WASHINGTON – Metro crews worked through the night to make needed repairs and restore normal Blue and Orange line service for Wednesday’s commute after a derailment Tuesday evening.
The transit agency says it re-railed the wheels of the first car of a Franconia-Springfield-bound train, which came off the tracks as the train was leaving Rosslyn. Metro says the approximately 1,000 passengers on board safely got off the trains, and no injuries were reported.
Metro says crews made repairs and tested track and switch equipment near the derailment site. The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
The derailment occurred just after 7 p.m. and disrupted service Tuesday evening.
Metro said the car was back on the tracks at 11:40 p.m. and its damage assessment inspection had started.
The derailment forced Metro to temporarily suspend Orange Line service between Foggy Bottom and Clarendon. Blue Line service was temporarily suspended between Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom. Metro shuttles then were used.
The train involved consisted of six cars, four of which were on the platform at the time of the incident, according to Metro.
WTOP’s Heather Brady was on a Metro train when the passengers were instructed to get off at the Clarendon Station.
“The driver of the train came on the loud speaker and said a train had derailed at Rosslyn and we were going to need to go in the other direction toward Vienna,” Brady said.
Derailed Orange line train on the westbound lower level in the Rosslyn Metro station. twitter.com/NYinDC/status/
