Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 26, 2005

Metro Will be Working on The Railroad as itDetails its Summer Track Renovation Schedule

Summer weekend track work will be conducted most weekends through September that will involve temporary station closures and single-track operations.

The summer is usually time for vacation, weekend escapes to the beach, or leaving work early to see a baseball game. While most of Washington, D.C. will be doing that, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) will be hard at work throughout the summer upgrading the Metrorail system.

"The track renovation program is part of our major capital program that includes the overhaul and repair of the Metrorail system," said Steven Feil, Metro’s Chief Operating Officer for Metrorail. "Our trains have run everyday for nearly 30 years, and this work is necessary to keep the system strong and going for the next 30 years and beyond."

This summer, Metro will undertake several major track renovation projects that will require trains to share one track  allowing for one train to run in each direction during normal operations. As individual sections of track are repaired, trains must share a single track through the affected area. This "single tracking" can result in delays in service.

"We are doing our best to avoid impacting Metro customers as much as possible during this process," said Mr. Feil. "However, some work during regular service hours cannot be avoided. The majority of this work is being done late at night and during weekends."

FUTURE WORK DATES: Please note that this schedule is subject to change. Metro will update this schedule by issuing news releases each Thursday with updates, the start and conclusion time of work, and any rail schedule system changes pertinent to the project.

MAY 2005

Weekend of May 27-30, 2005

Blue/Orange Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station. Trains will share one track between Eastern Market and Addison Road-Seat Pleasant on the Blue Line and Eastern Market and Cheverly on the Orange Line. Every other Blue and Orange Line train will terminate at Eastern Market and return back to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU on the Orange Line and Franconia-Springfield on the Blue Line.

JUNE 2005

Weekend of June 3-5, 2005

Red Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside the Twinbrook Metrorail station. All Red Line trains will share one track between Shady Grove and the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations during the weekend.

Weekend of June 10-12, 2005

Red Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside of the Silver Spring Metrorail station. All Red Line trains will share one track between the Silver Spring and Forest Glen Metrorail stations.

Weekend of June 17-19, 2005

Blue/Orange Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station. Trains will share one track between Eastern Market and Addison Road-Seat Pleasant stations on the Blue Line and Eastern Market and Cheverly stations on the Orange Line. Every other Blue and Orange Line train will terminate at Eastern Market and return back to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU on the Orange Line and Franconina-Springfield on the Blue Line.

Red Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside the Twinbrook Metrorail station. All Red Line trains will share one track between Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations.

Weekend of June 24-26, 2005

Red Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project outside of the Silver Spring Metrorail station. All Red Line trains will share one track between the Silver Spring and Forest Glen Metrorail stations.

JULY 2005

Weekend of July 8-10, 2005

Red Line: Metro personnel will perform routine track maintenance between the Glenmont and Forest Glen stations. This work will result in a rolling single track between these work locations.

Orange Line: Metro personnel will perform routine maintenance and inspection of the aerial structure between the New Carrollton and Landover Metrorail stations. All Orange Line trains will share one track between the New Carrollton and Cheverly Metrorail stations.

Weekend of July 29-31, 2005

Orange Line: Metro personnel will replace the bearings on the aerial structure between West Falls Church-VT/UVA and Dunn Loring Metrorail stations, resulting in the closure of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Dunn Loring-Merrifield and West Falls Church-VT/UVA stations. This work will require Metro personnel to elevate the pillars along a portion of the aerial structure and insert new bearing pads, which are located under the pillars. Once the new bearing pads are inserted, the pillars will be lowered onto the new bearings. Metro will operate shuttle bus service between Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA stations.

Orange Line: Metro will conduct a switch modernization project at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station. Trains will continue to operate into the station using one track.

AUGUST 2005

Weekend of August 12-14, 2005

Orange Line: Metro personnel will replace the bearings on the aerial structure between West Falls Church-VT/UVA and Dunn Loring, resulting in the closure of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Dunn Loring-Merrifield and West Falls Church-VT/UVA stations. This work will require Metro personnel to elevate the pillars along a portion of the aerial structure and insert new bearing pads, which are located under the pillars. Once the new bearing pads are inserted, the pillars will be lowered onto the new bearings. Metro will operate shuttle bus service between Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA stations.

One Weekend in July and August, 2005

Red Line: Metro personnel will replace the bearings on the aerial structure between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center stations. This work will require Metro personnel to elevate the pillars along a portion of the aerial structure and insert new bearing pads, which are located under the pillars. Once the new bearing pads are inserted, the pillars will be lowered onto the new bearings. As a result, Red Line trains will operate in two sections: between the Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations, and between the Glenmont and Medical Center stations. Metro will provide free shuttle bus service between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center stations.

SEPTEMBER 2005

Weekend of September 2-5, 2005 (Labor Day Weekend)

Red Line: Metro will conduct a switch replacement project outside the Takoma Metrorail station. As a result, the Takoma Metrorail station will be closed. Red Line service will operate between the Glenmont and Silver Spring stations, and between the Shady Grove and Fort Totten stations. Metro will provide free shuttle bus service between the Silver Spring and Fort Totten stations.

Weekend of September 16-18, 2005

Blue/Yellow Line: Metro personnel will do switch modernization work outside the Braddock Road Metrorail station. All Blue and Yellow Line trains will share one track between the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and King Street stations.

FALL 2005

Blue Line: Metro personnel will do switch modernization work outside the Arlington Cemetery Metrorail station. Dates, times, and impact on service has not been determined at this time.

FALL/WINTER 2005

Orange Line: This fall and winter, Metro will do conduct track maintenance between the Ballston-MU and East Falls Church stations, and will replace the entire switch outside the East Falls Church Metrorail station. Metro will provide additional details on dates and times later this year.

News release issued on May 26, 2005.