Politics & Government
Metro Finishes Systemwide Track Upgrades
The last of 178 safer rail switches was laid in Hyattsville late Monday night.
, Metro workers were busy laying the final pieces of new equipment called for in National Transportation Safety Board recommendations.
According to Metro officials, late Monday night Metro workers completed the installation of the final "guarded eight" rail switch just outside of Prince George's Plaza Metro Station on the Green Line in Hyattsville.
And while it's not quite the golden spike of rail lore, the new rail switches make it harder for trains to derail when moving from one track to the other.
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In 2007, following a series of derailments at switches, The NTSB recommended that Metro upgrade all 178 of its switches to guarded eights. The fix was not cheap, coming in with a $57 million price tag funded by Metro localities and federal government money.
“The aggressive program to complete the installation of the Guarded 8 switches throughout the rail system demonstrates Metro’s goal of making safety a top priority while moving Metro Forward through our rebuilding efforts,” said Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles in a press release.
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