Publication date: July 07, 2022 • 6 minutes ago • 4 minutes read • 12 comments A February 2020 file photo shows a news conference about the Confederation Line featuring, from left, OC Transpo officials John Manconi, Troy Charter and Pat Scrimgeour of OCV Transpo and Rideau Peter Lauch of Transit Group. Photo by Tony Caldwell/Postmedia

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An irate mayor “losing his mind” over LRT problems, flattened train wheels, frozen track switches, messed-up councilors, an ax-wielding vandal and a spilled box of blueberries: These are just some of the headaches that have caused a first year of service for the troubled Ottawa Confederation Line;

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The warts behind LRT operations were revealed Tuesday in a trove of WhatsApp messages entered into evidence by the Ottawa Streetcar Transit Commission. Thousands of messages in more than 600 pages of documents included conversations between key players such as Mayor Jim Watson, City Manager Steve Kanellakos, former transit director John Manconi, transit directors Pat Scrimgeour and Troy Charter, transit committee chairman Allan Hubley and others. They covered the period from testing and launch in the summer of 2019 to winter operations in December 2020. At an interchange on November 1, 2019, not yet two months into full operation, a frustrated Watson called for continued parallel bus service to take pressure off the ailing LRT.

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“We need parallel service back,” Watson said. “On Monday. How do we make this happen? Our reputation is in tatters. Tell me how we’re going to bring it back. I’m not concerned with the cost right now. I need reasons to bring it back as opposed to why we can’t.” In addition to detailed questions about service times and train availability, Watson also texted about his own experiences on the train. “Train 1110 has a wrong message. Heading west and it says destination Blair,” the mayor wrote on Nov. 4. At one point, Manconi pleaded for some relief: “Sir. Mayor, I’m begging you, please, I’m getting so many messages from you on multiple channels and your staff,” Maddoni wrote on October 28. “I’ll reply to all of them. The service is working well… Everything is happening. We’re drowning in overload messages”.

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In February, when trains were sidelined by flattened wheels, Manconi texted Scrimgeour that the mayor was “losing his mind”. “Pat help me. The Mayor is upset. Immediately upload the following tweet. Full service operates all day. A stop of a train as a customer signaled the emergency alarm. The service continued to operate. Without delays.” Later that day Manconi texted the Map: “… The Mayor is losing his mind. Troy, what’s going on?’ “The Mayor said, ‘I don’t want us to eat it.’ Pat, send a message,” Manconi wrote. Read six pages of the Whatsapp transcript: On January 19, 2020, an enraged Manconi complained about frozen track switches that delayed trains during a winter storm and urged staff to hold “Peter,” presumably Rideau Transit Group CEO Peter Lauch, accountable.

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“I’m pounding Peter right now,” Manconi texted Harter. “Troy, don’t let him win the ‘Sorry’ BS game. They should have heard us — flood the line with staff. They didn’t and now we’re ruining it in the media and on social media. Don’t cut him any breaks. He tells me he’s keeping you posted. I told him I don’t care — they have to execute,” Manconi wrote. “I can tell you from personal experience that I would rather talk to auditors after the fact and bean counters about overtime than elected officials and the media about failing to provide reliable service during storms. If Peter had any pride or sense of professional responsibility, he would resign now.” In one text, Manconi described how an ax-wielding vandal broke into Tunney’s Pasture station, smashing a fare booth and causing other damage. The man was arrested by Ottawa police. In a smaller problem, Hubley noted that someone spilled blueberries on the long escalator at Rideau Station. “I’ll be messy!” sent a message.

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The first day of LRT service on Sept. 14, 2019, was a happy day for OC Transpo General Manager John Manconi, left, City Councilman and Transit Commission Chief Allan Hubley, middle, and Mayor Jim Watson. Photo by Jean Levac/Postmedia News Citizens’ Transit Commissioner Sarah Wright-Gilbert also drew the ire of senior managers and Watson when she appeared on a CFRA show. “Why doesn’t someone take this public commissioner off the air,” Manconi texted the group on October 26, 2019. “She’s alive at CFRA. A call asking people to complain about OC Transpo? He is destroying us with misinformation. Destroying the brand and accusing us of distorting the facts. We are also talking about congestion. How is that appropriate or fair?’ “It’s him and you and Alan and the clerk should meet with her when Alan gets back and say if the attacks don’t stop he’s going to be removed,” Watson replied. “I’m furious with her too. The best advice. Turn off the radio and turn off her nonsense.”

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In a swap on New Year’s Eve 2019, Tom Prendergast, a consultant at STV, stayed with train manufacturer Alstom. “I have NEVER seen a range of vehicles experience as many different failure modes of different systems, assemblies and components going through a new fleet launch as these Alstom vehicles. Unfriggin is at least believable and something that gives Alstom a “black eye”. Although going back to memory we had power issues come and go with no clear understanding of the cause so it was a game of cat and mouse…” Periodically during the pages and pages of messages that went out, Manconi tried to give encouragement to his team. “Friends – transformative change is hard,” the message read on New Year’s Day 2020. “What we’re doing in Ottawa has never been done before, and we have no clue. Be proud and strong and keep pushing we will get through this. None of this is easy, and no one but us will know how well we’ve done on so many fronts. Be proud! Hold your head up high and thank you for all you’ve done.”

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