Metro imposes 'temp' speed restrictions across system

At 7 stations in the system, including several outside of the 'core' of DC, Metro has imposed a 15 MPH speed limit due to 'track conditions' recently uncovered by the track geometry vehicle. http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_ ... m?AID=5135. Metro has not eta for when repairs will be completed, and it has not said what, exactly, the issue(s) is/are.

Notice the advisory has an expiration date. I learned of this advisory yesterday 02 16 2016, it had 3 location with speed restriction then, one of them was corrected and 5 were added.

Sand Box John wrote:Notice the advisory has an expiration date. I learned of this advisory yesterday 02 16 2016, it had 3 location with speed restriction then, one of them was corrected and 5 were added.

I don't think the expiration means that that's when the restrictions will end, rather that we can expect an update on or before that date. I am curious as to what brought this on though.

"Recently uncovered by the track geometry vehicle". HAHAHA! Riiiight. More like the TGV has been logging deteriorating and unacceptable conditions for months or years, and WMATA chose to ignore it until now. My bet is someone in FTA noticed the ignored failures so WMATA couldn't ignore it anymore.

MCL1981 wrote:"Recently uncovered by the track geometry vehicle". HAHAHA! Riiiight. More like the TGV has been logging deteriorating and unacceptable conditions for months or years, and WMATA chose to ignore it until now. My bet is someone in FTA noticed the ignored failures so WMATA couldn't ignore it anymore.

Yes, the TGV is doing it's job. It found issues last week on the 10th, and is likely the cause of the single-tracking at Stadium-Armory through the core last week when a couple things were found. Is this new because of the FTA? I have no clue.

The page I linked to earlier is now showing a slow speed zone only around W. Falls Church.

Not sure if this is related to the earlier speed restriction, though it is in that zone: On 2/22 and 2/23, Metro will begin single tracking near Smithsonian for B/O lines at 8 PM in order to allow crews extra overnight time to replace 400 feet of rail, as well as 100 third-rail insulators and 2000 fasteners. http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_ ... m?AID=5453. The Silver line will run only to Ballston after 8 PM.

JDC wrote:Not sure if this is related to the earlier speed restriction, though it is in that zone: On 2/22 and 2/23, Metro will begin single tracking near Smithsonian for B/O lines at 8 PM in order to allow crews extra overnight time to replace 400 feet of rail, as well as 100 third-rail insulators and 2000 fasteners. http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_ ... m?AID=5453. The Silver line will run only to Ballston after 8 PM.

Probably is. Sounds like they may have found an issue (it's a curve, so wide gauge possibly?), put in temporary fixes (gauge rods, etc.), but now need to replace the rail/fasteners before it goes from a code red to code black issue.

JDC wrote:The page I linked to earlier is now showing a slow speed zone only around W. Falls Church.

Several hours later and it's now showing Bethesda. So clearly this is almost an hour by hour list.

wrivlin wrote:

Sand Box John wrote:Notice the advisory has an expiration date. I learned of this advisory yesterday 02 16 2016, it had 3 location with speed restriction then, one of them was corrected and 5 were added.

I don't think the expiration means that that's when the restrictions will end, rather that we can expect an update on or before that date. I am curious as to what brought this on though.

The advisory expiration date is just the date which the link will be removed from the WMATA homepage. These kinds of advisories used to flow into/be archived in the news section, but no longer.

For instance, the weekend track work notices now also have an expiration date and do not show up in the searchable archives of WMATA news/PRs.