Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 19, 2007
Green Line users to get free rides during today's afternoon peak period
Faulty power equipment caused major delays this morning
Metrorail riders who exit from a Green Line Metrorail station will ride for free this afternoon after power problems on the line this morning caused major delays for commuters.
“Green Line riders will receive free rides this afternoon from 3:30 to 7 p.m. to help make up for the poor service this morning,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe.
Green Line service was disrupted from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. because of power problems near the Fort Totten Metrorail station. In addition, Orange and Blue line riders also experienced delays this morning due to a separate power problem.
“We apologize for this morning’s delays,” Catoe said. “Many Metro employees experienced the same delays on their way to work this morning and I heard from customers on my commute. They told me to get it fixed and we did.”
A total of five trains lost power – four on the Green Line near the Fort Totten Metrorail station, and one between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail stations on the Blue and Orange lines. Metrorail officials don’t believe the two incidents are related.
The first outage happened just before 7 a.m. when a six-car train lost power while approaching the Fort Totten Metrorail station. Another empty train pushed the first train to the West Hyattsville Metrorail station and passengers got off the train at the platform. Both trains were headed to the rail yard at Greenbelt when they lost power again. A third empty train tried to push these two trains to the rail yard, but it also lost power. A fourth train near Fort Totten also lost power around 8:20 a.m., leaving the other track blocked. There was no train service at West Hyattsville station for a few hours.
Thirty-three buses provided free shuttle service between the West Hyattsville, Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza Metrorail stations, and four extra buses provided service between L’Enfant Plaza and Anacostia stations to help ease crowding. The buses carried about 5,000 passengers.
Track equipment was used to move the trains to the Greenbelt rail yard at the end of the line in Prince George’s County, Md. Normal service was restored just before 12:30 p.m. The fare gates were opened at the three affected stations so passengers could exit without charge during the disruption.
“We fixed a faulty piece of power equipment near Fort Totten,” said Steve Feil, Chief Operating Officer of Metrorail.
A six-car Blue line train lost power after 8:30 a.m. between the Foggy Bottom-GWU amd Rosslyn Metrorail stations. Normal service resumed about 45 minutes later. However, passengers experienced residual delays throughout the morning rush hours.
Feil also said track inspections were increased today due to the heat. High temperature raises the temperature of the metal tracks, which can cause them to expand. Inspectors walk the tracks looking for kinks in the rail during the heat.
News release issued at 12:00 am, June 19, 2007.