safe.”

Lindsay said service should return to normal on Saturday morning.

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