The problem is specific to trains traveling in the opposite direction from usual on the northbound-track; Metro noticed the problem Monday night after trains began returning to the railyard missing shoes.

Trains were traveling in the opposite direction from normal because of Metro’s modified service for SafeTrack surge 10, which has reduced train frequencies up to 70 percent on the eastern segment of the Red Line, north of Fort Totten.

AD

Collector shoes are spring-loaded metal paddles that glide across the third rail to draw power to the trains, and are designed to break off without causing further damage.

AD

In this case, Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said, the gaps were causing trains on the Glenmont-bound track to lose shoes. Ten railcars, all of the newest 7000-series model, were affected — but all were back in service by Tuesday afternoon. A pile of about 30 shoes had been discovered in a location south of Takoma.

Crews took down power to the Glenmont-bound track Tuesday afternoon while they welded the joints together.

“Last week when we’re running normal traffic and everything’s operating in the proper direction, everything’s fine,” Stessel said. “In the reverse direction you have an issue.”

AD

Original post

The brave riders using the eastern segment Red Line amid SafeTrack repairs this week would probably do best to avoid it altogether if possible this afternoon.

Metro trains are running every 15 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten after crews were sent in to make “unscheduled” track repairs at Takoma. Normal service — or what is considered normal for the surge — is not expected to be restored until 6 p.m.

Already, the 3-to-6 minutes waits on that segment of the line had been reduced to 10 minutes for Metro’s 10th SafeTrack surge, a shutdown of service from Fort Totten to NoMa.

The unscheduled repairs means Metro is sending even fewer trains through the area.