Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the cable is a “communication cable” and he did not know “why it became dislodged.”
“The concern is that a passing train could have snagged it and pulled it down,” he said.
Just after 10 a.m., Stessel said crews had been working to fix the cable and he expected the situation to be resolved within the next 30 minutes.
Trains were unable to pass safely on part of Metro’s Red Line because of the cable hanging over the inbound track.
Throughout the morning, Metro’s information varied on how long the delays would last. The agency said at one point they would be 20 minutes, then later raised it to 30 minutes.
At 10:21 a.m., Metro sent an e-mail alert saying that trains were no longer sharing a track but that delays continued in both directions of the Red Line.
The problems on one of the system’s busiest commuter corridors, sparked an avalanche of frustrated posts on social media sites:
Red Line Metro Mayhem. Again. Is signage @ TOP of entrances too much to ask? Cross turnstiles, you’re stuck. #wmata pic.twitter.com/kPehdnVXAY
— Darren Shiroma (@DarrenShiroma) November 13, 2013
1 hr already since arriving to grossvenor and stuck at van ness, today ‘s commute terrbl #redline @wmata @drgridlock #Washington #epicfail
— Leopoldo Avellan (@lavellan74) November 13, 2013
At this point, probably little chance of RL mess being fixed before end of morning rush. #wmata
— Rob Kalb (@robertdkalb) November 13, 2013
Yikes. Metro commuters, we feel your pain. cc:@unsuckdcmetro @wmata RT @wowindc @popville fun times at gallery place pic.twitter.com/KaPIRjOFxM
— FamousDC (@FamousDC) November 13, 2013
I made it one whole stop on the red line in 40 minutes. @wmata needs to get it together pic.twitter.com/daxYsd7jXa
— Jessica Hood (@JessicaCaitlinH) November 13, 2013
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the track problem was outside Union Station.