Update: Human Error Blamed for Skytrain/Millenium Line System Shut Down - Union Protest Suspension

[DonLever]

It happened last week and it is happening again right now. CKNW is reporting everything is down now.

Update:

Translink says it was an employee who caused yesterday’s massive Skytrain shutdown.

An electrician installing a circuit breaker for the new Evergreen Line accidentally tripped up the main breaker feeding the Skytrain operations centre.

The power outage halted trains and made it difficult for announcements to be made over the PA system.

That employee has now been suspended.

Meanwhile, union leaders are quickly speaking out in his defence.

The man’s name hasn’t been released, but he’s being described as a longtime employee.

Tony Rebelo with Cupe 7000 says the suspension is disturbing because this was clearly an accident and the work being done was ordered by management.

“Management directed our member to do the work on this panel, despite knowing the panel’s poor design and the high risk of failing while it was worked on live. At this time, we feel the company failed to do a risk assessment of the work that was going to be undertaken on such a highly critical piece of electrical equipment.”

Rebelo also says the worker shouldn’t have been suspended before the investigation was complete.

Passengers were waiting for as long as five hours for the system to return to normal, or for a bus to arrive and take them on an alternate route.

Translink chief operating officer Doug Kelsey admits having two major, unrelated disruptions in less than a week is “unprecedented,” but he insists the system is reliable most of the time.

“To keep this system running safely, which we did yesterday, we will be reviewing our operating practises, as well, to try to minimize this from happening again.”

[GoaltenderInterference]

[-Vintage Canuck-]

From the 'The Official Transit Thread':

SkyTrain goes down again due to a ‘technical issue’:

VANCOUVER – A system-wide hold has been placed on all Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines due to a technical issue.

At this time it is not known when trains will begin moving again, but it could be as long as four hours, meaning it will affect the rush hour commute.

Canada Line trains are not affected.

Due to the issue, TransLink says their personnel cannot communicate with the cars in the system or on the platforms and to stay in the cars and wait for staff to come help you.

Stations are currently being evacuated and closed.

Translink is telling people to make other transportation arrangements and they are setting up bus bridges at most of the major train stations.

This includes New West, Surrey Central, Metrotown, Broadway, Waterfront and Burrard.

This is the second time in five days that there has been a system-wide hold on the SkyTrain. The previous incident was blamed on a ‘massive computer glitch’. TransLink says the issue was “exacerbated by passengers who illegally walked onto [the] guideway.”

It is not known if the two incidents are connected.

TransLink spokesperson Jiana Ling says due to their current fare structure it is not possible to provide customers with a refund. She says they will have to “look at something else.”

http://globalnews.ca/news/1464385/skytrain-goes-down-again-due-to-a-technical-issue/

Here are photos of people walking on the SkyTrain tracks from trains to station.

[OgS.MVP]

That's why I am never giving up my car.

[inane]

That's why I am never giving up my car.

For the one or two days a year there are significant delays? Good thing there's never delays when you're driving.

[AppleJack]

Nothing better then paying for something you aren't receiving and then being told "they can't offer refunds or fix things"!

I am working a 9.5 hour day today last thing I want to worry about is trying to find a bus home because translink can't get its crap together. This happening twice in 5 days is unacceptable!!!!

[DonLever]

Nothing better then paying for something you aren't receiving and then being told "they can't offer refunds or fix things"!

I am working a 9.5 hour day today last thing I want to worry about is trying to find a bus home because translink can't get its crap together. This happening twice in 5 days is unacceptable!!!!

Translink wants more money. Should they get it? How will you vote in next year's referendum on transit funding?

[hockeyville88]

Just awful. I can't believe people are having to walk on the tracks with kids and strollers in hand. Safe travels skytrain users

[Watermelons]

I know a lot of people are upset at this but that's kind of what happens when you have an old system that has been running for 19 hours a day for almost 30 years now. It's obviously not the best system but it has been running very well for a while.

That being said, it is extremely disappointing that a city like Vancouver (that is supposed to be world-class) is having so many problems related to transit issues. Not only with the Millenium/Expo line but also with the Compass card that Translink will likely never be fully integrated into the transit system.

I would have been glad if BC gave MTR the rights to run the Canada Line and the rest of the Skytrain network. Before the Olympics I was so excited to hear that MTR (the corporation that runs Hong Kong, London and Beijing transit) was bidding against Translink to take control of the Canada Line. Too bad it never happened....

[Bure010]

For the one or two days a year there are significant delays? Good thing there's never delays when you're driving.

except when the skytrain breaks down you are screwed

if there's an accident/traffic delay most of the time you can turn off that street and find an alternate route

[PhillipBlunt]

Translink has been run by incompetent buffoons for years now and people need to demand the brain(dead)trust be removed and replaced with actual professionals.

Riot I say!

[inane]

except when the skytrain breaks down you are screwed

if there's an accident/traffic delay most of the time you can turn off that street and find an alternate route

Sure, it's a pain, but it happens once or twice every year or two. Traffic accidents/delays happen basically everyday. My point is the notion of not driving cause of the rare chance skytrain breaks is kinda dumb.

[PhillipBlunt]

@ inane,

You cavalier attitude about such a serious issue truly matches your handle. Significant delays are defined as when a train goes down. This would be an absolute system failure.

[inane]

@ inane,

You cavalier attitude about such a serious issue truly matches your handle. Significant delays are defined as when a train goes down. This would be an absolute system failure.

lol

[PhillipBlunt]

Great response. Well thought out.

[inane]

Great response. Well thought out.

I would bother with an appropriate response, but you lost me at your first post.

[PhillipBlunt]

So what your really saying is that you have no real response because you realize what you said was highly erroneous and you'd prefer to stop embarrassing yourself now. Sounds good to me.

[aGENT]

So this is basically like those days that more than one river crossing gets f'd by an accident or something and the entire region slowly turns in to gridlock as people attempt to divert...but for transit users?

[inane]

So what your really saying is that you have no real response because you realize what you said was highly erroneous and you'd prefer to stop embarrassing yourself now. Sounds good to me.

No, I'm saying you lost me when you called for a riot and ranted about the translink board. If you actually are interested in the larger issues around this complicated topic, let's do it. I don't think you are. You'd rather 'win' this discussion.

[jovocop55]

rush hr gonna be bad... translink fail..