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See updates below.
Metro has temporarily suspended service on the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines between the L’Enfant Plaza and Eastern Market stations due to what the agency describes as a “track problem” at Federal Center SW.
Report of track problem at Fed Center, platform limits. Personnel responding, expect OR/SV/BL delays to Largo/New Carrltn 4:39p #wmata
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) May 5, 2016
Some trains being reversed out of Federal Center as safety precaution, track problem. Expect delays & some offloads. 4:42p #wmata — Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) May 5, 2016
Crews on scene, still determining if track problem is insulator or debris in track lights. OR/SV/BL service delayed. 4:46p #wmata
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) May 5, 2016
OR/SV/BL line service being temporarily suspended btwn Eastern Market & L’Enfant Plaza due to track problem/FD activity. 4:52p #wmata — Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) May 5, 2016
There were reports of smoke in the tunnels on Twitter:
Conductor just offloaded my orange line train at L’Enfant Plaza, says there’s “heavy smoke” at Federal Center
— Daniel Nasaw (@danielnasaw) May 5, 2016
Federal Center SW metro evacuated, smoke reported in the tunnel #wmata #dc pic.twitter.com/4gTqvizQVP
— Niki Papadogiannakis (@nikipapadog) May 5, 2016
Update 5:10 p.m.: The Metro Transit Police Department reports that an “earlier smoke incident” has brought them and and the D.C. Fire Department to the Federal Center SW station.
Federal Center SW: MTPD and DCFD on scene. Earlier smoke incident. Expect station to remain closed until further notice. #wmata
— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) May 5, 2016
Update 5:40 p.m.: Metro says it’s closed the Federal Center SW station for the rest of Thursday, having consulted with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration:
In consultation w/USDOT/FTA, Metro GM has ordered Fed Ctr SW remain closed for rest of today for full 3rd rail insulator replacement. #wmata
— Metro (@wmata) May 5, 2016
Update 5:55 p.m.: Service between Eastern Market and L’Enfant Plaza will remain suspended for the rest of the day.
Rail service will remain suspended btwn Eastern Market and L'Enfant Plaza through the end of the day. #WMATA ^MH https://t.co/6gCKbzPD9p
— Rail Transit OPS Group (@RailTransitOPS) May 5, 2016
To recap:
Photo by Darrow Montgomery