TransLink says the West Coast Express (WCE) will continue to be out of service until it’s clear on how to proceed since a railway lockout started and ended Thursday.
The WCE is a major commuter rail service that travels westbound to Downtown Vancouver on weekday mornings, and eastbound to Mission City on weekday afternoons and evenings.
In the Lower Mainland, TransLink said the WCE would not be able to run during the lockout because the service operates on rail that is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), noting it “cannot operate without CPKC’s dispatchers and rail workers.”
Canadian National Railway Co. says it has ended its lockout of workers that began earlier Thursday and is going to begin a recovery plan immediately.
CPCK, meanwhile, says it’s preparing to restart operations.
It says it will provide further details about timing once it receives an order from the board to impose final binding arbitration.
The announcements come after Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon stepped in to get trains moving again after an unprecedented lockout by the country’s two largest rail companies.
In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio Thursday afternoon, TransLink says WCE service will continue to be suspended “until further clarity is given by CPKC on when trains can operate again.”
“There will be no West Coast Express service this afternoon, Aug. 22, or tomorrow, Aug. 23,” TransLink said.
TransLink provides supplemental service as rail stoppage halts West Coast Express
On Wednesday, TransLink said it will provide additional bus service throughout the lockout.
TransLinks says it is providing the following service to assist commuters through the disruption:
At Mission City or Port Haney stations:
- Supplemental bus service will be provided to connect customers to and from SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central Station.
- This supplemental bus service will leave from Mission City Station in the morning at 5:25, 5:55, 6:25, 6:55, and 7:25 a.m.
- Buses will then leave from Port Haney Station at approximately 5:53, 6:23, 6:53, 7:23, and 7:53 a.m. Times may vary depending on traffic.
- In the afternoon, the return buses will leave from Coquitlam Central Station at 4:50, 5:20, 5:50, 6:30, and 7:20 p.m.
At Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, or Maple Meadows stations:
- The R3, Route 701, or 791 are the best alternatives to connect to SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central Station.
- Customers at Port Coquitlam Station could also take routes 159, 160, 173, 174, or 175 to connect with SkyTrain.
At Port Moody or Coquitlam Central stations:
- Taking the Millennium Line and transferring to the Expo Line at Commercial-Broadway Station is the best alternative.
TransLink says over 3,000 customers take the WCE each day.
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—With files from Hana Mae Nassar and The Canadian Press