Rail outage that stranded Via, GO Train, other passengers caused by software upgrade: CN
The massive outage on Canadian National Railway Co. lines that delayed thousands of Toronto-area commuters during the evening rush hour Tuesday can be traced to a software upgrade, the company says.
"At this time, our teams have determined that this was caused by an internal systems upgrade, which affected CN's ability to connect to the internet," CN spokesman Jonathan Abecassis said in an interview.
"There's no indication of a cybersecurity incident whatsoever. At no time was the safety of the public compromised, and at no time was data impacted."
The digital blackout "made it impossible for CN to connect to the internet," he clarified. It also barred regional transport authority Metrolinx and its GO Transit trains from connecting to CN servers — essential to digital communications that direct locomotives where to move — Abecassis said. GO Transit trains run partly on CN-owned tracks.
Partial connectivity was restored at about 3:45 p.m., as some trains lurched back into motion hours behind schedule after the outage began at 12:30 p.m. System recovery was nearly complete by 8 p.m., and fully resolved overnight, Abecassis said.
Earlier, the computer malfunction forced GO Transit commuter trains in the Greater Toronto Area to stop at the nearest station, while riders crowded the city's Union Station downtown during rush hour in hopes the network would resume.
The rail link connecting the downtown core to Toronto's Pearson airport also stalled, while more than 30 Via Rail arrivals and departures at Union Station were late — 11 by more than two hours, including busy routes to or from Montreal, Ottawa and Windsor, Ont. — according to data compiled by Greg Gormick, who heads On Track Consulting.
No CN freight trains experienced major delays, while EXO commuter trains in the Montreal area and Amtrak passenger trains from the U.S. were also in operation, Abecassis said.
After CN's computerized dispatch system went down, a handful of rail traffic controllers began issuing orders by pen and paper that were then sent out to conductors via radio to move trains to stations or other safe areas of track, where they were halted, according to two railway sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
EXO trains are dispatched directly by CN, which was able to revert to manual techniques to keep them moving, Abecassis said.
During the outage, CN worked with GO Transit to temporarily take over their train dispatching responsibilities, CN said. "This allowed for the partial resumption of GO and Via services" starting in late afternoon.
“We're going to be working with Metrolinx to put in place processes to avoid this happening again," Abecassis said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 MT 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
BREAKING Sask. man faces 60 charges in child exploitation investigation, with crimes dating back to 2005
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of crimes against children dating back to 2005.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Protesters gather at Ottawa City Hall after Israeli flag raised to mark country's national day
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.