Two more LRT vehicles arrive in Waterloo Region

WATERLOO REGION — The number of light rail transit vehicles in Waterloo Region continues to increase as two more arrived in recent days.

TJ Flynn, co-ordinator of community relations for the Ion LRT, said the two vehicles are still loaded on their rail cars but should be offloaded in the coming days.

They will then be prepped for tests before going into service at the end of this year.

Flynn expects another delivery of LRT vehicles sometime next month, but couldn’t say how many vehicles would be part of that delivery.

Eight vehicles are now in the region, meaning more than half of the 14 Ion vehicles have been delivered, he said.

The trains are expected to begin running between Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and Fairview Park mall in Kitchener in December.

Originally, manufacturer Bombardier was to have delivered all 14 train cars by December 2016.

In April, it was revealed that delays have so far cost the Region of Waterloo almost $25 million.

However, the region intends to go after the company to recoup those losses.

There is also no word on whether the serious welding defects that were discovered in Toronto Transit Commission streetcars built by Bombardier are also present in the region’s LRT vehicles.