Metro News Release
For immediate release: August 26, 2003
Metro announces Labor Day weekend rehabilitation Track Work
Work to affect customers who use the Red, Blue, and Orange Lines
This Labor Day weekend, as part of its Infrastructure Renewal Program to ensure reliable transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) will conduct two separate major track rehabilitation projects. To minimize customer inconvenience, these major rehabilitation projects will occur this weekend. Customers using Metro during these weekends are advised to plan accordingly. The major rehabilitation projects are as follows:
Fort Totten - Switch Replacement
When: Friday, August 29, 10 p.m., to Monday, September 1, midnight.
Metro personnel will replace the switch outside of the Fort Totten Metrorail station on the Red Line. A switch or " interlocking" is an intersection in the track, where trains can ’switch" from one track to another, depending on their destination and route.
To perform this work, Metro will single track trains " operate trains traveling in opposite directions alternately on the same track. On this portion of the Red Line, Metro will single track trains between Rhode Island Avenue and Takoma. The following service patterns will be in effect through Labor Day Weekend:
" Red Line trains will run every nine minutes between Shady Grove and Union Station. Thru the single track area, and between Glenmont and Union Station Red Line trains will run approximately every18 minutes.
" Red Line trains normally operating from Grosvenor to Silver Spring will instead operate from Shady Grove to Union Station, and return back to Shady Grove. As a result of this weekend track work and the longer waits for trains, Metro will operate six-car trains on the Red Line.
Metro Center-McPherson Square - Track Maintenance
When: Friday, August 29, 10 p.m., to Sunday, August 31, midnight. Metro personnel will perform extensive track maintenance between Metro Center and McPherson Square on the Blue and Orange Lines. As a result of this safety-sensitive work, Metro will single track trains between Smithsonian and McPherson Square during the weekend. Customers traveling on this portion of the Blue and Orange Line could be delayed up to 15 minutes and should plan accordingly. " We recognize the inconvenience that this phase of our Metro Infrastructure Renewal Program will cause, and at the same time, we want our customers to know that we will be there for them, providing the best possible level of service. It may take customers slightly longer to get to where they are going, but they will arrive at their destinations more safely now and in the future," stated Jim Gallagher, Metro’s Deputy General Manager for Operations. " We want our customers to know how much we appreciate their patience as we continue this important, intensive work."
To alert customers about these rehabilitation projects, regular station and train announcements will be made throughout the Metrorail system. Additional information will be available on Metro’s Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com. The Ride Guide, located on Metro’s Web site, will not reflect the impact of this work on its schedules. Customers should allow more time for their trips because of this work. For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call (202) 637-7000 or TTY (202) 638-3780.
News release issued on August 26, 2003.