The way Metro maintains its tracks and operates its trains could be contributing to an increase in cracked rails in recent years, according to transit experts.
The regional transit authority is trying to determine why it’s seeing an uptick in reports of cracked rails. There were 49 reports last year, up from 33 in 2010 and 19 in 2009.
Why Metro tracks may crack
(Courtesy of WMATA) - A cracked rail found along Metro rail at the Rosslyn station, on Jan. 30.
Experts say that the causes include Metro’s practice of running more trains with more cars than it did in its early days. The additional weight puts more strain on the rails. The age of the system, parts of which began operation in the late 1970s, water leaks and poor maintenance could also be contributing to the problem.
The fact that workers operate trains manually, a practice begun for safety reasons following the 2009 Red Line crash, might also be a contributing factor.
Another possible reason for the cracking is “the stress put on the rail from the braking action of the trains — that wears at the rail,” said Matt Bassett, chairman of the Tri-State Oversight Committee, which monitors safety at Metro.
The transit authority has said it could be years before trains return to automatic control.
Metro chief spokesman Dan Stessel said it is unlikely that there is one conclusive cause.
“You can never say, ‘Aha. That’s it,’ ” he said. “It is probably a combo of things.” Metro is conducting metallurgical tests to “get better insight,” Stessel said.
In January, Metro had six cracked rails — the same number it had in January 2010. Passengers felt the pain of extensive delays when four of the incidents occurred during rush hour. Three of the incidents occurred on days when temperatures dipped from warm to very cold, causing rails to contract and pulling pieces apart, a problem common to rail systems, transit experts said.
What’s unique about the recent cracks, they said, is that four of the incidents occurred in tunnels — areas where rails don’t crack as often because they are protected from the elements.
Bassett said “there are more questions we need to ask,” given that some of the cracks occurred when temperatures were steady.
Most cracks have been discovered during routine checks by “track walkers” who visually walk and inspect tracks at least twice a week or a specialized machine that runs once every three months.
One crack was discovered by a train operator. Passengers aboard a train near Tenleytown station reported feeling a bump. Crews later confirmed a crack. Experts said the fact that a train operator found the crack is worrisome because it can mean that maintenance procedures have become lax.
“Ideally, their inspections should identify the problem areas,” Bassett said. But “depending on the cause of the underlying problem, they might not get any warning before the failure occurred.”
NTSB wants answers
The recent rail cracks have led the National Transportation Safety Board to ask for “additional information” on Metro’s findings to “determine if further action is required,” according to Keith Holloway, a spokesman for the NTSB.
Metro officials said they are taking effective measures to detect cracks. Of the 49 cracked rails found last year, 71 percent were identified in the inspection process — either by track walkers or specialized equipment, Stessel said. Thirteen were detected by signals that trigger when there is a disruption in the electrical current going through the rails. He was unsure how the remaining one was detected.
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