Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 6, 2010

January schedule for Metrorail station escalator rehabilitation work

Five escalators to be out-of-service for 10 to 12 weeks

Metro will rebuild five of its escalators beginning this month, as part of the continued rehabilitation program for its aging escalators.

Escalator rebuilding and rehabilitation work includes replacing a majority of the escalator's mechanical parts, energy saving devices and safety devices with new ones to ensure the escalator operates safely and reliably for customers, and extends the life of the escalator. Work will also include the installation of new corrosion resistant electrical boxes and new or rehabilitated steps. The rebuilding process typically takes 10 to 12 weeks. Metro has 588 escalators system-wide, more than any other transit system in North America. 
 

January scheduled rehabilitation work will be as follows:

• Gallery Place-Chinatown Metrorail station – Rehabilitation work will be conducted on one escalator unit between the mezzanine and station entrance levels at F and 7th streets, starting Jan. 7 for 10 weeks. This is the second of the four escalators at this entrance to be modernized.

• Friendship Heights Metrorail station – Rehabilitation work began Jan. 1 on one escalator unit between the platform and mezzanine levels and will continue for 12 weeks. This is the last of five escalators being modernized at this station.

• Bethesda Metrorail station – Rehabilitation work will be conducted on one escalator unit between the platform and mezzanine levels starting Jan. 13 for 10 weeks. This is the first of two platform units to be modernized at this station.

• Federal Triangle Metrorail station – Rehabilitation work will be conducted on one escalator unit between the mezzanine and station entrance levels starting Jan. 13 for 12 weeks. This is the second of the three intermediate level escalators being modernized at this station.

• Virginia Square Metrorail station – Rehabilitation work will be conducted on one escalator unit between the mezzanine and station entrance levels starting Jan. 20 for 10 weeks. This is the first of the four platform escalators to be modernized at this station.

Signs indicating the specific type of mechanical work and the estimated date of the unit's return to service are displayed in the platform and mezzanine levels of the stations. Customers may also view the status of all escalators on Metro’s website:
http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_service_status/elevator_escalator.cfm

Metro is committed to running all available escalator units for customer convenience. However, mechanical parts may not always be off the shelf parts that are readily available, and some parts have to be custom-made or rebuilt, a process that typically adds time to the repair schedule. Some of the work required to repair the units is done off-site, such as refurbishing steps and rebuilding gearboxes and motors.

For additional information on Metrorail elevator and escalator work, visit http://www.wmata.com/rail/elevators_escalators/.

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Media contact for this news release: Bessy Guevara or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.

News release issued at 11:52 am, January 6, 2010.