Metro News Release
For immediate release: February 6, 2010
Metrorail to continue underground-only service on Saturday
Metrobus and MetroAccess suspended on Saturday
The Metrorail system will continue operating underground-only until 3 a.m. tonight and Metrobus and MetroAccess will remain closed on Saturday, Feb. 6, due to the snow storm.
Officials will reevaluate rail and road conditions throughout the day to determine when Metro will be able to expand rail service and restart Metrobus and MetroAccess service.
“As road crews make progress on the region’s streets, we will reevaluate driving conditions in hopes of resuming bus service. As our crews make progress keeping the above-ground rails snow- and ice-free, we will again start serving above-ground stations. For now, the responsible decision is to limit service until conditions are safe for our customers and employees,” said Dave Kubicek, Metro’s Acting Deputy General Manager for Operations.
Metro has 86 stations and 106-miles of track. Forty-six stations along 50.5 miles of track are located underground and 40 stations along 55.5 miles of track are above ground. All 40 above-ground stations are closed. Saturday morning, the Metrorail system opened at 7 a.m., however, five Red Line stations, Tenleytown-AU, Van Ness-UDC, Cleveland Park, Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle opened at 7:50 a.m., because station personnel had difficulty getting to the stations. Trains servicing stations at 30-minute intervals will only be to underground stations as follows:
Red Line – Medical Center and Union Station and Glenmont to Forest Glen
Orange and Blue Lines – Ballston and Stadium-Armory
Green Line – Fort Totten and Congress Heights
Yellow Line – Service from Pentagon to Crystal City
Because MetroAccess provides door-to-door service, it requires those vehicles to travel into neighborhoods on secondary roads, most of which are expected to remain impassable for the majority of the day. Additionally, MetroAccess officials do not want to risk accidents or risk having vehicles get stuck due to heavy snow and icy conditions, so service will be suspended the entire day on Saturday.
During the night, heavy-duty diesel-powered trains will continue to move back and forth along the exposed sections of track, de-icing them and keeping the tracks as clear as possible.
Metrorail employees and contractors also will be working throughout the day and this evening to clear the rails of ice and snow and to clear platforms, sidewalks, parking facilities and pathways to rail stations. Dozens of railcars are being stored in the underground tunnels this evening to keep them free of snow and ice. Staff also must keep rail yards as ice-free as possible.
Heavy accumulation of snow on the rails on Friday, Feb. 5, forced Metrorail officials to limit train service to its 40 underground stations starting at 11 p.m. when rapidly deteriorating weather conditions hindered train movement. Metrobus stopped at 9 p.m. due to unsafe road conditions and MetroAccess completed all of its customer trips by 7 p.m. Friday.
The decision to limit train service was made due to heavy snowfall that began to cover the electrified third rail, which is situated eight inches above the ground. The third rail must be clear of snow and ice because it is the source of electricity that powers the trains.
Metro started the weekend with 2,200 tons of bulk rock salt to treat Metro roadways and parking lots and 18,000, 50-pound bags of de-icer for treating sidewalks and platforms. Hundreds of snow-trained employees and contractors have been working throughout the night and into today to treat snowy and icy surfaces at Metrorail stations including platforms, sidewalks and parking facilities.
Metro also is using “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 is a cable clipped onto the electrified third rail that is turned on when temperatures dip below the freezing mark. It helps keep the third rail warm enough to prevent ice from forming.
How to get Updates on Winter Weather Conditions
There are a variety of ways for customers to stay informed during a major storm. Metro constantly updates local news media of Metro service changes. Information is also available on Metro’s home page at www.metroopensdoors.com. Customers can also subscribe to e-Alerts and receive up-to-date service disruption information on Metrorail and MetroAccess. Metro’s Customer Call Center is closed today to due to the weather.
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News release issued at 11:25 am, February 6, 2010.