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Metro posted its track maintenance reminder this morning, and it looks like Orange and Red Line riders will bear the brunt of delays this weekend.
Orange Line: Rail, crosstie and track support replacement work between the Stadium-Armory and Cheverly stations will create 30 minute delays on the Orange line this weekend. Additional bridge maintenance work on the aerial structure outside the Minnesota Avenue station will also contribute to delays. Trains will single track between these stations starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, May 8, and lasting through to midnight on Sunday, May 10.
Red Line: Work replacing communication cables in the Red Line tunnel between Glenmont and Forest Glen will add 20 minute delays Friday and Saturday. Trains will single track in this area between 11 p.m. on Friday, May 8 through to 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, May 9.
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Does Metro always do its maintenance work this time of year? Seems like a bad way to piss away tourist dollars by giving them 30 minute delays.
I'm pretty sure Metro does maintenance year-round, not just now. You didn't have the breakdown problems when Metro shut down at 10pm because you had a 7-hour window for track maintenance. Now that it's open until 1am (which it wasn't designed for) that window has shrunk, but the maintenance load has increased because you're pushing more trains through the system and wearing it out faster. People who keep squawking about how Metro needs to operate 24/7 don't seem to recognize this.
Exactly. In hindsight it may have been prudent to plan and design in a third track so that maintenance could occur more frequently without the disruptions. Additionally this would allow express trains to be run. I would hope that for the new silver line they consider this as the benefits may outweigh the marginal cost.
Unfortunately, I don't see that ever happening.
What I don't understand is why they don't do this stuff from Midnight Saturday to Midnight Sunday? I am willing to be that that ridership is a lot lower than Midnight Friday to Midnight Saturday.
A question for GGW, i guess.
I wouldn't be surprised if they have to pay more for work on Sundays.
The initial WMATA plans included a third express line, but it was axed out in the early stages because they didn't have the money. Also, in the 1960s, transit was predominately about getting suburban people into and out of DC during work hours. DC wasn't much of a nightlife destination at the time. People were too busy fleeing for their lives.