Sprinter light-rail service to resume after two-month hiatus due to safety concerns

North County Transit District's (NCTD) Sprinter light-rail service will resume tomorrow, NCTD officials announced yesterday.

NCTD took Sprinter out of service March 9, after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) found irregular wear patterns on the non-powered center axles during an inspection in late February.

Service is resuming following extensive safety testing, the review of replacement parts, and inspections of the overall vehicle and railroad infrastructure by the Federal Railroad Administration, NCTD officials said in a press release.

"The Sprinter, its signals and tracks passed all testing with outstanding results and will resume service with vehicles equipped with split disc rotors on the center axles," officials said.

NCTD, its contractor Veolia Transportation and sub-contractor Bombardier Transportation worked together to put into place business improvement strategies to strengthen maintenance practices and improve contractor oversight, NCTD officials said. The FRA and CPUC reviewed and approved the strategies, they added.

Also during the past two months, routine maintenance was completed, including engine checks, air conditioning work, graffiti removal, extensive cleaning and replacement of worn seating fabric.