Via Rail trains moving again after Kingston police investigation wraps up

Via Rail trains have begun moving again after being halted in both directions Saturday afternoon due to a police investigation in Kingston, Ont.

Kingston Police said in a media release at around 12:40 p.m. that they had closed a stretch of Montreal Street in the city’s northeast between John Counter Boulevard and Briceland Street.

Police later said they were investigating reports of a possible explosive device.

Just before 4:30 p.m., police said they’d confirmed there was no such device in the area. Montreal Street has reopened, they said.

‘Out of Via Rail’s control’

In a statement to CBC shortly before 3 p.m., a Via Rail spokesperson said the investigation meant their tracks had been shut down in both directions.

The investigation was “out of Via Rail’s control” and did not involve one of their trains, the statement said. 

In all, nine trains ended up being halted in total in the Kingston area due to the investigation, Via Rail said in a second statement later Saturday aftenoon.

The trains were delayed from one to five hours, the company said. After the investigation wrapped up and signal checks on the line were completed, they were moving again by 5:30 p.m.

“Via Rail regrets the inconvenience to passengers caused by this unfortunate situation,” they said in their second statement.