DC Metro repair work could include single-tracking, affect every rail line: report

An extensive rehabilitation plan for Washington’s beleaguered Metrorail system could last months and is expected to affect nearly every rail line, according to a new report.

Paul J. Wiedefeld, general manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, is slated to unveil a new track maintenance plan on Friday in an effort to tackle long-neglected safety issues and restore reliability and rider confidence. The effort will likely entail more service disruptions, delays and headaches for commuters in the months ahead.

{mosads}Metro’s new plan, which will kick in as early as June, could require some rail lines to be continuously single-tracking for weeks, while some portions could be shut down completely, according to radio station WAMU.

Riders will be encouraged to switch over to different lines at stations where multiple rail lines converge in order to finish their commutes.

The track work, which will be done on all lines except for new portions of the Silver Line in Northern Virginia, will involve replacing electrical cables, wooden rail ties and other critical repairs. WAMU said the work is expected to focus on the oldest track areas around the downtown region, which are in most need of repair.

WAMU also reported that Metro officials have recommended stopping weekend service three hours earlier, at midnight, in order to give crews more time to complete the rehabilitation effort, but the move would require board approval.

The entire transit system was shut down in March for over 24 hours in order to conduct emergency inspections following an earlier tunnel fire near the McPherson Square stop. The incident evoked memories of a deadly January 2015 incident in which smoke filled a stalled  line train, killing one passenger and sickening scores more.

A federal safety board released its final report earlier this week on the accident, blaming it on a combination of long-overlooked safety hazards and a botched emergency response effort.