Metro Board 'Outraged' That Track Went Unrepaired for Nearly a Month

When a vacant rail car derailed last week, train service was suspended on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines between Federal Center and McPherson Square while crews worked on the derailment.

It snarled Metro commuting across the region for area residents.

On Wednesday, interim Metro GM Jack Requa said the track problems that caused the derailment were detected around July 9, almost a month before the problem was addressed.

The Metro Board of Directors reacted late Thursday to that announcement regarding the derailment investigation.

The following statement was issued Thursday afternoon by Metro’s Board of Directors:

“The Board is outraged and dismayed that anyone working at Metro would have critical safety information and not act on it immediately,” said Metro Safety Committee Chair Michael Goldman, speaking on behalf of the Board. “It is totally unacceptable that the wide gauge track problem reported yesterday by the General Manager could go unaddressed and unrepaired for four weeks.”

“This is a breakdown of the organization’s chain of command and our safety culture,” he said. “We obviously have much work ahead of us to improve the organization’s safety culture, and we will do so.”

“However, Jack Requa’s transparent release of information, as well as his actions to order immediate track inspections and gather information to hold people accountable at every level, is what the Board expects and what the circumstances demand,” he said.

“The Board has directed the General Manager to complete his operational investigation within 10 days that will explain to the Board and our riders how this track deficiency went unrepaired for so long,” he said. “The Board looks forward to learning how the chain of command broke down and where the responsibility lies. This is an unforgivable breach of safety that needs to be dealt with firmly and swiftly.”

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