Metro to close 6 Orange Line stations over summer 2022 for platform reconstruction

Metro today announced travel alternatives to help customers prepare for the summer closures of New Carrollton, Landover, Cheverly, Deanwood and Minnesota Avenue stations, as part of the final phase of the Platform Improvement Project. These Orange Line stations will be closed from Saturday, May 28 through Monday, Sept. 5 for platform reconstruction and station modernization

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Summer ... atives.cfm

davinp wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:22 am Metro today announced travel alternatives to help customers prepare for the summer closures of New Carrollton, Landover, Cheverly, Deanwood and Minnesota Avenue stations, as part of the final phase of the Platform Improvement Project. These Orange Line stations will be closed from Saturday, May 28 through Monday, Sept. 5 for platform reconstruction and station modernization

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Summer ... atives.cfm

Wait, didn't we have that already? About 5 years ago or so? I remember there being a closure of this scale and MARC had to pitch in a bit.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:07 pm

davinp wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:22 am Metro today announced travel alternatives to help customers prepare for the summer closures of New Carrollton, Landover, Cheverly, Deanwood and Minnesota Avenue stations, as part of the final phase of the Platform Improvement Project. These Orange Line stations will be closed from Saturday, May 28 through Monday, Sept. 5 for platform reconstruction and station modernization

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Summer ... atives.cfm

Wait, didn't we have that already? About 5 years ago or so? I remember there being a closure of this scale and MARC had to pitch in a bit.

maybe in 2016? It sounds familiar.
Shame there isn't third track between landover and ivy city, and coordination with WMATA.
A shuttle to New carrolton, and then bus bridge for serving those stations would work well.
Too much freight traffic on the Ex Potyard line, otherwise, could use that with temporary platforms.
Assuming there were enough passengers for it.

There will be no Orange Line service between Stadium - Armory and New Carrollton stations from May 28-Sept. 5.
Orange Line service will operate between Vienna and Stadium - Armory stations.

What happened to all those warnings that it would be unsafe and unreliable to use the pocket track in D&G junction to terminate Silver line trains at Stadium - Armory before that line opened?

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:42 pm maybe in 2016? It sounds familiar.
Shame there isn't third track between landover and ivy city, and coordination with WMATA.
A shuttle to New carrolton, and then bus bridge for serving those stations would work well.
Too much freight traffic on the Ex Potyard line, otherwise, could use that with temporary platforms.
Assuming there were enough passengers for it.

I'd be more apt if the third platform was built as well as the third track (but then I think it should be 4-tracked WAS to BOS).

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:55 pm

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:42 pm maybe in 2016? It sounds familiar.
Shame there isn't third track between landover and ivy city, and coordination with WMATA.
A shuttle to New carrolton, and then bus bridge for serving those stations would work well.
Too much freight traffic on the Ex Potyard line, otherwise, could use that with temporary platforms.
Assuming there were enough passengers for it.

I'd be more apt if the third platform was built as well as the third track (but then I think it should be 4-tracked WAS to BOS).

I know it should be 4 track, with the third platform.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:48 pm I know it should be 4 track, with the third platform.

That said, yes, a third track actually would benefit WMATA here with shuttle service. A third platform would as well if you do shuttle service to L'Efant Plaza. This would require CSX and NS to allow service to that station, and rush hour would be a bit of a mess... but possible with that third platform.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:38 am

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:48 pm I know it should be 4 track, with the third platform.

That said, yes, a third track actually would benefit WMATA here with shuttle service. A third platform would as well if you do shuttle service to L'Efant Plaza. This would require CSX and NS to allow service to that station, and rush hour would be a bit of a mess... but possible with that third platform.

https://ggwash.org/ajax/comments/41659/newest
Ggw suggested this shuttle, 6 years ago.
It has merit, if it could dispatched around freight

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 7:00 pm https://ggwash.org/ajax/comments/41659/newest
Ggw suggested this shuttle, 6 years ago.
It has merit, if it could dispatched around freight

Oh yeah, I did highlight some of the difficulties there, but that was to use MARC for a service replacement...

Things have changed, have they?

I can say, once a permanent platform be made to access Track 1 at New Carrolton, we can entertain L'efant to New Carrolton shuttles. But for now... well, traffic isn't there just yet to justify it.

Everyone: (Post 1-History)

Closing the Orange Line for platform reconstruction between Stadium-Armory and New Carrollton is interesting
to me remembering when the line opened for service in November 1978 (44 years ago !!!) now noticing that the
original 101 mile system is now aged enough to require reconstruction projects such as this one today...

When the Orange Line to New Carrollton opened these were noteable accomplishments -
- The first (3) stations in Prince George's County - at that time there was only four Maryland Metro stations -
Silver Spring on the Red Line (opened in February 1978) was the first MD Metro station.
- The Orange Line was the first Metro line opened to a terminal with yard and shop facilities at New Carrollton.
- System hours in 1978 were 6AM to 8PM Monday thru Friday. The Orange Line opening brought later weeknight
(12 midnight) and Saturday-Sunday service to the Metro system for the first time.

With the mention of the paralleling MARC Penn Line - Maryland DOT began to directly subsidize the
Conrail-operated Baltimore-Washington weekday commuter trains effective October 29, 1978
In the AM Peak three trains ran south BAL-WAS adding a new single WAS-BAL train north.
In the PM Peak three trains ran north WAS-BAL adding a new single BAL-WAS train south.
The (newer) equipment at that time was leased Jersey Arrow Two MU cars from NJDOT
The previous schedule was four weekday trains: 2 BAL-WAS AM, 2 WAS-BAL PM using PRR/PC MP54 MU cars.

There was originally no direct connection between Metro and Amtrak/MARC at New Carrollton.
The NCR station relocation to replace Capital Beltway Station opened in October 1983.

The Lanham/US 50 Hanson Highway area has grown considerably since the Orange Line opened...
Good rail service enhances development as Metro has in the National Capital Region...MACTRAXX

Everyone: (Post 2-alternate Metro and MARC Penn Line service)

After reading about the Orange Line construction closure does Metro plan to emphasize using the Blue Line
to Addison Road and Largo Town Center as a prime alternate route?

After the Orange Line to NCR opened in November 1978 a combined Blue/Orange line operated between NCR
and National Airport with trains to NCR designated Orange and National Airport trains Blue for a time until
the Arlington/Ballston Orange Line route opened...Instead of terminating Orange Line trains at Stadium-Armory
why not operate them as a temporarily combined route to Largo Town Center increasing alternate services?
I then noticed that the Silver Line uses the Blue Line route - would three lines operating over the same route
be more service than what would actually be needed as an NCR alternative?

Trains would be signed Orange west to Vienna and Blue east to LTC during the NCR closure was the thought
here for the record...

Another thought coming to mind is the Stadium-Armory station name - back around 1980 there was mention
about renaming the Metro station "STARPLEX" the same as both venues together were referred to at the time
which was the "Stadium-Armory Complex"...Is RFK Stadium and the DC Armory still referred to as "Starplex"
and/or did the name change reference fade away over time?

Enhanced Penn Line service (hourly or more all day long) to a intermediate station in which trains can be turned
without blocking primary tracks for any length of time is another alternative service thought. If nonstop shuttle
trains WAS-NCR are operated is there a track at or near NCR Station that trains can reverse on?

In closing this is going to be a temporary inconvenience with alternate rail routes available...MACTRAXX

Maybe this action is to get a few more 7000s available for other routes?

This action was planned well in advance of taking the 7000s out of service.

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:07 pm Enhanced Penn Line service (hourly or more all day long) to a intermediate station in which trains can be turned
without blocking primary tracks for any length of time is another alternative service thought. If nonstop shuttle
trains WAS-NCR are operated is there a track at or near NCR Station that trains can reverse on?

Unfortunately no. You basically need a second platform off Track 1 to pull it off, which isn't there right now. I doubt Amtrak can build it, the associated passenger tunnel, the elevator, etc in time.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:48 am

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:07 pm Enhanced Penn Line service (hourly or more all day long) to a intermediate station in which trains can be turned
without blocking primary tracks for any length of time is another alternative service thought. If nonstop shuttle
trains WAS-NCR are operated is there a track at or near NCR Station that trains can reverse on?

Unfortunately no. You basically need a second platform off Track 1 to pull it off, which isn't there right now. I doubt Amtrak can build it, the associated passenger tunnel, the elevator, etc in time.

If wmata and amtrak coordinated with anything, maybe they could have planned this a few years ago.
The bidding process alone would take a year.