metro

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erinn Shirley

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From WMATA:

“This weekend, riders on the Red, Green, Orange and Silver lines will enjoy regular weekend service with no track work as Metro eases up on most daytime maintenance to accommodate Cherry Blossom visitors. For the next several weekends, the only daytime weekend trackwork will be SafeTrack related, affecting customers on the Blue and Yellow lines primarily south of Reagan National Airport in Virginia. The ongoing SafeTrack surge is a long-term project through April 12 that has Blue and Yellow line trains sharing a single track between Braddock Road and Van Dorn Street/Huntington. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jordan Barab

Update:

“Metro has completed repairs to the Yellow Line tunnel south of L’Enfant Plaza where water was entering the tunnel earlier today.

The leak was first reported around 11:30 a.m. by a train operator. Metro structural engineers and inspectors responded and determined that the water was entering the system from outside the Metro system. Third-rail power was de-energized for safety reasons.

From 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Yellow Line trains were single tracking between L’Enfant Plaza and Pentagon City. Normal two-track service has been restored.

It has not yet been determined whether the source was ground water or from a non-Metro-related pipe outside the tunnel wall.

Customers should expect normal service for the evening commute. As a reminder, Yellow Line trains are scheduled to run less frequently due to SafeTrack Surge #13.” (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erinn Shirley

From WMATA:

“Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld today released a revised Fiscal Year 2018 budget plan that lessens the impact of bus and rail service changes for riders, while maintaining “balanced sacrifice” by distributing contributions between the funding partners, Metro management and employees, and customers.

“Metro listened very carefully to our customers who said they would prefer to pay a little more than lose key rail and bus services,” said Wiedefeld. “I recognize that even with some relief for customers, this proposal is tough medicine for the region, jurisdictions, riders, and Metro employees, all of whom must contribute to balance this budget.”

More than 11,000 members of the public participated in Metro’s budget surveys and public hearing, and 54 percent of them rated the General Manager’s original proposal as “very” or “somewhat” fair. By a margin of more than two-to-one, participants said they prefer fare increases over service cuts.

Wiedefeld’ s revised plan would increase rail, bus and parking fares for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2017 as originally proposed; however, in response to concerns from riders, Metro would keep its seven-day bus pass priced at $17.50, thereby allowing frequent bus riders to avoid the quarter per trip fare increase.

Other changes in the $1.82 billion revised proposal include:

Rail service proposal would only reduce frequency in peak travel periods, such that trains would operate about every 8 minutes on all lines.
Off-peak rail service reductions originally proposed would not be implemented. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user LaTur

From WMATA:

“Metro will perform maintenance work over the weekend of March 3-5 to keep trains operating safely and reliably.

Highlights

Green Line trains operate at regular weekend intervals.
Red Line trains operate every 10-15 minutes. Buses replace trains between Forest Glen & Silver Spring.
Blue Line trains operate every 15-24 minutes due to SafeTrack Surge #13. Buses replace trains between Smithsonian and Federal Center SW.
Yellow Line trains operate every 15-24 minutes due to SafeTrack Surge #13.
Orange Line trains operate every 15-24 minutes. Buses replace trains between Smithsonian & Federal Center SW.
Silver Line trains operate every 24 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East & Ballston only.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user slatifolia

From WMATA:

“WMATA filed suit in U.S. District Court today to allow the Authority to implement an anti-fatigue policy designed to prevent bus and train operators, and other safety-critical employees from working seven-consecutive days.

Following a comprehensive fatigue management study in 2013, Metro created the first Fatigue Risk Management Policy in the transit industry for Metro employees in safety-critical positions, including train and bus operators. The policy provides that no employee perform work on more than six-consecutive days, and that any employee working six-consecutive days receive at least 24-hours off duty before returning to work. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jim Havard

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of February 24-26 with service adjustments on four of six lines. Trains will operate as follows:

Yellow and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals
Red Line trains will operate regular weekend, daytime intervals; trains every 20-30 minutes after 8 p.m.
SafeTrack Surge 12 through Tuesday, February 28: No Blue Line train service. See below for additional service details
Orange and Silver line trains operate every 18 minutes with Silver Line trains between Wiehle-Reston East and Largo Town Center (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user LaTur

Quintina writes:

“Any word on police patrolling metro w/weapons in hand? Just passed one in the Dupont station. rifle. Safely pointed at the ground while walking but still. Was thinking potential threat alert or something of that nature?”

Anyone see patrols at other stations? Has anyone ever seen a patrol with rifles before?

Reminder from WMATA:

“From February 11 through February 28, 2017, SafeTrack Surge #12 will result in an around-the-clock shutdown of the tracks between Rosslyn and Pentagon stations.

Highlights:

Blue Line trains will be replaced by Yellow Rush+ service running at all times between Franconia-Springfield and Greenbelt
No trains will run between Rosslyn and Pentagon
Arlington Cemetery Station will be closed

On weekdays:

No Blue Line trains will be in service
In Virginia, use Yellow Rush+ and transfer at L’Enfant Plaza to continue your trip.
In Maryland, use Silver Line instead.

Yellow Rush+ trains will run all day between Franconia-Springfield & Greenbelt
Arlington Cemetery Station will be closed (free shuttle buses will run between Pentagon & Arlington Cemetery)”