Metro News Release

For immediate release: November 30, 2007

Speed restrictions lifted

Speed restrictions that were put in place this morning, Friday, November 30, for safety reasons were lifted at 8:10 a.m. The fall leaves combined with the morning dew caused unusually slippery conditions on Metrorail tracks, so trains were operating at slower-than-usual speeds during the morning rush hour from 5 until 8:10 a.m.

Customers experienced only minor delays of between three and five minutes as a result of the slower-moving trains.

Trains, which operate at speeds in the 55 mph range in some areas of the Metrorail system, were temporarily restricted to a maximum of 30 mph in several segments of the rail system. This directly impacted 27 of the system’s 86 stations.

The leaves have lingered on trees longer than usual this season, and this year as they continue to fall, they get crushed onto the tracks by train wheels. The combination of the crushed leaves and morning dew has resulted in difficult braking and accelerating conditions for trains. Metro officials, who have been carefully monitoring morning weather conditions, slowed down the vehicles to improve safety conditions.

The restrictions were kept in place from the time the rail system opened at 5 a.m. until 8:10 a.m., when the slippery conditions brought on by the dew-leaf combination were no longer a factor for the safe operation of trains.

This is the first time in recent memory that such a widespread restriction was put in place. In the past, it has been more common for trains to have speed restrictions in short stretches between three or four stations.

Areas of track affected included the area of the Orange Line from New Carrollton to Stadium Armory (New Carrollton, Landover, Cheverly, Deanwood, Minnesota Ave and Stadium Armory) and from Vienna to East Falls Church (Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church); the area of the Red Line from Union Station to Silver Spring (Union Station, New York Ave, Rhode Island Ave, Brookland, Fort Totten, Takoma and Silver Spring) and from Shady Grove to Grosvenor (Shady Grove, Rockville, Twinbrook, White Flint, Grosvenor) and on the Green Line from Branch Ave to Congress Heights (Branch Ave, Suitland, Naylor Road, Southern Ave, and Congress Heights.

News release issued at 12:00 am, November 30, 2007.