Metro News Release
For immediate release: July 26, 2009
Takoma Metrorail station to operate regular hours
Expect fewer trains, slower service to continue on Red Line
The Takoma Metrorail station on the Red Line will keep its regular hours until further notice.
While Metro expects the Takoma Metrorail station to operate its normal hours for the next several days, at this point, it is unclear what the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) requirements will be going forward. The normal hours of the station are 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday, 5 a.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, 5 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday.
The investigation has not concluded. NTSB continues to remain on site. Metro will alert customers as soon as NTSB notifies Metro of any need to close the Takoma Metrorail station for the purpose of its investigation between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations.
However, Red Line ridersshould expect fewer and slower-moving trains on the line as the investigation continues. The NTSB has not determined a root cause of the accident. Passengers can expect that their trips may take an additional 30 minutes or possibly more to complete, and they should build that added time into their plans
Trains must continue to move one at a time at a reduced speed between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. This causes the other trains along the line to move slower and wait for the ones that are passing through the accident area. It also results in fewer trains along the busy Red Line because the system’s ability to move more trains is impacted when they must move one at a time between the two stations.
If trains get backed up, it is possible that some may be offloaded to turn trains around. This maneuver will allow Metro to get some trains to Glenmont, which in turn can provide more service for people traveling from Glenmont or Silver Spring into downtown Washington.
Passengers also may notice trains slowing down through certain sections of tracks on other lines where Metro workers are inspecting or repairing track signaling equipment. Metro is conducting more frequent and more stringent monitoring of its track signaling equipment as part of an effort to fulfill the NTSB’s recommendation of instituting greater review of track circuits and eventually developing a real-time monitoring system.
Media contact for this news release: Cathy Asato or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.
News release issued at 11:09 am, July 26, 2009.