Cleveland Park is one of three stations with no train service Monday morning, due to an arcing incident.

Tyrone Turner / DCist

Service on Metro’s Red Line was fully restored, the transit agency announced. Trains had been shut down between Farragut North and Van Ness stations all day Sunday and during the Monday morning commute, as crews continued repairs after an incident Saturday that sent smoke into the tunnel.

The transit agency said shuttle buses would continue to operate until 11 am, even with train service restored.

The service shutdown was caused by arcing on a low-voltage cable near the Dupont station on Saturday. It was initially reported by a Dupont Circle station manager who reported smokey conditions, and a train operator running a train between Woodley Park and Dupont. The operator observed smoke and arcing beyond the smoke, according a statement from Metro. The operator reversed the train back to Woodley Park.

According to Metro, a preliminary investigation suggests the Red Line incident was caused by the failure of a low-voltage cable, which caused an electrical fire, damaging adjacent cables. Low-voltage cables are used for things like radio and signal systems.

Metro General Manager Randy Clarke wrote on Twitter Sunday evening that he was in the tunnels with repair crews to review damage and repair plans. He shared images of burnt wire, large spools of cable, and crowds of workers in hard hats.

In an earlier tweet, Clarke said he’d ordered a full review of the response to the Red Line incident as well as emergency preparedness. “It is clear this incident could have been handled better, especially in relation to communications on trains and bus shuttles,” Clarke wrote.

Clarke also ordered a systemwide inspection of low-voltage cables, according to Metro. Metro did not provide any estimate of when work would be completed and service restored.

This is only Clarke’s second week on the job. He took charge of the transit system at a time when it faces multiple challenges, including wooing riders back post-pandemic, and restoring full service levels after ongoing safety issues with 7000-series train cars.

This story was updated after Metro restored service to the Red Line.

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