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Brutal Commute: DC Metro’s Repair Equipment Derails

(KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Steve Birr Vice Reporter
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A maitinence vehicle derailment and several malfunctions on the D.C. Metro caused widespread delays along three lines during the Tuesday morning rush-hour commute.

A high rail excavator used for system repairs derailed outside the Dunn Loring station Tuesday morning at roughly 5:35 a.m., crippling service for orange line riders coming from Virginia. Officials single-tracked trains while they worked to fix the problem. Maintenance personnel re-railed the construction vehicle at roughly 7 a.m., but delays persisted and normal service did not resume until 8:45 a.m, reports NBC Washington.

It is unclear what is responsible for the vehicle derailment. A Metro train derailed in Virginia July 29 due to deteriorating tracks and poor safety oversight.

Riders on the blue and red lines also suffered delays after several mechanical breakdowns. Service on the blue line crawled for much of the morning commute after an unspecified track problem outside the Van Dorn station forced officials to suspend all service between the Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn stations for over an hour. A train malfunction outside Union Station briefly delayed red line riders, reports The Washington Post.

Trains are running just once every 24 minutes at the Franconia-Springfield station and every 12 minutes at the Van Dorn Street station due to SafeTrack repairs. Metro officials are telling riders all along the blue line to expect overcrowded platforms and significant delays through September 9. Officials recommend seeking alternate travel options if possible.

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