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[CNJRoss]

WMATA Service Advisory:

Weekend service adjustments April 28-30 for scheduled maintenance

Advisory Effective: 4/24/17 - 4/30/17

 

Metro will perform maintenance work over the weekend of April 28-30 to keep trains operating safely and reliably.

 

Highlights

• Red Line trains operate regular weekend service
• Free shuttle buses replace Orange and Blue line trains between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle (see below for details)
• Silver Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only
• Yellow Line trains operate every 20 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square only.
• Free shuttle buses replace Green Line trains between Greenbelt & Prince George's Plaza due to SafeTrack Surge #14

Red Line
Regular weekend service

Orange Line
Buses replace trains between Federal Triangle and Foggy Bottom | 7:00AM Saturday until closing Sunday

 

Orange Line trains will operate in two segments:

• Between Vienna & Foggy Bottom every 20 minutes
• Between Federal Triangle & New Carrollton every 15 minutes

Farragut West, McPherson Square and Metro Center (lower level) will be closed.

Free shuttle buses will operate between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle in two patterns:

• Local - operating both directions between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle with intermediate stops at Farragut West, McPherson Square and Metro Center. Please add 10 minutes for each station stop.
• Limited - operating in a one-way loop stopping at Foggy Bottom, Metro Center and Federal Triangle. Please add 20 minutes per station stop.

On Saturday and Sunday nights, the last Orange Line train departure times have been adjusted. Trains will depart terminal stations as follows:

• Last train from Vienna to Foggy Bottom will be 11:15 p.m. (10 minutes earlier than normal)
• Last train from New Carrollton to Federal Triangle will be 11:25 p.m. (11 minutes earlier than normal)

Work performed: Ceiling tile replacement

Tap your SmarTrip card each time you enter and exit the Metrorail system. Riders traveling through the work zone will be charged for a single, continuous trip.

Silver Line
Trains every 20 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only | 10:00PM Friday until closing Sunday

 

Silver Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only. Customers traveling to/from other stations should use Orange and/or Blue line trains to complete their trip. At Ballston, transfer between Silver and Orange line trains on the same platform.

Blue Line Blue Line
Buses replace trains between Federal Triangle and Foggy Bottom | 10:00PM Friday until closing Sunday

Blue Line trains will operate in two segments:

• Between Franconia-Springfield & Foggy Bottom every 20 minutes
• Between Federal Triangle & Largo Town Center every 15 minutes

Farragut West, McPherson Square and Metro Center (lower level) will be closed.

Free shuttle buses will operate between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle in two patterns:

• Local - operating both directions between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle with intermediate stops at Farragut West, McPherson Square and Metro Center. Please add 10 minutes for each station stop.
• Limited - operating in a one-way loop stopping at Foggy Bottom, Metro Center and Federal Triangle. Please add 20 minutes per station stop.

On Saturday and Sunday nights, the last Blue Line train departure time has been adjusted.

• Last train from Franconia-Springfield to Foggy Bottom will be 10:59 p.m. (30 minutes earlier than normal)

Work performed: Ceiling tile replacement

Single tracking between National Airport & Braddock Road to allow for rail fastener renewal.

Tap your SmarTrip card each time you enter and exit the Metrorail system. Riders traveling through the work zone will be charged for a single, continuous trip.

Yellow Line
Trains every 20 minutes between Huntington & Mt. Vernon Sq only | 10:00PM Friday until closing Sunday

To accommodate SafeTrack Surge #14, all trains will operate to/from Mt. Vernon Square rather than Fort Totten. Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt. Vernon Square should use a Green Line train to complete their trip.

Single tracking between National Airport & Braddock Road to allow for rail fastener renewal.

Green Line
SafeTrack Surge #14 | Line segment shutdown between Greenbelt & Prince George's Plaza on Saturday and Greenbelt & College Park on Sunday

 

On Sunday, April 30, Prince George's Plaza station will open.

 

Green Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Branch Avenue & Prince George's Plaza stations on Saturday and every 20 minutes between Branch Avenue & College Park on Sunday.

Travel Tips

Metrobus service may provide an alternate travel option for some riders. To check, plan your trip using Trip Planner and select the bus only option.

Before traveling, consult the trip planner at wmata.com to check the special schedule and reduce your wait time. Trip Planner is updated to reflect weekend rebuilding schedules on Fridays; please check on Friday afternoon or later.

For more information:
Schedules, real-time train arrivals and station information are available at wmata.com. Metro riders can access Metro's mobile website by entering wmata.com into their smartphone browser. For assistance by phone, call Metro customer information at (202) 637-7000 [TTY 202-638-3780].

 

 

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release 4/28:

 

Metro adds Red Line single tracking this weekend for targeted stray current testing

 

 

Metro today announced the addition of single tracking this weekend on the Red Line to allow for targeted "stray current testing" (SCT) in a section of the downtown core where wayward electrical current has resulted in three service disruptions this month. The most recent incident, yesterday, caused a suspension of Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place during the morning rush hour. 

 

Testing for stray electrical current is a complex, time consuming process that involves removing all third-rail power, cutting sections of the running rail (that trains run on), running electrical current through a short section of rail, and using voltage detectors to find locations where the current is "leaking" into areas it should not be. The tests will be conducted by an outside third-party specialist with assistance from Metro track and electrical crews. 

 

On Metro, the "positive" electrical current is delivered to trains via the third rail, also known as the "contact rail." The electricity is consumed by the train and the "negative" (aka "return") current is sent back via the running rail. The recent incidents involve electrical current on the negative return taking an undesired path.

 

"I have said consistently that when we identify problems, we are going to address them head on," said Metro GM/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. "We now have a pattern of electrical issues all in the same area and we are going to act to resolve the issue and improve service for our customers."

 

“I also want to let riders know that I understand the inconvenience they experience when there is a service disruption, and for them to know that we are taking action to minimize these kinds of incidents, just as we have in other areas,” Wiedefeld said.

 

Historically, comprehensive stray current testing has not been done on Metro, because it requires longer windows of time than the system’s service hours allow. Metro’s new system hours, which take effect in late June, will allow for a new comprehensive preventive maintenance program that includes routine testing for stray current, among other new types of testing and maintenance. 

 

Metro has scheduled the work carefully to ensure that service is operating on both tracks before and after Capitals and Wizards games at the Verizon Center, as well as the end of Saturday's Climate March. 

Service Information

• Tonight (Friday), Red Line trains will single track between Judiciary Square and Farragut North starting at 8 p.m. and continuing through closing. 
• On Saturday, Red Line trains will single track between Judiciary Square and Farragut North from opening until 3 p.m., which is the scheduled end time for the Climate March. Thereafter, normal two-track service will continue through closing. The Capitals game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. 
• On Sunday, Red Line trains will single track between Judiciary Square and Farragut North from opening until two hours prior to the start time of the Wizards game, which has not yet been determined. If the Wizards game starts at 1 p.m., single tracking will end at 11 a.m. If the game starts at 7 p.m., single tracking will end at 5 p.m. Normal service will then continue through closing.

Stray current testing on the Red Line will continue into next week with late evening single tracking expected.