EDMONTON – The opening of the NAIT LRT line will be delayed a few months, and is now expected to open in June 2014.
Officials say there have been delays in developing the software needed for a computerized train control system.
“We’re trying to implement a new system,” explained LRT Director Dave Geake. “It’s a computerized train controlled system that comes into the middle of the line… Belgravia is the start of it, through to the Stadium station on the existing line, as well as controls train movements up on the line towards NAIT.”
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“We’ve had some delays in developing the software and in getting our cars retrofitted with the equipment that we need to make the system work. We’re still working very hard with the supplier to get that addressed.”
The system will control how trains move along the tracks and coordinate where two lines meet.
“It controls the train movements through where you bring the NAIT line into the existing line so you’re actually affecting both lines if you don’t have some kind of system to control those trains through there,” explained Geake. “So you could run the risk then of having two trains collide. And so, that’s what we’re not going to do.”
Crews will also need more time to test the system.
“With this type of a system, there is an extensive amount of testing that needs to be done to prove it all out. So that’s one of the factors,” said Geake.
“Some of that actually has to be done in the middle of the night when we’re not operating, so that we don’t have a major impact back on the existing line.”
The NAIT LRT line was originally scheduled to open in April 2014. Now, it’s scheduled to open at the end of June.
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