The east end extension of the O-Train’s Confederation Line is entering the final stages of testing before what is hoped to be it’s long awaited grand opening.

A 21-day trial run that will see eight trains mimic peak period requirements on the track, will take place sometime next month. If all goes well, the final steps needed before the extension becomes operational will take another five to 10 days. That would place the potential opening date in mid- to late November.

The update was delivered by OC Transpo general manager Rick Leary during an transit committee meeting on Sept. 9.

But while Leary’s message to the committee was positive he stopped short of setting an actual date for when east end commuters will be able to start riding the O-Train from Trim Road to Blair Station and beyond.

“I need to see the outcome of the data on that before I can commit to trial running,” Leary said, adding he won’t be comfortable to provide a timeline on opening until pre-trial testing is underway.

The east end extension was supposed to be completed last spring, but a lack of trains due to mechanical issues delayed testing for several months.

Now that federal government workers are having to return to their offices five days a week, there’s a renewed urgency to get the trains running from Trim to Blair as soon as possibly and assuming it is safe to do so.

Beacon Hill-Cyrville councillor Tim Tierney believes a November opening is doable. Unfor-tunately, Orléans East-Cumberland councillor, Matt Luloff, doesn’t share his optimism.

“I’m as confidemt (with that timeline) as I am with the chances of the Ottawa Senators winning the Stanley Cup this year,” says Luloff. “I’m cheering for it, but I’m not going to bet the farm on it."

Pre-trial testing has been ongoing for several weeks now to condition the tracks for the trial testing which will culminate with the final testing of the system from Tunney’s Pasture to the new Trim Road station.

The trail testing is designed to cover every contingency, including how to continue limited service should one of the two tracks be taking out of service due to a stalled train, a severe weather event, or a loss of power.

According to the report delivered to the committee, additional readiness exercises are being undertaken as part of the preparations for trial running, including exercises to test the operational response to rail diversion scenarios that could occur in the east extension.”

When it finally does become operational, commuters in Orléans will be able to take their local bus to stations at Trim Road, Place d’Orléans, Orléans Blvd. and Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. ,where they will board a train to Blair Station. They then will have to disembark at Blair and get on a second train which will take them downtown. They will have to do the same when traveling eastbound .