Metro News Release

For immediate release: February 19, 2009

Track equipment derailed at Court House Metrorail station

Orange and Blue Line riders can expect delays throughout the morning

Customers on the Orange and Blue lines can expect major delays throughout the remainder of the morning as Orange Line 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, a vacuum truck, had been involved in routine overnight track maintenance work downtown and was headed back to the West Falls Church 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 vacuum truck (a truck with specially equipped wheels to be able to ride on the tracks) was headed in the direction of Vienna/Fairfax-GMU.

Orange and Blue Line customers can expect crowded conditions and delays of 40 minutes or more through the end of rush hour as a result of the incident.

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News release issued at 9:06 am, February 19, 2009.