WMATA details work completed during second SafeTrack Surge

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released the final production report for the second SafeTrack "surge," saying that all planned work was completed during the 16-day project and the critical junction where the Orange and Blue/Silver lines diverge is now in a state of good repair.

“I am satisfied that we are accomplishing our objectives with respect to the pace of track work progress in Surge #2,” said General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul Wiedefeld. “Our continued success depends upon WMATA customers heeding the warnings about reduced service during SafeTrack surges and finding alternate ways to commute. I am optimistic as we get underway now with Surge #3.”

During Surge #2, crews repaired and/or replaced critical rail infrastructure affecting train speeds and ride quality. Critical tasks accomplished during the surge included replacement of four major switches at D&G junction, one of a handful of key locations where trains are routed to different lines; replacement of more than 500 wooden crossties; renewal of more than 230 third-rail insulators; elimination of more than 20 rail joints; renewal of more than 2,000 linear feet of grout pads; renewal of 12 signals and inspection and repair of more than 180 power cables.

SafeTrack is an accelerated trackwork plan to address safety recommendations and rehabilitate the WAMTA light rail system to improve safety and reliability by significantly expanding maintenance time on weeknights, weekends and midday hours and includes 15 “Safety Surges” – long duration track outages for major projects in key parts of the system. The overall objective of SafeTrack is to bring tracks and structures into a state of good repair by eliminating safety hazards, increasing service reliability and improving the ride quality of the system.

Surge #3 began on July 5 and includes a complete rail shutdown between National Airport and Braddock Road, impacting Yellow and Blue Line riders.