If you’re sitting near a regular Orange line passenger in your office right now, consider bringing them a paper bag to prevent impending hyperventilation. There’s a new WMATA alert posted just after 4:30 p.m. that indicates some as yet undefined track problem outside the Ballston station, and that customers should expect delays in both directions.

Metro says they’re running shuttle bus service between the Ballston and Vienna stations. But Orange line riders who have dealt with downed power lines on the tracks and then a train derailment in the last week alone by now likely have little patience for shuttle buses. We’re sorry, Virginia residents. You can crash on our couch if you want.

UPDATE 5:06 p.m.: WMATA has issued a release:

Metro riders can expect major delays on the Orange Line this afternoon and evening due to a heat “kink” in the rails that was discovered between the East Falls Church and Ballston-MU Metrorail stations at 3:15 p.m., today, Wednesday, July 11. A heat kink is a bend in the rails due to high temperatures.

Orange Line service was suspended between the East Falls Church and Ballston-MU Metrorail stations after a rail operator noticed an irregularity on the tracks. The train was headed to New Carrollton. Currently, Orange Line trains are running between Vienna and East Falls Church, and also between New Carrollton and Ballston.

Free Metro shuttle buses are running between the Ballston and Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail stations to help passengers get around the incident. The buses are stopping at Ballston-MU, East Falls Church, West Falls Church-VT/UVA, Dunn Loring-Merrifield and Vienna.

Passengers can expect long waits of at least 30 minutes for buses, as buses carry about 60 passengers, compared to 800 on a six-car Metrorail train. In addition, the buses are traveling through rush hour traffic along busy roads.

None of that’s comforting, we realize.

Photo by AlbinoFlea