Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 31, 2012

Metro weekend track work November 2-4, 2012


Buses replace trains between Foggy Bottom & Court House/Pentagon

The ongoing effort to rebuild and upgrade the Metrorail system to provide safer and more reliable service will continue over the weekend of November 2-4, 2012, on the Orange, Blue and Red lines. The work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue through system closing on Sunday.

There is no scheduled work this weekend on the Green or Yellow lines.

Blue & Orange Lines

Buses will replace Orange Line trains between Foggy Bottom and Court House and Blue Line trains between Foggy Bottom and Pentagon to allow for tie and insulator renewal, joint and fastener renewal, tunnel leak repair, station sign installation and fiber-optic cable work.  Two stations -- Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery -- will be closed.  

Throughout the weekend, Orange Line trains will operate in two segments:

  • Between Vienna and Court House at regular weekend intervals
  • Between Foggy Bottom and New Carrollton at regular weekend intervals

Blue Line trains will operate in two segments:

  • Between Franconia-Springfield and Mount Vernon Square at regular weekend intervals
  • Between Foggy Bottom and Largo Town Center at regular weekend intervals 

Free shuttle buses will operate on three routes:

  • Orange Line Shuttle: Between Court House, Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom in a continuous loop at all hours the Metrorail system is open.
  • Blue Line Shuttle: Between Foggy Bottom, Arlington Cemetery and Pentagon in a continuous loop at all hours the Metrorail system is open.
  • Virginia Shuttle: Between Court House, Rosslyn and Pentagon every 15 minutes Saturday and Sunday only until midnight each day. (No Arlington Cemetery stop.)

Customers traveling via shuttle buses allow 20-30 minutes of additional travel time.

Travel advice for customers
This weekend, all Blue Line trains to or from Virginia will operate over the Yellow Line bridge -- between Mount Vernon Square and Franconia-Springfield -- in addition to regular Blue Line service between Foggy Bottom and Largo Town Center. While bus shuttle service is available, customers traveling between the District and Blue/Yellow stations in Virginia should consider the following alternate travel options:

  • Traveling from DC or Maryland to Blue/Yellow stations in Virginia: Take a train to L'Enfant Plaza or Gallery Place, then transfer to a southbound Yellow or Blue train for service to your destination.  These trains will depart from the upper level at L'Enfant Plaza and from the lower level at Gallery Place.
  • Traveling from Blue/Yellow stations in Virginia to DC or Maryland: Take a Blue/Yellow train to L'Enfant Plaza or Gallery Place for appropriate rail connections to your destination.

Last trains before work begins Friday night:

  • Blue Line
    Eastbound: Depart Franconia-Springfield at 9:12 p.m., at Foggy Bottom 9:43 p.m., arrive at Largo Town Center at 10:16 p.m.
    Westbound: Depart Largo Town Center at 9:11 p.m., at Pentagon 9:52 p.m., arrive at Franconia-Springfield at 10:15 p.m.
  • Orange Line
    Eastbound: Depart Vienna at 9:28 p.m., at Foggy Bottom 9:53 p.m., arrive at New Carrollton at 10:25 p.m.
    Westbound: Depart New Carrollton at 9:18 p.m., at Court House 9:55 p.m., arrive at Vienna at 10:15 p.m.

Last Train Information

  • On Friday and Saturday: The last eastbound Orange Line train will depart Vienna Station at 2:18 a.m. (7 minutes earlier than normal) and arrive at Court House at 2:37 a.m.  The last eastbound Orange Line train from Foggy Bottom will depart at 3:00 a.m. and arrive at New Carrollton at 3:35 a.m.  The last westbound Orange Line train from New Carrollton will depart at 2:36 a.m. and arrive at Foggy Bottom at 3:10 a.m.  The last westbound Orange Line train from Court House will depart at 3:35 a.m. and arrive at Vienna at 3:55 a.m.  The last eastbound Blue Line train from Franconia-Springfield will depart at 2:29 a.m., stopping at Pentagon at 2:52 a.m., L'Enfant Plaza at 2:57 a.m. and arrive at Mount Vernon Square at 3:02 a.m. 
  • On Sunday: The last eastbound Orange Line train will depart Vienna Station at 11:18 p.m. (7 minutes earlier than normal) and arrive at Court House at 11:37 p.m.  The last eastbound Orange Line train from Foggy Bottom will depart at 12:00 a.m. and arrive at New Carrollton at 12:35 a.m.  The last westbound Orange Line train from New Carrollton will depart at 11:36 p.m. and arrive at Foggy Bottom at 12:10 a.m. The last westbound Orange Line train from Court House will depart at 12:35 a.m. and arrive at Vienna at 12:55 a.m. The last eastbound Blue Line Train from Franconia-Springfield will depart at 11:29 p.m., stopping at Pentagon at 11:52 p.m., L'Enfant Plaza at 11:57 p.m. and arrive at Mount Vernon Square at 12:02 a.m. 

Red Line

Red Line trains will single track through two work zones:

  • Between Twinbrook and Grosvenor to allow for platform reconstruction.
  • Between Forest Glen and Takoma to allow for platform reconstruction, track maintenance and fiber-optic cable installation.

Throughout the weekend, trains between Shady Grove and Glenmont will operate every 24 minutes.  Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, additional trains will operate between Grosvenor and Fort Totten resulting in service every 10-12 minutes between those stations. Customers traveling through the work zones should allow 15 minutes of additional travel time.

Metro is advancing Metro Forward, a six-year, $5 billion Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that is focused on safety and bringing the Metro system into a state of good repair. In FY2012, Metro Forward includes projects to replace escalators; retrofit track; replace critical track circuitry and equipment along the right of way; rehabilitate third-rail power systems, running rail and track pads; modernize 12 stations; replace 100 Metro buses and the rehabilitate 100 more; renovate three bus garages; and install 30 new track turnouts.

For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call 202-637-7000 or TTY 202-638-3780, or visit wmata.com. 

News release issued at 1:50 pm, October 31, 2012.