Uh Oh -- Another Smoke Problem at a Metro Station Causes Single-Tracking: Report

Orange and Blue Line trains are single-tracking in the District and the Silver Line is only operating up to Ballston after yet another smoke problem was reported near the Stadium-Armory stations, the Washington Post is reporting.

Metro tweeted that Silver Line trains were operating between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston due to a "power problem" outside Stadium-Armory, and the the Orange and Blue lines were single-tracking between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly. Metro warned of delays of up to 20 minutes in both directions, and "some crowding" as of 3:46 p.m.

The problem was initially reported as an arcing insulator, but authorities later identified it as a "smoking boot," according to the Post report. Fire officials cleared the scene by 3:45 p.m.

It's the same stretch of track where two fires occurred in the same area on the same day earlier this week.

Smoke and fire problems have become an epidemic in the Metro rail system. It led to the death of a woman last year at L'Enfant Plaza, and resulted in a 24-hour system-wide shutdown earlier this year to fix problems. However, problems have continued and Metro now believes it will need to take a year to make extensive track improvements.