Metro News Release
For immediate release: December 14, 2007
Metro Outlines Saturday Winter Weather Preparations
Metro is getting ready for snow, sleet and freezing rain tomorrow, Saturday, December 15. Metro employees are hard at work preparing the transit agency for the winter elements. With a commitment to operating a safe rail and bus system, the transit agency is preparing to operate its de-icing trains if necessary, “hardening” its fleet of rail cars to handle the snow and relying on heater tape to keep ice and snow off of the electrified third rail that provides electricity to power the trains.
Riders are advised to build extra time into their travel plans. They should also watch their step as wet tiles and steps may get slippery in the Metrorail system.
Metro’s plans for Saturday, December 15 are:
Metrorail
¸ Metrorail will operate on a normal Saturday schedule from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
¸ If necessary, Metro will have up to 20 trains equipped with de-icing equipment to combat snow and ice on the third rail. Up to 12 trains would be available to operate in regular passenger service on all rail lines with the remaining eight trains in rail yards. If necessary, these trains will be placed in service beginning as early as 7 a.m., Saturday, and will be available to operate throughout the day if conditions warrant.
¸ Passengers may see the de-icing equipment inside those 12 trains. It is neither dangerous nor flammable, and passengers should not be concerned that it is aboard their train. If they prefer not to be in a rail car with the equipment, they can move to another rail car. Those same trains also will have special scrapers to help keep ice off of the third rail. If the third rail has ice build-up on it, it does not allow for the free flow of electricity from the rail to power the train. Keeping the third rail ice-free is a continuous process.
¸ Metro will use “heater tape” which has been installed on sections of track with significant grades/inclines and in critical areas in the rail yards. The heater tape, which will be in use throughout the winter, is a cable clipped onto the third rail that is turned on when temperatures dip below the freezing mark to keep the third rail warm enough to prevent snow and ice from building-up.
¸ Metro railcar maintenance staff has also “hardened” its fleet of rail cars by protecting the undercarriage motors from snow ingestion and electrical short circuits that are caused by water/snow and debris. The traction motors have been coated with a protective material to help prevent the ingestion of snow and water.
¸ Maintenance personnel will report at normal times Saturday, to treat station entrances, platforms and parking facilities with salt and remove accumulated snow as needed.
Metrobus
¸ Metrobus will operate on a Saturday schedule. Metrobuses will operate as road conditions dictate, so passengers should expect possible detours and delays due to changing road conditions on Saturday.
MetroAccess
¸ MetroAccess will operate as road conditions dictate, so passengers should expect possible detours and delays due to changing road conditions. Passengers with scheduled rides should call (301) 562-5360 for a status update of their ride.
Metro Snow Facts
¸ Metro has 2,200 tons of bulk rock salt to treat Metro roadways and parking lots. The salt is stored in seven salt domes and one storage building around the system. Each dome holds approximately 300 tons of rock salt.
¸ Metro has 18,000, 50-pound bags of de-icer (calcium chloride) for treating sidewalks and platforms.
¸ Metro has 71 tractors, 96 snow brooms, and 122 snow blowers to remove snow from Metro-owned facilities.
¸ Metro has two contractors to support efforts if snow accumulation reaches four inches or more. They are primarily used to clear parking lots.
¸ Metro has several hundred personnel to aid in support of the snow removal effort: day shift, evening shift and midnight shift.
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News release issued at 12:00 am, December 14, 2007.