Stanley Park Ghost Train cancelled for 3rd year in a row

Decorations from the annual Stanley Park Ghost Train are seen in an image from October 2019. (Instagram: StanleyParkRailway/Tim Matheson)

The Stanley Park Ghost Train will not be operating this October due to "mechanical issues" with the antique engines and passenger cars, officials announced Tuesday.

The cancellation marks the third Halloween season in a row that families will not be able to enjoy the problem-plagued attraction.

Officials decided to cancel this year's event after the train failed an inspection by Technical Safety B.C. The City of Vancouver said crews hope to address the issues before the annual Bright Nights event in December.

"The distinctive engines, some more than 60 years old, require unique and hard-to-access parts, in addition to highly specialized service and maintenance, both of which are in short supply," the city said in a news release. "There are few mechanics with the requisite knowledge of this vintage equipment."

The Ghost Train and Bright Nights events were both cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials cancelled the Ghost Train the following year as well due to concerns about a rash of coyote attacks in Stanley Park. That year's Bright Nights event, which functions as a fundraiser for the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters' Association Burn Fund, was also cut short after someone stole the main power source for the attraction.

Officials said they are collaborating with engineers from Simon Fraser University's School of Sustainable Energy on a long-term solution for the aging train, which includes looking into "climate-friendly alternatives like electric engines."