Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 4, 2008

Rail testing may cause delays

Starting next week, Metrorail customers may experience minor delays as the transit agency conducts overnight ultrasonic testing of the Metrorail system to search for internal rail defects.

If rail replacement is needed, the area of rail will be fixed temporarily, a slower speed will be mandated for trains that pass that area, and the rail identified for replacement will be removed and replaced the following night.

These speed restrictions will cause minor delays as trains slow down to pass over the area of track that has been identified for replacement.

Overnight testing of the 106-mile rail system is conducted five times a year by a special machine after the rail system closes. The machine rides the rails and uses ultrasonic testing to detect cracks or other flaws to ensure that the rails are in safe operating condition. In addition to the overnight testing, track inspectors also visually inspect the rails twice a week to ensure the reliability and safety of the rail system.

The tentative overnight rail inspection schedule is as follows:

Week of April 7:
Red Line – Shady Grove to Glenmont

Week of April 14:
Green Line – Branch Avenue to Greenbelt
Blue Line – Franconia Springfield to King Street
Yellow and Blue lines– Huntington to Rosslyn
Yellow Line – Pentagon to L’Enfant Plaza

Week of April 21:
Orange Line – New Carrollton to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU
Blue and Orange lines – Largo Town Center to New Carrollton

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News release issued at 9:24 am, April 4, 2008.