West Coast Express won’t run Friday: TransLink

TransLink says the West Coast Express (WCE) will continue to be out of service until it’s clear on how to proceed, despite a railway lockout ending 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.

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TransLink has 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.”

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio Thursday afternoon, TransLink said WCE service would 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.

Canadian National Railway Co. said Thursday afternoon that it ended its lockout of workers that began earlier in the day, adding it was going to begin a recovery plan immediately.

CPCK, meanwhile, said it was preparing to restart operations.

The company noted it would provide further details about timing once it received an order from the board to impose final binding arbitration.

The announcements came after Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon stepped in to get trains moving again after the unprecedented lockout by the country’s two largest rail companies.

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

Editor’s note: this story has been updated to clarify the circumstances around the rail stoppage. A previous version of the story had referred to the stoppage as a strike. We apologize for any confusion.