‘Unexpected wear’ on tracks led to Baltimore metro shutdown

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland transit officials say the closure of the Baltimore metro system that began last week is necessary because of “unexpected wear” discovered on 11 sections of elevated track.

The Maryland Transit Administration said in a news release Thursday that one of the factors used in calculating rail wear exceeded internal standards. The agency says that’s something that can lead to a train derailment.

The MTA initially announced Sunday that the Metro SubwayLink would remain closed following a weekend inspection of the entire 15.5-mile (25-kilometer) route. The agency on Thursday posted the inspection report that led to the closure online.

Emergency funding is paying for shuttle bus bridges along the route while track repairs are conducted.

The news release says repairs will continue through March 11.

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