Metro is getting ready for the first major snowfall of the year. The transit agency is preparing by putting deicing equipment on some passenger trains; "hardening" its fleet of rail cars to better handle the snow and relying on heater tape to keep ice and snow off of the electrified third rail that provides electricity to power the trains.

Here are Metro’s plans for Saturday, February 11:

Previously scheduled Saturday and Sunday track work has been canceled.

Metrorail will operate on a normal Saturday schedule, (rail service hours are 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.). All trains will operate with four-cars. Delays are not expected unless it snows eight inches or more. (Note: Service plans could change depending on weather conditions Saturday afternoon and evening.)

Trains will operate every 12 minutes from the end of the rail lines, and every six minutes in the downtown core of the city from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. After 6 p.m., trains will operate every 15 minutes from the end of the rail lines and every seven to eight minutes in the downtown core of the city.

20 trains will be equipped with de-icing equipment to combat snow and ice on the third rail. Twelve trains will operate in regular passenger service on all rail lines with the remaining eight trains in rail yards. These trains will be in service during the day, beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday and will operate through the overnight hours Saturday and into Sunday morning.

Passengers will see the de-icing equipment inside those 12 trains. It is neither dangerous nor flammable, and passengers should not be concerned that it is aboard their train. If they prefer not to be in a rail car with the equipment, they can move to another rail car. Those same trains also will have special scrapers to help keep ice off of the third rail. If the third rail has ice build-up on it, it does not allow for the free flow of electricity from the rail to power the train. Keeping the third rail ice-free is a continuous process.

Metro will use "heater tape" which has been installed on sections of track with significant grades/inclines and in critical areas in the rail yards. The heater tape, which has been in use throughout the winter, is a cable clipped onto the third rail that is turned on when temperatures dip below the freezing mark to keep the third rail warm enough to prevent snow and ice from building-up.

Metro railcar maintenance staff has also "hardened" a fleet of 690 rail cars by protecting the undercarriage motors from snow ingestion and electrical short circuits that are caused by water/snow and debris. The traction motors have been coated with a protective material to help prevent the ingestion of snow and water.

Metro officials will monitor weather forecasts and conditions throughout Saturday, and preparing accordingly.

Maintenance personnel will report at normal times Saturday, including employees assigned on their day off to treat station entrances, platforms and parking facilities with salt and shovels and if needed, plows. Personnel will report to work early on Sunday morning to conduct similar activities.

Metrobus will operate on a normal Saturday schedule. Metrobuses will operate as road conditions dictate, so passengers should expect possible detours and delays due to changing road conditions on Saturday.

MetroAccess will operate as road conditions dictate, so passengers should expect possible detours and delays due to changing road conditions. MetroAccess passengers with scheduled rides should call (301) 562-5360 for a status update of their ride.

Riders are advised to build extra time into their travel plans. They should also watch their step as tiles and steps will get wet and can be slippery.

Metro has 2,400 tons of bulk rock salt to treat our roadways and parking lots. The salt is stored in seven salt domes and one storage building around the system. Each dome holds approximately 300 tons of rock salt.

Metro has 17,000, 50-pound bags of de-icer (calcium chloride) for treating sidewalks and platforms.

Metro has 71 tractors, 96 snow brooms, and 113 snow blowers to remove snow from Metro-owned facilities. Metro has three contractors to support efforts when snow accumulation reaches four inches. They are primarily used to clear parking lots.

Metro has several hundred employees who support the snow removal effort: day shift, evening shift and midnight shift.