Falls Church

Bitter Cold Delays Commutes on Metro, VRE

Metro riders may experience significant delays on the Orange and Silver lines after two rails cracked outside the East Falls Church station Friday morning.

Train service was suspended for about 15 minutes between the stations surrounding East Falls Church, but service was quickly restored.

Trains ran on a single track through East Falls Church for nearly two hours before normal operations resumed.

Metro says riders can expect residual delays.

Steel rails expand in heat and contract in cold, and over time, that cycle can cause cracks, according to Metro. Metro’s signal system detects most cracks before a train passes over them.

Virginia Railway Express commuter trains also reported delays because of the bitter cold.

Multiple trains were delayed up to an hour Friday as maintenance crews tried to fix frozen switches and a gate issue.

The railway is allowing customers to use Metro rail at no additional charge if they present their validated Virginia rail tickets. Riders still have to pay Metro parking fees.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us