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If you feel your Orange, Blue, or Silver line train moving less quickly than usual this week, you’re not imagining it.
Metro says it has reduced east-bound train speeds on the lines near the McPherson Square station in order not to draw too much power from the third rail while a maintenance project is underway. “This slow speed restriction may cause congestion during rush hour for all trains on these lines and could result in delays of 15 to 20 minutes this week,” the transit agency notes in an advisory.
Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld ordered the decelerations to comply with a directive from the Federal Transit Administration that urged Metro to reduce power drawn on rails. The slowing will minimize the risk of fire and smoke incidents, affecting the following track areas, according to the advisory:
- “Red Line between Grosvenor and Dupont Circle
- Orange Line between Rosslyn and Minnesota Ave
- Silver/Blue Line between Rosslyn and Benning Road”
Metro says it hasn’t issued a speed restriction on westbound Orange, Blue, and Silver line trains.