NO Metrorail service Jan. 23-24 (Jonas Snowmaggedon)

[JDC]

Breaking news - due to the impending blizzard, Metro's GM has announced at a 4PM press conference that there will be NO Metrorail service this weekend, Jan. 23-24. Service will end Friday at 11 PM. From what I gather by the questions posed to him, Metro has not done this in recent memory. In prior snow storms, Metro continued to run service underground - Metro has a snow map for such instances. http://wmata.com/getting_around/safety_ ... nowMap.pdf. What he said was that Metro was going to use the underground tunnels to store as much of the fleet as possible to protect them from the snow and to increase Metro's ability to come back online after the storm for service on Monday.

[JDC]

Breaking news - due to the impending blizzard, Metro's GM has announced at a 4PM press conference that there will be NO Metrorail service this weekend, Jan. 23-24. Service will end Friday at 11 PM. From what I gather by the questions posed to him, Metro has not done this in recent memory. In prior snow storms, Metro continued to run service underground - Metro has a snow map for such instances. http://wmata.com/getting_around/safety_ ... nowMap.pdf. What he said was that Metro was going to use the underground tunnels to store as much of the fleet as possible to protect them from the snow and to increase Metro's ability to come back online after the storm for service on Monday.

Here is a very, very short story from WP. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr- ... ge%2Fstory, and one from NBC http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local ... 04811.html

[JDC]

Metro's press release: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/P ... aseID=6029

[JackRussell]

It is better that they pre-announce this rather than try and wing it like they have done in years past.

The bit about getting the rolling stock in the tunnels makes some amount of sense. It will be a whole lot easier to clear the yards of snow without any trains around.

[JDC]

It is better that they pre-announce this rather than try and wing it like they have done in years past.

The bit about getting the rolling stock in the tunnels makes some amount of sense. It will be a whole lot easier to clear the yards of snow without any trains around.

This GGW piece notes that "Historically, Metro moves as many railcars as possible from all over the system and parks them in the tunnels between Glenmont and Forest Glen. This is why service on that section is not covered in the snow plan." http://greatergreaterwashington.org/pos ... un-friday/

[JackRussell]

This GGW piece notes that "Historically, Metro moves as many railcars as possible from all over the system and parks them in the tunnels between Glenmont and Forest Glen.

Here is a question. We know they can run 8-car consists in normal revenue service. But is there any technical reason why they can't assemble 16, 24 or even longer consists when the only aim is to park them somewhere in the tunnels? They might need to limit the speed of course to prevent overloading the substations, but if they took it slow and easy, even that wouldn't be a problem.

[Sand Box John]

"JackRussell"

Here is a question. We know they can run 8-car consists in normal revenue service. But is there any technical reason why they can't assemble 16, 24 or even longer consists when the only aim is to park them somewhere in the tunnels? They might need to limit the speed of course to prevent overloading the substations, but if they took it slow and easy, even that wouldn't be a problem.

Considering that on several occasion in the past 10 car train were inadvertently dispatched at the beginning of daily operation and managed to pass through several station before being noticed, I don't think it would be a problem.

[JDC]

Metro is allowing free parking in its garages until Monday morning. This is presumably targeted at folks living in DC proper near the few stations with garages, though I can imagine folks in DC driving out to a nearby garage in MD, VA and parking there to keep the car as free from snow as possible, and parking restrictions.

[JDC]

Much more detailed story from WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... d=sm_tw_pl

[JDC]

A good GGW piece on Metro's efforts during the storm, including great videos of a ride along with the GM in one of Metro's snow moving machines. http://greatergreaterwashington.org/pos ... /#comments

[dcmike]

But is there any technical reason why they can't assemble 16, 24 or even longer consists when the only aim is to park them somewhere in the tunnels?

Yes. The control trainlines that transmit the propulsion, braking, door, etc commands between cars can only carry so much current. As train length increases, so too does voltage drop and thus current. After about 10 cars the trainline circuit breakers began to trip.. or worse, the receiving equipment gets damaged due to overloaded inputs.

When you see trains longer than eight cars, it's almost always the case that the last half of the train is electrically isolated and being towed.

Interesting side note: the 7000 series cars are capable of operating at a maximum consist length of 16 cars. Some non-critical functionality will be diminished, but because they use data networks rather than analog train lines they don't suffer the same limitations as older cars.

[srepetsk]

From the Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Of Metro’s fleet of 1,100-plus subway cars, only 356 were moved into the transit system’s idle tunnels for the weekend, Stessel said.

Although the transit agency on Friday had spoken of sheltering about 900 rail cars in the tunnels, it turned out not to be possible “for a lot of technical reasons,” Stessel said. Numerous cars were moved out of the elements and into rail-yard garages, but many others are encased in snow and need to be shoveled out Sunday, he said.

Can someone with more knowledge than I explain what the "technical reasons" might have been for only storing 356? Wiedefeld himself was saying on Thursday/Friday that the plan was to move 900 or so cars underground.

[JDC]

Metro will be open Monday, starting at 7 AM, but only underground on select segments and lines: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html

Metro's press release: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/P ... aseID=6031.

Quoting for sake of posterity:

"The Metrorail system will open at 7 a.m. with limited underground service on the Red, Orange and Green lines as follows:

Orange Line: Ballston to Eastern Market only
Red Line: Medical Center to Union Station only
Green Line: Fort Totten to Anacostia only

At the start of service, trains will run every 20-25 minutes. Service levels may be upgraded as conditions allow. The system will remain open until midnight. Fares will not be charged on Metrorail on Monday, January 25."

[srepetsk]

Monday's underground service photo courtesy of Peter Dvorak; https://twitter.com/pdovak/status/691367009842368513" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KR3E]

Metro's GM told riders that the system would be shut down this weekend due, in part, to fear that a power failure during the blizzard would strand riders. This doesn't ring true to me.

Isn't power delivered to Metro's third rail from numerous power substations throughout the system, each serving a limited segment of third rail?

If so then it seems to me that, though a local power outage could knock out power to several miles of third rail, it would take an area-wide blackout to kill power to the full Metro system.

Is that correct or was fear of a power failure a legitimate reason to close the full system?