Tens of thousands of commuters in Ontario using GO Transit faced cancellations or long delays Tuesday because CN Rail’s “network-wide system” was down, which the company said was later restored.
CN Rail attributed the incident to an internet connectivity issue that prevented the regional rail service from dispatching trains.
Commuter trains were stopped at nearby stations during the disruption, which also affected Via Rail and UP Express train service from Toronto’s Union Station to Pearson International Airport.
“CN will work with GO to review the incident and implement processes to prevent further disruption,” the company said in a statement.
“CN would like to apologize for the impact caused by this outage. While there remains no indication of a cybersecurity issue, the cause of the outage remains under investigation,” it said.
Metrolinx, the government agency that operates GO Transit train and bus service in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, said all of its rail corridors were down, but it was slowly able to resume service on some lines.
ET, GO Transit said it could offer limited service from Union Station, but urged riders to find other ways to get to their destinations or delay trips until later Tuesday night.
About 190,000 passengers use GO trains and buses daily, connecting downtown Toronto to Hamilton, Kitchener, Ontario, and communities in the Halton, Peel, York and Durham regions.
The blackout left hundreds of frustrated commuters confined to their homes trapped at Union Station.
Uber limits price increases
“This is crazy, whatever it is, [GO] “We have to do better,” said David Miller, a coffee shop worker who saw three trains he planned to take canceled.
The sudden demand for taxis tripled fares for ride-sharing service Uber, according to several people who tried to book rides.
An Uber spokesperson said prices temporarily increase when there are more ride requests than drivers.
“In response to this afternoon’s GO transit situation, Uber has limited price increases,” spokeswoman Keerthana Rang said in an email.
GO Transit said it would prioritize trying to get people home from Union Station, which was “very busy.”
