Four Red Line stations to close this weekend due to construction for Maryland’s MTA Purple Line project
Metro is advising customers of weekend construction for Maryland’s MTA Purple Line project, which will require the closure of four Red Line stations between Takoma and Glenmont. On Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27-28, free shuttle buses will replace trains between Takoma and Glenmont. The Silver Spring, Forest Glen, Wheaton, and Glenmont stations will be closed.
The Purple Line is being constructed by the State of Maryland and is not part of the Metro system. However, due to the proximity of the future light rail line to Metro’s Red Line, trains are unable to operate during construction.
Outside of the construction area, Red Line trains will operate on a normal schedule, with frequent service every six minutes during the day, and 10 minutes in the evening. Metro’s Blue, Orange, Silver, Yellow, and Green lines will also operate normal service all weekend. At stations served by multiple lines through much of the downtown area, trains will arrive about every four minutes during the daytime and four to five minutes in the evening.
Metro will utilize the closure to perform maintenance and other critical work to support safe, reliable service for customers.
Over the weekend, crews will replace a switch which is part of the interlocking and signal system that allows the safe movement of trains from one track to another. The switch consists of multiple components and a moveable piece of rail that switches between two sets of tracks.
While teams work on the switch and interlocking, other track personnel will be performing routine maintenance to replace sections of rail, fasteners that attach the rail to cross ties or grout pads, and welding rail joints together for a smoother ride.
At the same time, communications teams will run new fiber optic cables necessary for more advanced signaling and rail technology, electrical work, and installation of emergency communication call boxes. In tunnel sections, workers will perform leak mitigation and above ground maintenance teams will remove nearby vegetation that may impede the tracks.
SERVICE INFORMATION
Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Jan. 28
Normal service
No rail service between Takoma and Glenmont
- Normal service between Shady Grove and Takoma with trains operating every six minutes during the day; 10 minutes in the evening.
- Silver Spring, Forest Glen, Wheaton, and Glenmont stations closed.
- Free shuttle buses replace trains as follows:
- Upper Red Line Limited Stop Shuttle – operates between Glenmont, Wheaton, and Fort Totten
- Lower Red Line Limited Stop Shuttle – operates between Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Fort Totten
- Local Shuttle – stops at all stations including Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma
- Customers traveling between Takoma and the closed stations should use the Local Shuttle only. Limited Stop Shuttles will not serve Takoma Station.
- Customers on the Red Line traveling to the closed stations (Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, and Silver Spring) should exit at Fort Totten Station and use the Limited Stop Shuttles. Only Red Line customers traveling to Takoma should remain on the train.
- Customers may also choose to use Metrobus as an alternative. Use Metro’s trip planning tool and select bus only for options.
Real-time Metrorail service information is available on MetroPulse. Service updates are also provided via X @wmata @metrorailinfo @metrobusinfo, on Metro’s Status and Alerts page, or through Metro Alerts text and email messages. Customers may sign up for MetroAlerts to receive notifications.
Over the weekend, Metro’s Customer Service team is available from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (weekdays 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.) to answer your questions via email, chat, social media or by phone at 202-637-7000 (automated information available 24/7).