High tension wires fell across train tracks just northwest of the Silver Spring Metro Station at about 3:50 p.m.Thursday.
A Metro train, at least one MARC train and a CSX train were stopped by the incident, which one witness told News4 took place about 20 minutes after a severe storm blew through the area.
After Pepco de-energized the wires, a rescue train was sent to the scene and removed 41 Metro passengers and the operator from a train stopped on the tracks northwest of the Silver Spring station and returned them to the Forest Glen station at about 6:45 p.m. The lights and air conditioning on the stopped train were working, according to a spokeswoman from the transit agency.
A tree apparently knocked down one line, which apparently became caught under a train, which resulted in another line being pulled down and knocking out power to customers in the area, Pepco told News4's John Schriffen.
Metro trains resumed normal service at about 8:30 p.m. after Pepco removed the lines from the track. For several hours, trains were turned back at the Forest Glen and Silver Spring stations and shuttle bus service was established between those stations, but there were long waits for buses as they only carry about 50 people as opposed to a train, which can carry 800-1,000 people. Metro also recommended riders use the Q2 and Y8 Metrobus routes.
MARC service on the Brunswick Line was canceled, but Metro will honor all Brunswick Line tickets. Several hundred passengers were stuck on MARC, which also had working air conditioning.
The following Brunswick Line trains have been canceled for Friday morning: Train 890 (5:12 a.m. departure from Frederick), Train 872 (5:38 a.m. departure from Brunswick), Train 874 (5:25 a.m. departure from Martinsburg), and Train 892 (6:05 a.m. departure from Frederick).
The reason: Due to Federal Railroad Administration regulations, train crews must have a certain amount of rest prior to working the next day. The extreme lateness of trains Thursday night will not permit all but one of the Brunswick Line crews to work as scheduled Friday morning. CSX maintains an "extra list" of stand-by employees, but it cannot staff the number of trains that were affected by Thursday night's disruption.
Metro will honor MARC tickets. Full service is expected for Friday afternoon.
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