Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 26, 2009
Friday Red Line service altered
Red Line trains will share one track through area during morning and evening rush hours
FAQs related to train accident
Red Line service will continue to be impacted on Friday, June 26, while inspections continue between Fort Totten and Takoma Metrorail stations as a result of a fatal collision on the Red Line on Monday, June 22.
Red Line trains will take turns sharing one track between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations during the morning and afternoon rush periods, but during mid-day and late night, several areas will be shut down.
“Single tracking,” when trains will take turns sharing the track, will take place from 5 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 10 p.m., when trains will service the Glenmont side of the track at Fort Totten.
Service will be temporarily halted between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and then again after 10 p.m. to allow the National Transportation Safety Board and Metro’s internal accident investigation team to continue to search for the cause of Monday’s accident. During that time, Red Line trains will operate between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations and between the Shady Grove and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. This means that the Takoma Metrorail station will be closed mid-day and after 10 p.m.
The trains will be restricted to a maximum speed of 35 mph along the Red Line the entire day. Trains passing through the accident zone will pass through at significantly slower speed, especially between 8 and 10 p.m.
Free Metrobus shuttles will be available throughout the day to help move customers between the Silver Spring, Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. People can expect long waits for buses as a full Metrorail train often carries 100 people or more per car and a bus can only hold about 50 people at a time.
In addition, Metro has doubled Metrobus service on the limited-stop S9 (16th Street Express) and 79 (Georgia Avenue Metro Extra) lines. The S9 will operate all day, instead of its usual rush-hour only schedule. Metro will increase service on the 70, 71 (Georgia Avenue-7th Street) and S1, S2, S4 (16th Street-Potomac Park) lines, as needed.
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Media contact for this news release: 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.
News release issued at 4:52 am, June 26, 2009.