Transit

Photo by PoPville flickr user Barbara.K

From WMATA:

Metro’s rebuilding efforts will continue over the weekend of July 20-22 on the Red, Green, Blue and Orange lines. The work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue through system closing on Sunday.

Red Line: Buses will replace trains between Grosvenor and Friendship Heights stations to allow for rail renewal/replacement, structural repairs, tunnel leak mitigation and related improvements. Medical Center and Bethesda stations will be closed. Red Line trains will operate in two segments — between Shady Grove and Grosvenor and between Friendship Heights and Glenmont — every 10 minutes between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. and at regular weekend intervals at other times. Customers traveling through the work zone should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Please note: Buses will also replace trains on this segment of the Red Line during the weekends of July 27-29 and August 10-12.

Green Line: Trains will single track between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza to allow for track maintenance, tie and fastener renewal and third-rail power improvements throughout the weekend, every 16 minutes. Customers should allow about 10 minutes of additional travel time. As a result of the work zone, all Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square only. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mount Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.

Blue Line: Trains will single track between Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield to allow for tie and insulator renewal, rail tamping and other necessary track work. Trains will operate at or near normal weekend frequencies. However, between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, every other Blue Line train will begin/end at Van Dorn Street, rather than Franconia-Springfield. Customers traveling to/from Franconia-Springfield Station should allow about 15 minutes of additional travel time.

Orange Line: Trains will single track in two work zones: Between East Falls Church and West Falls Church to allow for work associated with the Silver Line extension and between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly for platform reconstruction. Throughout the weekend, Orange Line trains will depart Vienna and New Carrollton every 24 minutes. On Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., additional trains will operate between Vienna and Stadium-Armory, providing service an average of every 12 minutes. Customers should allow additional travel time.

There is no work scheduled this weekend on the Yellow line. However, all Yellow Line trains will begin/end their trips at Mount Vernon Square, rather than Fort Totten, due to scheduled track work on the Green Line. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mount Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.

Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu

From WMATA:

Metro may slow trains to 35 mph in above ground sections of the system under certain extreme weather conditions, agency officials announced today.

The decision to implement “slow orders” for portions of the rail system will be based on several criteria, including the actual temperature of the rail. Metro track inspectors routinely measure rail temperature using a number of devices including infrared thermal “guns” and direct contact gauges. The combination of direct sunlight and high ambient temperature can cause rail temperatures to reach 135 degrees or higher. On particularly hot days, Metro implements a regimen of enhanced track inspections, with additional inspectors and supervisors walking and riding the system for signs of heat-related issues.

Under the new practice, if inspectors detect rail temperature higher than 135 degrees on a section of rail, a slow order will be placed into effect for that rail line. However, Metro officials may implement slow orders using other, more conservative criteria, including an average median temperature, during periods when the region is experiencing a prolonged (3-day) period of heat with insufficient nighttime cooling.

“While these speed restrictions may cause some delays and inconvenience, they are intended to put the safety of our passengers first,” said Dave Kubicek, Metro’s Deputy General Manager for Operations.

A heat kink can occur due to the expansion of steel rails during extremely high temperatures. If the force of an expanding rail cannot be constrained by the ties, clips or ballast, a sudden release of pressure can cause the rail to move laterally, resulting in a “kink.”

The speed restrictions are intended to improve a train’s ability to stop in the event that a heat kink develops on the rails.

Update 3PM:

“Metro has imposed a 35 mph speed restriction on aboveground portions of track on all lines as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The speed restriction is expected to remain in effect through this evening’s rush hour.

Customers should expect longer travel times as trains operate slower than normal in aboveground territory.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Joe in DC

From WMATA:

Metro rebuilding efforts will continue over the weekend of July 13-15 on the Orange, Blue, Red, Yellow and Green Lines. The work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue through system closing on Sunday.

Orange Line
Orange Line trains will single track between East Falls Church and West Falls Church to allow for tie and insulator renewal. Customers should expect minor delays during this time.

Blue Line
Buses will replace Blue Line trains between Braddock Road and Pentagon City to allow for tie renewal, insulator renewal, and cable installation to improve cell phone coverage. Reagan National Airport and Crystal City stations will be closed. Blue Line trains will operate in two segments: between Franconia-Springfield and Braddock Road and between Pentagon City and Largo Town Center, both at regular weekend intervals. Free shuttle bus service will operate between Pentagon City and Braddock Road stations, making all intermediate station stops. Customers traveling through the work zone should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Red Line
Red Line trains will single track between Takoma and Forest Glen to allow for station platform reconstruction and fiber optic cable installation. Trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont station. Customers should allow 15 minutes of additional travel time. On Saturday and Sunday, between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., additional Red Line trains will operate between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet, resulting in service about every 10 minutes.

Yellow Line
Buses will replace Yellow Line trains between Braddock Road and Pentagon City to allow for tie renewal, insulator renewal and cable installation to improve cell phone coverage. Reagan National Airport and Crystal City stations will be closed. Yellow Line trains will operate in two segments: between Huntington and Braddock Road and between Pentagon City and Mount Vernon Square, both at regular weekend intervals. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mount Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip. Shuttle buses will operate between Pentagon and Braddock Road stations, making all intermediate station stops. Customers traveling through the work zone should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Green Line
Green Line trains will single track between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza to allow for track maintenance, tie and fastener renewal and third-rail power improvements. Throughout the weekend, Green Line trains will operate every 16 minutes. Customers should allow about 10 minutes of additional travel time. As a result of the work zone, all Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square only. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mount Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.

But in some good news:

Metro to restore regular midday service downtown

Mid-day track work that has made single track operations routine for customers downtown is ending for this year, according to Metro Deputy General Manger for Operations David Kubicek.

While it may be necessary to occasionally take a track out of service for repairs between peak periods or to work at the end of the lines, the sustained level of mid-day work customers have experienced for the last two years is coming to a close for 2012, Kubicek said.

“As we have increased night-time production and accomplished more with weekend shutdowns, it now allows us to concentrate on track work during those times,” said Kubicek.

Photo by PoPville flickr user slightlyworn

From WMATA:

Metro’s Art in Transit program will hold auditions on July 17 for MetroPerforms!, live performances at Metrorail stations.

MetroPerforms! invites local performers of all genres—singers, dancers, musicians, poets and more—to showcase their talents at select Metrorail station entrances. In addition, for the first time, artists selected for MetroPerforms! will be invited to perform at the Music on the Mall program, developed by Metro in cooperation with the National Park Service and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

The auditions will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17, at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Performances at Metro stations and the Mall will take place from July through September. Selected artists will perform on a volunteer basis and are expected to adhere to performance guidelines set by Metro.

Performers selected to participate in MetroPerforms! must cooperate with Metrorail station managers and Metro Transit Police to ensure that performances do not compromise station access and the safety of Metro customers and the general public. In addition, performers must pass a background check and will not be permitted to sell merchandise or solicit in any way while performing.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Nikoo’s Photos

“Dear PoPville,

Tired of constantly having to ask people to stand on the right, I wrote WMATA to suggest that they post signs instructing escalator riders where to stand and where to walk. All I can say is…seriously?!”

Original email to WMATA:

It would be a tremendous improvement to MetroRail if there were signs posted at the top and bottom of each escalator instructing riders to “STAND RIGHT, WALK LEFT”

Similar signs at airports have greatly improved the safety and speed with which people move through an area (which in turn would improve WMATA service for all).

This easy fix is especially important given the high number of tourists in DC who have no idea that they should stand on the right.

“STAND RIGHT WALK LEFT” signs would also improve the image of WMATA in the eyes of DC residents by demonstrating WMATA’s interest in implementing a ready solution to the ongoing problem of escalator congestion.

Response from WMATA Rail Customer Service:

Thank you for contacting Metro’s Rail Transportation Customer Service regarding escalator protocol. While standing to the right on escalators and leaving the left side open for walkers has been an unwritten rule for regular Metro riders, a safety code for elevators and escalators prohibits any signs except required safety warnings.

WMATA does not encourage walking or running on escalators. The majority of escalator-related accidents occur when customers walk or run on escalators. Standing is the safest way to ride an escalator. We regret the inconvenience caused by customers who may block the escalator passageway; however, for your safety and the safety of all customers, we ask customers to refrain from walking or running on our escalators.

Thank you for your suggestion and for your patronage. To speak to a Rail Transportation Customer Service Representative for Comments, Complaints or Suggestions, please call 301-562-4605 weekdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. You can leave a message at all other times or complete the comment form located on our website at www.wmata.com.

Any chance the safety code can/will ever be amended? Council Member Bowser? Council Member Wells? I can understand asking customers not to run on the escalators but explicitly asking them to refrain from walking on the escalators is outrageous.

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From WMATA:

At approximately 4:45 p.m., an inbound Green Line train reported a derailment on approach to West Hyattsville Station. At this time, there are no reported injuries. Metro Transit Police and Prince George’s Plaza Fire Department are on the scene evacuating approximately 55 passengers from the train.

Green Line service is temporarily suspended between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza. Shuttle buses are en route.

And @WMATA tweets:

“All Metrorail trains are being slowed to 35mph in above ground territory. Expect delays on all lines as a result.”

Update from WMATA:

Investigators have determined that a misalignment of the rails, known as a “heat kink,” was a probable cause of yesterday’s derailment near West Hyattsville Station. Three cars of an inbound Green Line train derailed at approximately 4:45 p.m. as the train entered a tunnel from an outdoor section of track. There were no injuries.

Heat kinks are short sections of misaligned track caused by the expansion of metal rails in extremely high temperatures and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. When the expanding rail cannot be constrained by cross-ties and ballast, the rail may expand outward from the normal track alignment.

The investigation continues, including work to identify any contributing factors.

Green Line service between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza will remain suspended throughout the day Saturday as Metro crews work to re-rail the derailed cars and repair damaged track, third rail and fasteners in the area of the incident. Track work on all other lines has been cancelled this weekend.

Update:

Green Line service between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza will remain suspended on Sunday as Metro crews continue to make repairs to a 1,000-foot section of track in the area of Friday afternoon’s derailment outside West Hyattsville Station.

The three cars involved in the derailment were re-railed on Saturday.

Free shuttle buses will continue to operate Sunday between Fort Totten, West Hyattsville and Prince George’s Plaza stations. Customers traveling through this area should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time.

Photo by PoPville flickr user quemac

From WMATA:

Metro is advising customers to allow additional travel time on Monday morning due to the ongoing effects of damage caused by Friday’s extreme weather.

Metrobus: As of Sunday evening, approximately two dozen Metrobus routes are operating on detour routes due to downed power lines, downed trees or other storm damage. Delays could be widespread during the Monday morning commute, as a result of congestion from dark traffic signals and additional vehicles on the road. Metrobus customers can receive email and text message alerts for delays and detours by signing up for MetroAlerts.

Metrorail: Metro currently has sufficient third-rail power to support train operations on all Metrorail lines. However, there are some locations where, due to commercial power outages, Metro is “backfeeding” (moving) power to other parts of the system via the third rail. In the event of a further loss of commercial power, it may be necessary for Metro to impose train speed restrictions in order to maintain adequate power. For this reason, customers are encouraged to allow additional travel time Monday morning, and to sign up for MetroAlerts to receive email or text message notification of delays.

From DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is urging motorists to please use caution while traveling throughout the District. As of this evening, various roads remain closed due to downed trees on power lines and various traffic signals are still dark.

DDOT is continuing to work with PEPCO to ensure major roads are open by tomorrow morning’s rush-hour period.

Traffic-control personnel and stop signs have been deployed to intersections where signals are out and will remain onsite until full power is restored.

Tips:

· Treat dark intersections as four-way stops.
· Stay away from downed wires. They could be energized and electrical contact could be fatal.
· Stay clear of broken and hanging tree branches, as they can fall at any time.
· If possible avoid driving and take public transit. Visit goDCgo.com for more information on transportation options.