metro

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erinn Shirley

From WMATA:

“Metro today announced revised dates for the remaining SafeTrack surges of this calendar year. The new dates follow changes to the SafeTrack schedule announced in mid-August to address new safety recommendations, incorporate interlockings, and account for the impact of record heat and humidity during the summer months.

As previously announced, Surge #9 will begin Sept. 15 [today] and run for 42 days through October 26. On weekdays, Orange Line will single track at all times between Vienna and West Falls Church. Trains will service Vienna and Dunn Loring stations every 24 minutes. Service from West Falls Church to New Carrollton will be unaffected. On weekends, rail service will be suspended.

On the weekends of September 24-25 and October 1-2:

Free shuttle buses replace trains between Vienna and East Falls Church stations 7AM Saturday through closing Sunday.
Stations Closed: Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church.

On the weekends of October 8-9 and October 15-16:

Free shuttle buses replace trains between Vienna and West Falls Church stations 7AM Saturday through closing Sunday.
Stations Closed: Vienna and Dunn Loring.

The following SafeTrack surge dates were announced:

Surge #10: NoMa-Gallaudet-Fort Totten | October 29 – November 22

Date change: This surge will now begin on Saturday, October 29, and continue through Tuesday, November 22.

Service info: Red Line rail service will not operate between Fort Totten and NoMa-Gallaudet stations during this surge. As a result, two stations–Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue–will be closed. Buses will operate between Fort Totten, Brookland, Rhode Island Ave and NoMa. However, customers are encouraged to use the Green Line as an alternate route between Fort Totten and Downtown DC (Gallery Place). Red Line trains will operate less frequently than normal at all stations, and riders are encouraged to use alternate routes or travel outside of rush-hour periods if possible. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Elvert Barnes

In part the report says:

“The scenarios were developed to provide an additional 8 hours of track access each week to conduct safety-critical work, while also looking to minimize the number of riders impacted and the overall reduction in annual ridership. The attached presentation includes a chart showing ridership impact for each scenario.”

“The span of service proposal is the result of recommendations from third party experts, peer review, and consultants brought in to review the current maintenance plan. These reviews found: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Shamila Chaudhary

From WMATA:

“Weekend service adjustments September 2-5

Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of September 2-5 with service adjustments on four of six lines. Trains will operate as follows:

Free shuttle buses replace Orange Line trains between Stadium-Armory and Minnesota Avenue
Free shuttle buses replace Blue Line trains between Stadium-Armory & Benning Road and Franconia Springfield & King Street
Yellow and Green line trains will operate regular weekend service
Red Line trains will operate every 6-20 minutes
Silver Line trains will operate every 15 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only

Labor Day service information. On Labor Day, Monday, September 5, Metrorail will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at midnight. Trains will operate on a Sunday schedule. Off-peak fares will be in effect all day, and parking will be free at all Metrorail parking facilities.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Julian Ortiz

From WMATA:

“Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld announced today the launch of free public Wi-Fi at six Metrorail stations as part of a limited pilot program. The six stations selected for the pilot are: Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square, Union Station, Archives and L’Enfant Plaza.

The service, part of the General Manager’s Customer Accountability Report (CARe) initiatives, will be available for 45 days. After that time, the service will be suspended while the pilot program is evaluated. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erinn Shirley

From WMATA:

“Metro Transit Police, the District of Columbia and Arlington County will conduct a full-scale response drill Sunday, August 28, on the Yellow Line Bridge that will allow emergency personnel to practice the evacuation of a train during a simulated derailment.

The exercise, which will take place on the elevated track approaching the Pentagon station over the Potomac River, will allow emergency responders to test their capabilities on the aerial structure in coordination with water rescue teams. In addition, the drill will simulate real-world conditions to test coordination and communication between on-scene responders, Metrorail operations staff, Metro Transit Police and support personnel.

The exercise will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude no later than 2 p.m. (more…)

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“I just saw these new digital ad boards in the judiciary square metro. They are animated and change between several different ads. 2016 has arrived…”

Anyone else notice them at other stations?

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

You gotta read between the lines on this press release but could be crazy:

“Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld announced today that the investigation into the East Falls Church derailment, which began as an administrative review by the Safety Department, has been expanded to include an investigation by Metro Transit Police.

Wiedefeld directed the Metro Transit Police Department to open a parallel investigation into the matter following a briefing in which investigators advised him of concerns arising from employee interviews, inspection reports, rail defect tracking, and video recordings.

“The administrative review uncovered information that warrants further investigation by Metro Transit Police,” Wiedefeld said. “While Safety Department investigations determine cause and accountability, it is even more important to understand if other issues must be addressed with the way track inspections and maintenance have been conducted.”

Metro’s General Counsel, Patricia Y. Lee, has engaged two former Assistant U.S. Attorneys as Special Investigators to support the internal administrative review. Adam Hoffinger, a former AUSA for the Southern District of New York, and Peter White, a former AUSA for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, will work closely with Lee on this matter. Both have extensive prosecutorial experience with complex cases.

“The public has a right to know that the tracks on which their trains run are being properly inspected,” said Wiedefeld. “The information uncovered to date raises potentially serious concerns, and we will take all actions necessary to get answers and hold people accountable.” (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

From WMATA:

“Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced several adjustments to the remaining SafeTrack surge schedule to allow for the completion of additional work on crossover tracks, address new safety recommendations and account for the impact of extreme heat, humidity and other weather impacts.

The changes announced today will affect the dates and sequence of the remaining SafeTrack surges. In mid-September, Wiedefeld will announce additional changes to surge projects that were originally scheduled for October and later. The following SafeTrack surge changes were announced today: (more…)