Red Line riders can expect delays of at least one hour — that’s right, people, ONE HOUR — this morning, thanks to a track fire that cut power at some stations.
The fire, which got cooking near Metro Center around 7:20 a.m., forced Red Line trains to share tracks, the transit authority said in a press statement.
The fire was quashed, but it also cut the juice to a couple of stations in The District: Dupont Circle, Farragut North and West, Shaw-Howard U, and McPherson Square. Trains are actually running through those stations, but don’t expect the lights to be on, the transit authority said. Elevators, escalators and vending machines are also dark in those stations.
Plan B would be to take a free shuttle bus at Gallery Place-Chinatown, Metro Center and Farragut North. Buses along Connecticut Avenue will also hook you up with a ride for the regular fare. But expect long waits for the bus, as well as residual traffic chaos on the road. (The power outage turned out traffic lights, too. However, signals are back on near Metro Center, WUSA-9 News reported.)
Some offices around Metro Center were without power (and air conditioning), according to WUSA-9 News. Power has since been restored there, but many offices are on the stuffy side.
The power outage also put more pedestrians on the street. Three pedestrians were struck this morning in the traffic meshugas, WUSA-9 News reported.
Updated Jun 13, 2008, at 10:00 a.m.
August 21, 2008
2 Comments at "Red Line a mess after morning track fire"
I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning.
Actually, Dupont Circle was completely shut down around 9:30a. Commuters had to get off the Woodley Park or Farragut North stations, and I waited impatiently for ten minutes for a shuttle bus that never came. I walked for thirty minutes to get to work in the heat.
Happy Friday the 13th, all.
Holler back.