Metro News Release
For immediate release: November 1, 2010
Metro sets November weekend track maintenance schedule
Work planned on all rail lines aimed at maintaining state of good repair
This month, in addition to the Nov. 5-7 weekend closure of five Orange Line Metrorail stations between Minnesota Avenue and New Carrollton and no Blue Line service between the Stadium-Armory and Benning Road Metrorail stations, Metro will also conduct major track work on all five of Metro’s rail lines to help keep and maintain the rail system in a state of good repair and help improve service reliability. All weekend projects will impact travel times.
Metro will not conduct any track maintenance work during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Friday, November 5 to Sunday, November 7
Blue and Orange Line Structural Repairs and Track Circuit Upgrades -- Metro will close five stations on the eastern end of the Orange Line (Minnesota Ave, Deanwood, Cheverly, Landover and New Carrollton) and there will be no Blue Line service between the Stadium-Armory and Benning Road Metrorail stations (the Benning Road Metrorail station will remain open) from 10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5, to closing on Sunday, Nov, 7, as the agency undertakes a major rehabilitation and rebuilding project to improve safety, comply with a safety recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), maintain service reliability and return the area to a state of good repair. Normal service will resume on Monday, Nov. 8.
To help riders get through the work zone, Metro will operate free shuttle buses around the station closures. Customers should build an extra 40 minutes into their travel plans if they need to pass through the work zone.
The Orange Line will operate only between the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU and Stadium-Armory Metrorail station. The Blue Line will be split in two sections throughout the weekend. Blue Line trains will operate between the Franconia-Springfield and Stadium-Armory Metrorail stations and between the Largo Town Center and Benning Road Metrorail stations.
During the weekend, Metro will make preliminary repairs to the stabilize the ground, the abutment and aerial structure outside the Cheverly Metrorail station because a developer performed work on land adjacent to Metro property that shifted the land and caused movement of Metro’s aerial structure. Metro officials will also install new track circuits outside the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station, to comply with an NTSB safety recommendation. In addition, Metro will replace 4,290 feet of track, 680 insulators, 2,418 rail ties, 650 track fasteners, and two track switches at the New Carrollton Metrorail station and conduct platform repairs at the Minnesota Avenue Metrorail station to maximize the amount of work to be done while there are no trains in the area.
Blue and Yellow Line Bridge Repairs -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Braddock Road and Pentagon City Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will make repairs on its rail bridge outside the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station to return it to a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7. During this time, all Yellow Line trains will operate between the Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations.
Friday, November 12, to Sunday, November 14
Red Line Platform Repairs -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will install new rail cross ties and repair the deteriorated platform at the Rockville Metrorail station to bring it back to a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m. Friday, November 12 to closing on Sunday, November 14.
Red Line Elevated Track Maintenance -- Metrorail customers traveling between the New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U and Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes to their travel time because Metro will conduct necessary maintenance on a portion of elevated tracks outside the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail station. This work is necessary to maintain reliable service through that area of the track. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m. Friday, November 12, to closing on Sunday, November 14.
Orange Line Cross Tie Rail Installation – Metrorail customers traveling between the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will replace cross ties and weld new rail on the tracks in that area. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m. Friday, November 12, to closing on Sunday, November 14.
Throughout the weekend, every other Orange Line train traveling in the direction of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station will terminate at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station and return to the New Carrollton Metrorail station.
Blue and Yellow Line Bridge Repairs -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Braddock Road and Pentagon City Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will make repairs on its rail bridge outside the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station to return it to a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14. During this time, all Yellow Line trains will operate between the Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations.
Green Line Rail Installation -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Prince George’s Plaza and College Park-U of Md Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes to their travel time to allow Metro to weld new rail on the tracks in that area to keep them in a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14.
Friday, November 19, to Sunday, November 21
Red Line Platform Repairs -- Metrorail customers traveling between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will install new rail cross ties and repair the deteriorated platform at the Rockville Metrorail station to a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m. Friday, November 19 to closing on Sunday, November 21.
Red Line Elevated Track Maintenance -- Metrorail customers traveling between the New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U and Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes to their travel time because Metro will conduct necessary maintenance on a portion of elevated tracks outside the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail station. This work is necessary to maintain reliable service through that area of the track. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m. Friday, November 19, to closing on Sunday, November 21.
Please note, this schedule is subject to change. Metro riders should visit www.metroopensdoors.com at the end of each month to see the following month’s schedule of work. Metro will continue to post news releases each Thursday as a reminder to provide updates about any last minute track maintenance schedule changes.
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News release issued at 1:07 pm, November 1, 2010.