Thread by @JonathanWilling

LRT update starts with virtual tour of a train. Then a pretty pic of Parliament Station. #ottpoli

Manconi: RTG has "done some amazing work" in recent weeks. Significant progress, he says. But adds "winter ops" as a ninth area to watch.

He gets into the Alstom Citadis Spirit trains. He says they've been used around the world and adapted to the local environment. (Though this Spirit version was designed for Ottawa).

Manconi says there's "rigorous" testing of trains before putting them on the tracks. National Research Council lab has been involved in testing. Testing ensured that trains work at -40C before track testing.

"It had nothing to do with the vehicle," Manconi says about a vehicle that got stuck. "It had everything to do with the maintenance of the track system."

Manconi shows an Alstom train in St. Petersburg and Moscow to prove they run in winter conditions.

Let's talk about what the vehicle did this winter, Manconi says. It experienced snow, ice pellets, freezing rain, rain, freeze-thaw, winds. "We have been very critical when we need to be and we've been very acknowledging with they perform well," Manconi says.

We have had double-train configurations on the line, he says. They have been out since last summer, he adds. They've been running in all conditions.

RTG had made "major progress" on fleet availability, Manconi says. Need 34 vehicles. Four consecutive days, 12 single vehicles, at one point got to 15. 700 hours of running. 17,000 km travelled.

Nine stations are ready for occupancy. Other stations "are around the corner" and are tied to tunnel ventilation. That's "trending well," Manconi says. Train control system also "trending well."

Manconi says he brought in an expert from NYC to go over the tunnel ventilation system. Big guru on the infrastructure, he says.

All 34 LRT vehicles are complete. 24 have safety certificates.

Control centre and power system are also "trending well." Need to do a full load test of vehicles on entire network. Trying to get 20 single vehicles on the system before moving to doubles. They want to stress-test components before the coupled trains.

On system assurance, Manconi says it's "progressing well." Safety auditor is actively reviewing documents.

Winter operations. Manconi repeats the train that was stuck was stuck because the track wasn't clear. The vehicles don't plow the track. They just keep the rail face clear of snow.

"I would have bene concerned if I went to (RTG) there's a problem with your winter maintenance plan," Manconi says, but RTG got experts in Chicago, NYC and Boston in the room and RTG mobilized more equipment. Rented gear. Acknowledged that the winter ops plan needed to change.

Manconi shows a picture of a new piece of track equipment brought in over the weekend. A melter that cleans the tracks.

RTG last week confirmed it will not be able to hand over on March 31. Says it can hand over in second quarter. No exact date.

"No, we're not in court suing each other. There's none of that going on at this time," Manconi says. Still negotiating re. costs with RTG.

Hubley says people allege #OCTranspo customers are abandoning the service. But Manconi says latest ridership figure suggest it's up 2%. "Quite the opposite," Manconi says.

.@MatthewLuloff says we're losing the confidence of the residents of #Ottawa. What are you doing to get people's confidence back? Manconi says there's oversight to make sure taxpayers get value for $2.1B system. "Relentless pursuit for perfection," he says.

On improving bus service, Manconi says staff have been working extra shifts, mechanics working hard. Staff are pretty tired, he suggests. Bus fleet is doing well, even with the harsh winter. "We've had a good week or so," he says. "It's a constant pursuit."

Manconi says if this was a conventional design-build project (and not a P3), the city would be taking a massive financial hit, considering sinkhole, delays.

Luloff says "we're all a part of the same team" at city hall and he doesn't seem happy about being blindsided by @jchianello's scoop on winter maintenance on LRT. It was a leak, city manager Steve K. says.

RTG's Peter Lauch says he was confidence about the March 31 handover. It's been a good week, but on Feb. 28 had to tell city if RTG was going to make the date. RTG's decision was based on fleet availability and end-to-end running. RTG wasn't comfortable.

Lauch says he's confident that RTG can hand over the LRT system in the second quarter. "The trend is very positive right now," he says. RTG needs to load up the LRT system. Within 14 days should have more confidence, then can start discussing a new handover date.

RTG wants to hold off on committing to a new date until it sees the 10-14 days of system running.

"Better weather will certainly help," Manconi says re. LRT testing.

In answering winter ops questions from @cmckenney, Manconi says there have been a lot of concerns expressed by city and RTG, but all information can't be looked at in isolation "because you start to make judgements" and "that's a risky game."

McKenney asks about weight tests on trains and trains working on the system. They use sandbags to replicate the weight of passengers and test the trains. They have tested starting and stopping on a hill, rail build boss Michael Morgan tells her.

Lauch says there have been some doors getting stuck, but not freezing, and that's because during testing they haven't been opening and closing doors on a regular basis.

McKenney asks how do we know that if we get the LRT system in Q2 (April-June) that the winter issues have been resolved before opening the system. Manconi says doors stuck happens; it happens on Trillium Line, too. Experts are working on all of it.

McKenney asks if the Alstom train in St. Petersburg and Moscow is exact train as here. It's similar, Manconi says. The #Ottawa train is unique b/c it's faster, goes 100 km/h, he says. Not exact same train, though. We have the Citadis Spirit. Others have straight Citadis.

Leiper repeats McKenney's concern that winter is ending (we think?) and we're running of time to test trains in winter. Manconi seems to be confident that things will be ok. "There is a bit of winter left in March," he says. Still a lot of snow out there.

Manconi says it's freezing rain, not snow, that should be keeping people up at night. Weighs down the overhead wire line.

Any trains accepted for delivery by city, Leiper asks. Morgan has started initial inspection, but there are still decals to be stuck on, "customer-facing issues" before they become the city's.

Leiper wants to know if there are non-minor issues on trains. Surge protector issue on some trains, Manconi says. That's the only thing of significance. Everything else is minor and wouldn't affect operations. Thales control system is installed on all 34 trains. 24 safetied now.

More Qs from Leiper on trains, this time on auto train coupling. Lauch says it's working. Some "instrumentation" problems have been solved.

.@Laura_Dudas wants to know the up-to-date number on city's cost overruns. It was published as $25M, accounting for up to March 31, 2019. Costs will presumably keep being added starting April 1.

"It's going to be a realistic date, right" Dudas asks about the next handover date.

@ShawnMenard1 asks why we have failed to deliver this LRT system on time. "I don't like the word fail," Manconi says.

"I have peers that are envious of the position you're in," Manconi says, noting an almost full fleet of trains ready. Was it a risk to purchase the Alstom Citadis Spirit, Menard asks. Manconi says the risk is with RTG. "(RTG) has to put those vehicles into service."

Menard asks RTG to provide weekly information so council and the public is up to date. City manager Steve K. jumps in, saying he understands council is concerned about info reported by the press, it's a complex system, there's testing.

"We've always been truthful," Steve K. says. "I can assure you we're looking at these thing, we're paying attention to them." Staff are tracking all of the issues. "Can you imagine where council would be right now if we were doing a design-build ourselves?"

RTG hasn't been paid since February 2018. Not a buck, Steve K. says. RTG has the risk and has been financing the work on its own dime, he says.

Menard wants a commitment to regular info-sharing, but sounds like the city will continue sharing info on the current process through finance committee and memos.

.@TimTierney asked when those critical 12 days of testing will begin, hoping it won't be in June, up against the end of Q2. Lauch says "it's in our best interest to do it as quickly as possible," points to the next two weeks as important.

Deans jumps on the winter ops question about receiving an LRT system in (maybe) June. She doesn't want to have a three-season LRT system, doesn't want winter 2019-2020 surprises.

Deans asks how confidence RTG's Lauch is about Q2 handover. Lauch says there has been a consistency on testing lately. Alstom has "stepped up" and they're not troubleshooting in the yard anymore. "We're keeping the vehicles on the track, and that's key," Lauch says.

Any subcontractor pack up and leave, Deans asks. No, Lauch says. Good crew in #Ottawa. "They have a commitment and they want to see this through," Lauch says.

In answering questions from @tm_kavanagh, Manconi says he sees nothing at this point that would suggest LRT would be delivered after Q2 (which ends at the end of June).

Mr. Half-Glass-Full @KeithEgli says the delay has actually helped RTG and the city identify winter ops problems. That's one good thing about it.

.@MeehanCarolAnne wants to know if there's a chance LRT won't be delivered by end of June. "I'm not seeing any indications right now that it will go later," Manconi says.

Leiper asks about costs of delay to RTG and if it's asking for any relief from elements of project agreement. Lauch says there are disputes, but "we're at the talking stage and we continue to do so." They'll deliver the LRT system taxpayers paid for.

Leiper asks about RTG's commitment to complete the project. Lauch says RTG has a contractual obligation to complete it and it will. "We continue to move along toward the revenue service availability date," Lauch says.

.@StephenBlais asks about freezing rain and ice buildup on overhead lines. Lauch says there hasn't been an issue with ice buildup, but they're designed to take an ice load. No issue yet. Manconi says he learned stuff from Boston....keep trains running at night to prevent ice.

That's it for the LRT update and finance committee meeting.