Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 22, 2004

Metro provides update on Red Line track problem: reduced, off-peak fares in effect this afternoon

Service on Metrorail’s Red Line returned to normal at 11:07 a.m. after workers replaced a segment of a defective rail that was discovered during the morning’s rush hour, significantly disrupting service. The Judiciary Square station was temporarily closed from 7:39 to 8:20 a.m. as trains were turned back before they began to single track from 8:20 a.m. to 11:07 a.m.

Metro’s General Manager/CEO Richard A. White, in consultation with Board Chairman Robert Smith, implemented a new policy to offer reduced, off-peak fares for the remainder of the day due to the unprecedented nature of the rail problem (including the 3 to 7 p.m. peak travel hours).

Metro officials are continuing to thoroughly investigate the exact cause of the unprecedented problem with a piece of outbound track at the Judiciary Square Metrorail station that caused this morning’s delays on the Red Line when a horizontal tear 54-inches long was discovered. This was the first time in Metrorail’s 28-years that a rail has ever split in this horizontal fashion. Metro officials are looking at what could have caused the unusual defect in the rail and have ruled out several possibilities including foul play, age of the track, debris, wet conditions, and railcar equipment. The piece of damaged track, which was installed one year ago, was last given an ultrasound inspection in August and a visual inspection on Wednesday. The investigation is focusing on the installation and manufacture of the track itself as well as the procedures and records of the track inspection company.

As an added precaution, Metro officials are increasing the frequency of visual inspections until further notice. "This type of defect is extremely rare, and we are sending the piece of track out for analysis," said Steven Feil, Metro’s Chief Operating Officer for Rail. "We are very sorry about this morning’s delays to customers. We know people were inconvenienced and we are just as upset as they are that there was a problem."

The piece of defective track was removed and sent to a metallurgical lab for analysis to determine the exact cause of the problem. That track analysis is expected to take approximately 10 days.

Delays lasted throughout the morning as crews worked to fix the problem. Metro arranged for 41 free shuttle buses between Gallery Place-Chinatown and Brookland-CUA Metrorail stations to move customers around the problem. Two hundred Metro managers broke from a pre-scheduled meeting and headed to downtown Red Line stations to assist customers as soon as they learned of the problem. The problem was discovered when a small piece of the defective track split off and made contact with the electrified third rail, causing smoke. A total of three trains passed over the fractured rail. Inspectors responded immediately to the smoke problem. Upon the inspection they discovered that the top layer of the 54-inch piece of track had been torn off. Due to the quick response by inspectors, repair crews were on the scene quickly.

Inspectors temporarily closed the portion of track, meaning trains were unable to pass through the Judiciary Square Metrorail station for about 40 minutes while inspectors checked the area for any other possible problems. Single-tracking began at about 8:20 a.m. between Farragut North and Judiciary Square Metrorail stations when it was deemed safe to do so. Repair crews cut out and replaced the affected area of track. Normal train service resumed at 11:07 a.m.

News release issued on October 22, 2004.