WASHINGTON – A track problem caused delays on Metro’s Red Line Thursday morning.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel says crews were moving equipment off the tracks early Thursday morning when some hydraulic fluid made its way onto the track, causing a slippery mess.
“As one piece of equipment was moving back to its yard this morning, it had a leak and that leak resulted in slippery rail conditions that needed to be cleaned up before we could operate trains through that area,” he says.
Trains were single-tracking between Rhode Island Avenue and Judiciary Square near Union Station for about two hours. By about 9 a.m., the trains were no longer single-tracking between the NoMa-Gallaudet and Judiciary Square stations, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Riders were encouraged to use the Green and Yellow lines as an alternate between Fort Totten and Gallery Place, which Stessel says helped reduce delays.
Some Red Line trains from Shady Grove were to offload at Farragut North, where riders could get a free transfer to the Blue and Orange lines by walking to the Farragut West station.
For additional help planning your trip, visit the WMATA website.
Red Line delays if 20/40 min reported by riders departing at Judiciary Square. #WTOP pic.twitter.com/0Sjv5xpEXo
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) November 7, 2013
Red Line single tracking bc of oil spill. Riders also reporting broken dwn trains#WTOP pic.twitter.com/aCKPWGfqTo
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) November 7, 2013
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