Crowded cars. Waits of up to a half hour at the Wiehle-Reston East station. Clogged roads.
Welcome to the first workday of the first Metro Safety Surge, where Metro shuts or significantly alters service on a section of the system in order to make repairs.
Riders on Silver and Orange Line trains will be affected by track and other safety work through June 16.
While Metro warned in advance that trains would run every 18 minutes, social media statuses showed that waits were much longer for some riders.
Others who opted to drive to work reported clogged major roads.
Metro officials will brief the media this afternoon about how things went on Day 1. Metro says entries west of Ballston were down 26 percent as riders sought other ways to get to work (or telecommute). About 1,000 fewer riders (3,924 compared to 5,002) than on a typical Monday boarded at Wiehle-Reston East, Metro said.
Metro will hold 15 of these Safety Surges over the next 10 months as it undertakes much-needed repairs on an accelerated schedule
Photo: Waiting for a train at Wiehle-Reston East June 6/Credit: Chris Pyburn via Twitter
Silver Line riders, be prepared for long waits, delays and frustrations as Metro embarks on its upcoming SafeTrack project to remedy issues across the system. Also, the repairs are coming sooner than expected for Silver, Orange and Blue line riders.
Metro is even encouraging that Silver Line riders think about travel other than Metro.
“Due to reduced capacity and expected longer travel times, Orange and Silver line customers are strongly encouraged to consider alternative travel options and avoid traveling during rush-hour periods,” Metro warned in a statement Thursday.
Here’s what’s about to happen: Metro says from June 4-16, the Orange and Silver lines will undergo continuous single-tracking from Ballston to East Falls Church. That work originally had been scheduled for late November.
The second maintenance surge, originally scheduled for late August, will result in the shutdown of the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines from Eastern Market to Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue stations. Blue Line service will only operate in Virginia, and the other two lines will see reduced service end-to-end, with buses replacing trains in the impacted area. Read More
Delays. Fires. Offloading. A 29-hour shutdown to do repairs.
Just a typical week in the life of Washington’s Metrorail system. And now this: Metro’s top officials said on Wednesday that the transit system is in such need of repair that they might shut down entire rail lines for as long as six months for maintenance.
While Metro GM Paul Wiedefeld has not said which lines will need to be closed for repair — or for how long — he did say he was considering such lengthy closures. He said he expected to have more information within a month to six weeks.
This is less than two years since Reston’s Silver Line station opened. Rail to Reston was supposed to transform — and is still aimed at transforming — Reston into a transit-oriented community, with about a dozen residential and mixed-use projects in the pipeline built close to Wiehle-Reston East and the future Reston Town Center Metro stop (slated to open in 2020).
But it seems Silver Line riders here have not been impressed thus far. Long waits for trains, the universal Metro snafus, the expense of riding and parking and a confusing parking garage system in Reston have led to myriad complaints.
Is this the last straw for you? Are you sticking with Metro or re-evaluating your transportation options?
Metro Riders on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines had a heck of a morning Monday, with offloading, a fire on the tracks, major delays, single tracking and a whole host of headaches.
Metro GM Wiedefeld issued a statement this afternoon as an explanation and advice on how to manage the ride home this evening. There will still be some issues, he warns, including Silver Line trains that will operate between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only. Customers should use Orange Line trains to complete their trip between Virginia and DC, said Wiedenfeld.
Dear Metrorail Customer,
I know that it was a tough commute this morning for our Blue, Orange and Silver line customers. I want to provide you with an update so that you can plan for the commute home.
About 4:30 a.m., the Rail Operations Control Center received a report of a fire in the tunnel outside McPherson Square Station. Buses were called in to substitute for trains through downtown until the fire department cleared in the 6 a.m. hour. Metro restored limited rail service using a single track between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle stations.
I know that many of you experienced delays of 30 to 60 minutes on Blue and Orange line trains this morning. Silver Line trains were turned back at Ballston Station to reduce congestion downtown, and some trains bypassed stations to ease delays for the greatest number of customers.
Hopefully you received timely notification of the disruption through our communication channels: wmata.com, MetroAlerts email and text messages or the news media. (If you are not signed up for MetroAlerts, please take a moment to sign up at wmata.com/metroalerts.)
Unfortunately, the fire damaged several cables that will need to be replaced tonight in order to restore full service for tomorrow. Single tracking will continue throughout the day and will affect the evening commute. If you have the ability to consider alternate travel options today, I encourage you to do so.
I have directed that repairs start at 9 p.m. tonight when ridership is lower. At that time, rail service will be suspended on both tracks between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle.
Rail service plans for the rest of today are as follows:
Blue and Orange line trains will continue to share a single track between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle during the afternoon and evening hours. This will result in delays in both directions. You should consider travel alternates if possible, such as the Yellow Line between DC and Virginia or Metrobus options if available.
Silver Line trains will continue operating between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only. Customers should use Orange Line trains to complete their trip between Virginia and DC.
During the evening rush hour, Blue and Orange eastbound trains will skip Farragut West and McPherson Square to reduce delays. Listen for station announcements, check platform signs or sign up for MetroAlerts for details.
Starting at 9 p.m., all rail service will be suspended in both directions between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle to allow for repairs. Metro will provide shuttle bus service between the affected stations. Please allow additional travel time.
We are working closely and cooperatively with the NTSB, FTA and DC Fire Department to determine the cause of this incident, and I will remain personally engaged in our response.
I apologize for the delay, inconvenience and crowding you experienced this morning — and that you may experience again later today. Be assured that as we respond to these matters as they arise, we continue to advance plans to improve safety and service reliability to reduce recurrences in the future.
Sincerely,
Paul J. Wiedefeld
General Manager and Chief Executive Officer
Photo: Packed Metro platform March 14 in DC/Credit: Johab Silva via Twitter
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority’s plan for the Reston Town Center Metro station.
What to know now: The station, which will be located in the Dulles Toll Road median just west of Reston Parkway and about a half-mile from the current Reston Town Center, will look exactly like other Silver Line stations.
That is disappointing news to the Reston Town Center Association and its Design Review Board, which requested adding some flair in order to give the station area, particularly on the north side closest to town center, a sense of place.
“The station proposal reflects ‘standard’ station design and does not distinguish this stop as a place of special distinction appropriate to Town Center’s status in, and contributions to, the county and the region,” Robert Goudie, RTC Association Exeuctive Director wrote in a letter to Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova. Read More
Crews constructing the Reston Town Center Metro station will begin a pile-driving operation later this week in the median of the Dulles Toll Road just west of Reston Parkway.
Pile driving, which pounds steel piles into the soil to support foundations for the rail station, is slated to begin Friday, Feb. 5.
Pile driving will occur during the day, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays and occasionally on Saturdays, and will continue for approximately six months, says the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
Adjacent businesses and residences surrounding this work area can expect noise. Pile driving usually is done in intervals of about 15 minutes with a similar break in between activities.
In addition, drivers are asked to use caution and pay attention to signage along this section of the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles International Airport Access road.
The Reston Town Center station will be the first stop on Phase 2 of the Silver Line, which will run from Wiehle-Reston East to Dulles International Airport and into Ashburn. It is expected to open in 2020.
Photos courtesy Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
The plans for the future Reston Town Center Metro station will have a public hearing before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
The plans for the station, expected open as part of the Silver Line’s Phase 2 in early 2020, were recommended for approval by the county planning commission earlier this month.
The Reston Town Center stop will be more similar to the urban-style stations at Tysons than it will be to Wiehle-Reston East, the existing stop that is adjacent to a 3,000-space underground parking garage. The Reston Town Center stop, like the stations at Tysons, will have virtually no parking.
And it will still be about a half-mile walk to the Reston Town Center as it stands today. However, development is expected that will bring mixed-use amenities closer to where the station will be built in the middle of the Dulles Toll Road near Reston Parkway and Sunset Hills Road.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) said in the county staff report for the project that there are a number of challenges with the plans — and that some might change moving forward. Read More
Silver Line commuters will have to find an alternate means of transportation if they intend to go to work tomorrow.
The Silver Line will remain closed on Tuesday, says Metro. All other lines will be operating.
The system will reopen at 5 a.m. Tuesday, and fares will be charged, Metro says. Riders rode free on Monday when Metro offered limited below-ground service for most of the day.
Trains are expected to run every 12 minutes Tuesday.
Metro was shut down from 11 p.m. Friday until Monday morning as a blizzard raged through the area. Service was restored to 79 of 91 stations by 4 p.m. Monday.
Metro says it is reopening today, but with very limited service. Service to all above-ground stations is still closed.
That means Wiehle-Reston East and all Silver Line service is not running Monday as the rail system continues to recover from the massive weekend blizzard.
The closest Reston-area commuters can get is the Orange Line at Ballston.
From Metro:
The Metrorail system will be open between 7 a.m. and midnight with limited underground service on the Red, Orange and Green lines as follows —
- Orange Line: Ballston to Eastern Market only
- Red Line: Medical Center to Union Station only
- Green Line: Fort Totten to Anacostia only
- Service on the Silver, Blue and Yellow lines will remain suspended. Stations not listed above will remain closed.
At the start of service, trains will run every 20-25 minutes. Service levels may be upgraded as conditions allow.
One bit of good news: Rides are free. Fares will not be charged on Metrorail on Monday, Metro says.
Graphic courtesy of Metro
The plans for the Reston Town Center Metro station will have a Fairfax County Planning Commission hearing on Jan. 13, and the planners are expected to recommend for approval the plans that will bring another Silver Line stop to Reston.
While the basic entrance pavilions will look similar to those at the existing Wiehle-Reston East station, the Town Center stop, part of the Silver Line Phase 2 that is expected to open in early 2020, will have a very different character than Wiehle-Reston East.
The Wiehle-Reston East station was built adjacent to a large parking garage, a joint project by Fairfax County and Comstock. Comstock is also building apartments, a hotel, offices, retail and restaurants as part of its Reston Station project that is under construction at was previously a suburban vacant lot.
The Reston Town Center stop — which, like most other Silver Line stations will have virtually no parking — will be built close to Reston’s urban core. It still won’t be “at” Reston Town Center, though. Read More
More than three months after a fire damaged an electrical substation near Stadium-Armory, Metro’s Silver and Orange line service is back to six-minute rush hour service, says Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld.
“I want to thank the Metro customers who stayed with us despite less frequent service and crowding, and we know there is more work ahead to rebuild rider confidence and make service reliable,” Wiedenfeld said in a statement.
Orange and Silver line trains began consistently departing endpoint terminals at six-minute intervals on Monday, for the first time since the Sept. 21 substation fire, Wiedenfeld said. The trains had been running every eight minutes since November.
More from Metro:
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Metro was forced to take several steps to protect the remaining power system, including reducing the number of trains on the line by running Orange and Silver line trains every eight minutes during rush hours, limiting acceleration, and restricting how many trains were in the area of Stadium-Armory.
While these actions were necessary to prevent an even more significant disruption in rail service, customers were subjected to more crowded, less frequent trains and frequent “stop-and-go” sluggish rides during rush hours. Metro experienced a significant drop in both on-time performance and rider satisfaction in the wake of the incident.
The restoration of normal rush-hour headways follows weeks of recovery, cleanup, testing and commissioning of new equipment. Working with PEPCO, the Stadium-Armory substation was reconnected to the power grid about a week ago and began feeding electricity to the third rail.
After the fire, Metro used smaller substations to power the Stadium-Armory area. To avoid overloading the system or disrupting service, Metro had to reduce train speeds and limit the number of trains passing through the area.
After the fire, Metro’s initial assessment said it would take at least six months to completely rebuild the substation.
After a more thorough examination, it was determined that engineers would be able to restore two of the three transformers to factory-quality condition and return them to service on a temporary basis. This allowed Metro to restore normal service this week. Eventually, all three transformers will be replaced with new custom built traction power equipment, said Metro.
Fairfax County Police say there is no evidence that an increase in the number of robberies in the Reston area this year is due to the opening of Metro’s Silver Line in Reston 15 months ago.
Last week, Capt. Ron Manzo, commander of the Reston District Station, told Reston Association’s Board of Directors that there had been a 100-percent increase in robberies compared to this point in 2014. The number has increased from 16 to 32.
Several Reston Now readers commented both on the article and on Reston Now’s Facebook page that Metro must be the reason for the increase.
Katy DeFoe, the Reston District Station’s Crime Prevention Specialist, said none of the robberies Capt. Manzo spoke about happened within a quarter-mile of Wiehle-Reston East. There was a robbery nearby on Roger Bacon Drive on Oct. 24, however.
DeFoe says the number of robberies includes nine commercial/bank robberies, including two bank robberies in the last two weeks. Neither bank was in the immediate vicinity of Wiehle-Reston East.
Of the 32 robberies, there have been seven arrests. All suspects arrested had a local (Fairfax County) address, said DeFoe.
DeFoe credits the rise in the number of robberies to a rise in reporting of crimes.
“I am not sure the number of incidents has gone up,” she said. “It is just being reported more. We have done a lot of work to get people to report to us.”
Overall crime is down 3 percent in the Reston District, said DeFoe.
Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler told Reston Now in 2014 that combining an increased population with urban-style gathering spots does increase the chances for crime. But it doesn’t mean it has to increase actual crime rates — especially as Wiehle-Reston East stands now, where there is currently little development right at the Metro station.
Metro has planned more service changes that may affect Silver Line riders beginning tomorrow.
Metro will implement an additional service change — affecting Stadium-Armory Station only — as another step to reduce “stop and go” rush-hour rides and congestion on the Orange, Silver and Blue lines following last week’s transformer fire.
Metro says that during weekday rush hours, Stadium-Armory will be served by Blue Line trains only, while all Orange and Silver line trains will pass through the station without stopping. Customers traveling to or from Stadium-Armory will be able to use Blue Line trains at all times.
Orange and Silver trains will bypass Stadium-Armory weekdays from system opening until 10:00 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Only Blue Line trains will stop at the station during these times. All trains (Orange, Silver and Blue) will service the station at all other times, including midday hours, evenings and weekends.
The changes come in response to issues last week. On Monday, a transformer fire at a power sub-station near Stadium-Armory disrupted service and caused delays for hours. On Friday, Metro began running Orange and Silver line trains every eight minutes during rush hours, rather than every six minutes, to reduce the number of trains in service at any one time.
Says Metro:
“While the impact of this change is limited to one station, the benefit will be realized by tens of thousands of riders. “
Last week’s fire fire knocked offline a nine-megawatt power substation that converts commercial power to D/C electricity that is used to run trains via the third rail. Metro is currently “feeding” power to the area of Stadium-Armory from smaller substations farther away and that are already at their output capacity. To avoid overloading the system or disrupting service, Metro says it has been forced to reduce train speeds and limit the number of trains passing through the Stadium-Armory area.
Fixes are not going to come quickly though: Metro’s engineering and power departments are working to demolish and rebuild the damaged substation and replace equipment on an expedited basis — a process that is estimated to take more than six months, says Metro.
To accommodate customers who travel between Stadium-Armory and Orange Line stations east of Stadium-Armory (e.g. Minnesota Avenue- New Carrollton), Metro will offer free shuttle buses between Stadium-Armory and Minnesota Avenue during the hours Stadium-Armory is bypassed.
A transformer fire earlier this week near the Stadium-Armory Metro Station will temporarily affect service on the Silver, Orange and Blue lines, Metro announced Friday.
Metro said this in a statement:
Metro today announced a temporary service change to help ease delays and “stop and go” train rides for Orange, Blue and Silver line customers whose trips have been impacted by operating restrictions following Monday’s transformer fire outside Stadium-Armory Station.
During rush hours, Orange and Silver line trains will run every 8 minutes, rather than every 6 minutes, to reduce the number of trains in service at any one time. The move is intended to create more time and distance between trains and prevent them from bunching up in the area of Stadium-Armory, where operating restrictions are in place due to lower electrical capacity.
The fire knocked offline a 9-megawatt power substation that converts commercial power to 750 volts of D/C electricity that is used to run trains via the third rail.
Metro is currently “feeding” power to the area of Stadium-Armory from smaller substations farther away and that are already at their output capacity. To avoid overloading the system, Metro must reduce train speeds and limit the number of trains passing through the Stadium-Armory area to one train at a time on each track. This, in turn, has caused stop-and-go travel conditions for many riders, especially during rush hours this week.
Metro plans to increase the number of 8-car trains on the Orange and Silver lines during this time by using cars made available by the reduced number of trains in service.
Metro’s power and engineering departments are working to rebuild the damaged power substation and replace equipment on an expedited basis – a process that will take months. Metro will provide updates on the repair process as additional information is known.
Photo: Metro file photo
Metro riders commuting to D.C. from Virginia are having a slow morning, after a fire in the District caused a wave of delays on the Blue, Silver and Orange Lines.
A fire at a substation owned by Metro, near RFK Stadium in Southeast D.C., at approximately 7:30 a.m. this morning closed the Stadium Armory and Potomac Metro stations.
As a result, Metro has suspended service between the Eastern Market and Minnesota Avenue stations on the Orange Line and the Eastern Market and Benning Road stations on the Silver Line.
Trains on the blue line are running only between the Franconia and Rosslyn stations. Riders are being told to transfer at Rosslyn to the Orange or Silver Lines to continue their trip.
Metro is warning riders that there will be delays on all three lines.
