Unsuck DC Metro: Anyone Else Experience This?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Anyone Else Experience This?

From an anonymous reader:

I want to report what I suspect was a small explosion on an Orange Line Metro train this afternoon. About an hour ago (4:30 p.m.), I was riding on a Vienna-bound Orange Line train that was stopped at the Ballston station.

The doors closed, and the train had barely begun to move when a very loud bang was heard that shook the train.

I didn't see anything, but other passengers in my car mentioned seeing a flash of light.

The train operator could be heard over the call box asking if anyone was injured.

I suppose the answer was no, because we proceeded to East Falls Church, and eventually to Vienna, where the train was taken out of service.

The operator did not make any announcements, but was heard at East Falls Church asking for passengers in car 1202 (I was in 1208) to page him on the emergency call box.

Comments (12)

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+2 Vote up Vote down

B.O. · 748 weeks ago

A contact rail shoe fell off.

Big whoop.

+6 Vote up Vote down

help2 · 748 weeks ago

The train probably blew a "shoe fuse" they blow and there is a loud bang!

Sorry the Train Operator was not notified by someone using the emergency intercom so car equipment could board.

Always report to the operator using the emergency intercom giving him/her the car number. Get the operator's name if they ignore you.

If they continue to ignore go to the lead car and get a description of the operator and go to the kiose Station Manager and have the Station Manager call OCC.

Give OCC the train operator/s lead car number, name and time and what direction you were going and the line.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 748 weeks ago

the call boxes- good luck with them [btw, how do you get their name if they are ignoring you? it is not written on the intercom]

As to running to them .... that only works if you are in the front car or so. Otherwise they will have pulled away from the platform.

I have contacted metro with a problem. Time, which train it was (late in the evening so easy to match to a train #), and so on. Result? They were unable to determine who was driving the train.

-2 Vote up Vote down

anon · 748 weeks ago

"The Loud Explosion Sound"
Get the lead car # and then report to the Station attendant.
There is also a comment card at the kiosk.
Other than that man, drive.

0 Vote up Vote down

anon · 748 weeks ago

If you get the time and lead car # these are recorded. Also make note what direction you are traveling. Ask for a follow up call or in writing.
(Not trivial issues)

+4 Vote up Vote down

no one · 748 weeks ago

two escalators are out, to boot

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

betty · 748 weeks ago

Maybe metro can install slides, ha!

+4 Vote up Vote down

guest · 748 weeks ago

Glad to know it was something routine. Have never heard of this happening before so was surprised.

+3 Vote up Vote down

SH in Vienna · 747 weeks ago

reminenscent of an incident this summer when I witnessed a flash of light, smoke and then deboarding only to see something still burning on the rails once the train left the station. no metro employees emerged to examine the smoking equipment.

I still do not know what the smoking device was that was struck by the train or fell off the train, but metro seemed to not be overly concerned except to take the train out of service. another train followed mine despite the smoking debris along the rails and continued on to Vienna

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 747 weeks ago

Was this at Dunn Loring? If so, was it related to the footage of the operator putting out the fire on the rails that was posted a few months ago?

0 Vote up Vote down

SH in Vienna · 747 weeks ago

No it was at EFC. No employees came to inspect the debris in the time I was there to capture the image on my phone. After deboarding, I waited for two trains to pass through EFC before reboarding to ensure that it was safe to do so. I shared the pic with Mr. Unsuck who forwarded it to a Metro safety board. Doubt he ever got an explanation of the incident.

0 Vote up Vote down

lioki · 747 weeks ago

this happened to me at Tenleytown some few years ago. In my case, the lights in the train were still on and no one panicked. The train them pulled off normally. I remember a WMATA mechanic says someting a "contact shoe."