Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 4, 2008

Orange Line resumes regular service after storm-related delays

Storms also cause power outage at Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station

Regular service on the Orange Line resumed at 6:12 p.m. after downed power lines over the tracks near the East Falls Church Metrorail station caused major delays during this evening’s rush hour.

At 3:30 p.m., Metrorail suspended service between the East Falls Church and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations because it was not safe to move trains near the downed power lines.

Free shuttle bus service was established to help passengers around the incident. The buses carried passengers from the East Falls Church Metrorail station to the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station with stops at the West Falls Church and Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metrorail stations. Due to road and traffic conditions impacted by the storm, shuttle buses were not able to move quickly between stations and customers experienced long waits to get around the problem area.

In addition, Orange Line trains were running between the West Falls Church and Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail stations. However, a tree that fell on the outbound track between the Dunn Loring-Merrifield station and Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station forced trains to share one track between the stations.

Today’s storm also caused a power outage at the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station at about 3 p.m. The station lighting, fare card machines, faregates, elevators and escalators were affected. Metrorail trains were still able to run to station. A free shuttle bus is running between the Georgia Ave-Petworth and Fort Totten Metrorail stations.

News release issued at 6:31 pm, June 4, 2008.