Railroad Forums 

  • List of Metro speed restrictions (as of Sept 13, 2016)

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1400745  by JDC
 
https://twitter.com/wmata/status/775802304540860416

Metro has published a list of the nearly 2 dozen locations where it has implemented speed restrictions over the past several days. As a B/Y line rider, I've gotten to enjoy the long segment on the tracks south of National Airport.
 #1400753  by JDC
 
Yes. From what I read, it is because the new ties and ballast need time to settle, so the speed reductions are necessary. At least, that was the explanation for the reduction from FS to King St.
 #1400780  by smallfire85
 
Yes, many freight railroads place a slow order on a mainline track after major disturbance of the roadbed, to allow the ballast to reach near full compaction under load. However, since freights typically run longer, heavier trains, a couple of trains would suffice, versus a couple days of service on Metro to achieve the same compaction loading.

Many of the restrictions outside of King St to FS are actually non or future Safetrack areas. I could tell that there was tie replacement between Braddock Road and King St recently. Just a reminder that the rest of the railroad needs attention, too.
 #1400936  by JDC
 
The area south of Braddock is especially bad - many of the ties holding insulators have shifted, and the insulators are at somewhat of an angle instead of being straight.