Metro News Release
For immediate release: September 29, 2008
Metro announces its October weekend track maintenance schedule
As part of its track rehabilitation and renewal program, Metro will be installing new rail, upgrading sections of track, replacing floating slabs and conducting switch replacement work each weekend in October on the Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines. This maintenance work will involve trains sharing one track on each of these lines resulting in delays of 15 to 25 minutes.
At the end of each month, Metro will post the weekend track maintenance schedule for the following month to notify riders of service changes.
“We understand that our track maintenance program can impact our riders who use the rail system particularly on the weekends, so we are locking in a schedule one month ahead,” said Dave Kubicek, Metro’s Assistant General Manager for Metrorail. “We want our rail riders to use this schedule as a tool so they can plan their weekends and see where our maintenance crews will be in the rail system.”
Metro encourages riders to check its Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com at the end of each month to see the following month’s schedule of work. Metro will continue to issue news releases each Thursday as a reminder to provide updates about any last minute track maintenance schedule changes.
Friday, October 3, to Sunday, October 5
O Blue Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Stadium-Armory and Addison Road Seat Pleasant Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time because of floating slab replacement. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m., Friday, October 3, to closing (3 a.m.), Sunday, October 5. Floating slabs are large sections of concrete which rest on doughnut-shaped, rubber pads. The floating slabs support the railroad tracks over which the trains run and absorb vibrations and noise from trains.
Friday, October 10, to Sunday, October 12
O Red Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Takoma and Silver Spring Metrorail stations should add 20 minutes of travel time because personnel will stabilize the rail tracks, and smooth out the surface of the rails. Trains will share one track between these locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12.
O Orange Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations should add 25 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace crossties, the track support structures. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, October 10, to 10 a.m., Sunday, October 12. To help expedite rail travel back to Washington, D.C., every other Orange Line train in the direction of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station will terminate at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station and return to the New Carrollton Metrorail station.
Friday, October 17, to Sunday, October 19
O Red Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Friendship Heights and Medical Center Metrorail stations should add 20 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace fasteners that stabilize the rail tracks. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m., Friday, October 17, to closing (midnight), Sunday, October 19. To help expedite rail travel back to Washington, D.C., every other Red Line train in the direction of the Shady Grove Metrorail station will terminate at the Friendship Heights Metrorail station and return to the Glenmont Metrorail station.
O Orange Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the East Falls Church and Ballston Metrorail stations should add 20 minutes of travel time due to the installation of new rail. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, October 17, to 1 p.m., Sunday, October 19.
Friday, October 24, to Sunday, October 26
O Green Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Greenbelt and College Park-U of Md should add 20 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace the rail switch at the Greenbelt Metrorail station. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9 p.m., Friday, October 24, to closing (midnight), Sunday, October 26.
O Blue Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Stadium-Armory and Addison Road Seat Pleasant Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time because of floating slab replacement. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m., Friday, October 24, to closing (3 a.m.), Sunday, October 26.
Friday, October 31, to Sunday, November 2
O Green Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Greenbelt and College Park-U of Md should add 20 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace the rail switch at the Greenbelt Metrorail station. Trains will share one track between these locations from 9 p.m., Friday, October 31, to closing (midnight), Sunday, November 2.
Please note, this schedule is subject to change. Metro will update any service changes through news releases and on its Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com.
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News release issued at 1:53 pm, September 29, 2008.