I told you that our infrastructure would do us in, and I was right…
August 29, 2007, 2:46 PM
Remember how I said in the previous entry that our own aging infrastructure would kill us before any wannabe terrorist would? Well, I told you so. According to Metro, the problems on Sunday and Monday were caused by a lightning-induced power surge that knocked out the Potomac Yard power substation (that small brick building next to the tracks between Braddock Road and National Airport stations), causing other substations that were already at reduced capacity due to maintenance work in progress to work over to take up the slack. Thus the fires across the system.
And to fix the problem, Metro is replacing the Potomac Yard transformer, reconfiguring one at National Airport, and will be running trains at reduced speed between Pentagon City and Braddock Road. On that last one, here’s what you need to take out of it: “minor” delay.
Meanwhile, the fire at U Street-Cardozo was unrelated, having been caused by a problem with a “stud bolt”. I believe it relates to grounding the third rail, but don’t hold me to that.
So it’s not foul play. No surprises there.
And I still don’t know the number of the car with the brake problem. I want to know if it’s an older car like a Rohr or a Breda, or a newer car like a CAF, a Breda rehab, or an Alstom.
Web site: WMATA press release regarding the identification of the source of all the fires...
Song: "What is love/Baby don't hurt me/Don't hurt me no more"
Quote: By the way, download today's Express and look at the picture of John Catoe on the cover. Doesn't that expression remind you of the kind of look Bill Clinton was constantly photographed making during his impeachment ordeal?
Categories: WMATA