Metro News Release

For immediate release: February 19, 2009

Track equipment derailed at Court House Metrorail station

Orange Line riders can expect delays of 40 minutes or more this morning

Customers on the Orange Line can expect major delays on the Orange Line this morning as trains are single-tracking (taking turns sharing one track) between the Clarendon and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail stations due to a piece of track equipment that derailed before the rail system opened this morning.

The piece of equipment had been involved in overnight track maintenance work downtown and was headed back to the rail yard when the wheels popped off the tracks at the Court House Metrorail station. There were no injuries. The incident occurred at about 4:30 a.m. as the equipment (a truck with specially equipped wheels to be able to ride on the tracks) was headed in the direction of Vienna/Fairfax-GMU.

Orange Line customers can expect crowded conditions and delays of 40 minutes or more this morning as a result of the incident.

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News release issued at 7:51 am, February 19, 2009.