The popular attraction has come to a halt after a worker experienced symptoms believed to be related to exhaust fumes from the train
Customers with tickets to the Stanley Park Christmas train should brace for more cancellations as the Vancouver park board scrambles to try to get the popular attraction back on track for the holiday season.
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The train operation was suspended on the weekend after a worker safety issue on Friday night. Nearly 10,000 tickets up until Wednesday were refunded.
On Tuesday, park board general manager Steve Jackson said more cancellations are coming.
“The chances of us being up and operating by Thursday are probably pretty slim,” he said. “Obviously with customers trying to solidify holiday plans, some may not be able to wait in limbo, while others may be OK waiting.”
Customers who change their minds can get their tickets refunded, he said.
The park board issued a statement Saturday saying operations were suspended until further notice.
Jackson said the incident involved one of the train operators who sits in the back of the train and experienced nausea and dizziness. She was taken to hospital and released Saturday morning and has been recovering at home since.
“Our assumption at this point is that it’s related to the exhaust of the trains,” said Jackson, adding drivers had been reporting issues with diesel fumes in the lead-up to Bright Nights and during practice runs.
The exhaust fumes have always been present, but were more a discomfort than a health concern, he said.
The trains were operating as normal during Halloween, but the fumes seemed worse. The park board ran tests for on the exhaust fumes levels and the results showed fumes as higher than typical, but within allowable safety limits.
To mitigate the issue, the park board brought in more drivers to work, with each operating one run through the track then sitting out for two runs, which gave them the chance to breathe in more oxygen and fresh air.
But with a staff member now experiencing acute symptoms, “we can’t put more employees at risk without investigating and understanding the root cause,” said Jackson. “We had to suspend the train operations for the safety of our staff.”
Crews from the city’s fleet team are investigating the two locomotives operating to determine what’s causing the issue and whether modifications can be made to get the trains running again before the sold-out event wraps up on Jan. 4.
Modifications could include adding a chemical that would make the exhaust smell less, redirecting the exhaust, or creating a barrier between the exhaust and the operators, said Jackson.
Any changes will have to be approved by a third-party engineering consulting firm and Technical Safety B.C.
“It’s a matter of figuring out, is there a solution, what is the timeline to test it and go through the regulatory hurdles and get it back to operation,” he said.
About 9,800 tickets have been refunded so far, with an estimated revenue loss of about $150,000.
The trains operate as part of Bright Nights, the largest fundraiser for the B.C. firefighters Burn Fund, with 13 per cent of every ticket sold going to the fund.
The closure of the train could also mean fewer people attending the event, said Jackson, who encouraged people to come to the park to enjoy the lights and decorations at the concourse.
The park board has also removed pay parking that it had implemented at the lot from 3 p.m. onward in anticipation of crowds.
There have been requests from people to extend train operations past Jan. 4, but Jackson said that would be tough as the Burn Fund operates with volunteer firefighters and casual park board hires who are only available during the holidays.
“We have not ruled it out, but right now our attention is focused on how to get the train back on track,” he said.