Good morning, D.C. We hope you didn’t have plans to take an Amtrak or MARC Penn line train early this morning, as rail service between Washington and Baltimore was halted after a man was struck by an Acela Express train near New Carrollton just after 5 a.m. The Man, whom the Post identified as a maintenance worker, was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition — one report says he died, though that has yet to be confirmed. It’s still unclear how he was hit by the train. Both MARC and Amtrak service resumed after 7 a.m., but delays of about an hour were expected. Be sure to check all train schedules for delays before heading to Union Station this morning.

D.C. School Renovations Won’t Be Done on First Day: We know, you’re all shocked to read a headline like this one. The Post details the word from the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization’s Allen Lew, who admitted yesterday that some construction will not be finished on time for the first day of school on Monday. Four schools in particular, Browne Education Center, Emery Education Center, Eliot-Hine Middle School, and Raymond Elementary, are apparently rather far from being finished, though Lew said that none of the work will prevent the schools from opening on time. Teachers and staff at Eliot-Hine were not allowed inside the building yesterday due to unsafe conditions related to construction.

Obama Back in Va.: Everyone’s speculating on who Sen. Barack Obama will pick as his running mate, and the Washington Times notes that with the senator in Virginia for a campaign event today, all eyes are back on Gov. Tim Kaine. Could Obama make an announcement today? Tomorrow? On Saturday at his big pre-convention rally in Illinois? What day do you think he’ll announce his pick?

Briefly Noted: D.C. man sentenced to 20 years for rape and stabbing … Man shot multiple times in Montgomery Village.

Photo by Bullneck