Montgomery County riders of Metrorail should be prepared for infrequent and possibly crowded Red Line trains this week due to service reductions.
The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) has cut service on Metrorail this week due to the removal of all 7000-series rail cars — about 60% of its fleet. All 748 7000-series cars were removed from service on Monday for investigation into the derailment of a Blue Line train in Virginia Oct. 12.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators said on Monday that the same train derailed three times that day, The Washington Post reported. The wheel assembly is thought to be a factor, according to WMATA.
Here are a few things to keep in mind this week:
The investigation
The NTSB, the Federal Transit Administration and the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission are investigating the Blue Line derailment. WMATA says the 748 700-series cars represent about 60% of Metro’s fleet. Until those cars are deemed safe, Metro will continue to operate at reduced capacity.
Frequency of trains
Metro trains ran every 30 minutes on all lines on Monday. WMATA announced on Monday that reduced service will continue through Sunday.
Starting Tuesday, Red Line trains will run every 15 minutes. Trains on all other lines will run every 30 minutes.
Montgomery County stations
Metro’s Red Line operates in Montgomery County and serves the stations of Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma, Friendship Heights, Bethesda, Medical Center, Grosvenor-Strathmore, White Flint, Twinbrook, Rockville and Shady Grove.
The Rockville and Shady Grove stations have been closed since Sept. 11 due to upgrades to the Rockville station. Free shuttles are running between Shady Grove and Twinbrook.
Rockville and Shady Grove are scheduled to reopen in early December.
It was not immediately known how many Montgomery County riders use each station daily.
Alternative transportation
Metrobus’s J2 route connects Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda and the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in downtown Silver Spring. It serves the Bethesda, Medical Center and Silver Spring Metro stations.
Metrobus’s Q6 route runs between the Shady Grove and Silver Spring stations, also stopping at Rockville, Wheaton and Forest Glen. The Q4 largely follows the same route, but only runs between Rockville and Silver Spring.
Metrobus’s C4 route runs from Twinbrook east to Wheaton, then along University Boulevard toward Takoma Park. The C2 route runs from Wheaton east along part of the same route as the C4, but continues on into Prince George’s County.
Metrobus’s F4 route originates at the Silver Spring station and runs through Takoma Park before continuing into Prince George’s County.
Montgomery County’s Ride On bus service also runs between several Metro stations. Route 46 runs between Montgomery College’s Rockville campus and the Medical Center station, stopping at the Rockville, Twinbrook, White Flint and Grosvenor stations.
Ride On route 55 runs from the Rockville Metro station north to the Germantown Transit Center. The route includes stops at the Shady Grove Metro station and both the Germantown and Rockville Montgomery College campuses.
Ride On route 48 connects the Rockville and Wheaton Metro stations.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@moco360.media
