One thing is clear: Metro’s track inspection program has some huge problems.
Even so, the track maintenance problem is enormous — both because of Metro’s failure to properly train inspectors, but also because of the sheer size of the system and the relatively small number of inspectors on staff.
Here are four charts that offer some perspective on the scale of Metro’s track inspection challenges, straight from the recent report by the Federal Transit Administration.
1. Track inspection territories are really big.
In order to account for every one of the 117 miles that constitute Metro’s rail system, officials have divided the tracks into 25 track inspection “territories.”
A two-person team of inspectors is responsible for inspecting each stretch of the tracks on a regular basis. The territories differ in size — above-ground inspection territories are usually a little longer, since it’s easier to see problems in the sunlight — but, on average, each territory is about 4.3 miles long.
And, in actuality, it’s double that length, because track workers are usually only able to inspect one side of the tracks at a time.
Under Metro’s current regulations, each one of these territories is supposed to be inspected twice per week; according to the FTA’s report, those inspections have only been happening once per month.
And right now, those inspections must take place during a four-hour stretch between morning and evening peak service, as trains continue to run on the tracks. Those aren’t great conditions for inspecting if you’re trying to cover 4.3 miles in four hours, according to the FTA.
From their report:
“Track inspectors must clear for passing trains every 6 to 12 minutes, and typically spend between 20 and 40 minutes of their 4 hours of inspection time clearing for trains and waiting for trains to pass. In essence this means that one inspector spends 3½ hours inspecting 4 to 5 miles of track each day while under the constant distraction of passing trains and the need to clear. … The constraints placed on this inspection activity clearly limit its effectiveness.”
2. There aren’t enough inspectors to get the job done.
According to the Federal Transit Administration, there are currently 59 inspectors on staff; 21 of them are in the most advanced class, while 29 have two years of experience or less. The FTA says that’s simply not enough.
From their report:
“A consistent finding through the FWSO’s investigation is that, given the size of the WMATA system and challenges of accessing the right-of-way, WMATA’s [track inspection and maintenance] management and supervision teams are significantly understaffed.”
Hiring more inspectors costs money — money that Metro might argue it doesn’t have. And the problem is expected to get worse: According to the FTA, if the phase II of the Silver Line opens as projected in 2019, that will add 12 miles of track, which will require at least four more inspectors.
3. There are so many documented defects, Metro officials don’t know where to start.
Many of the track maintenance challenges come down to this: Metro has a big data problem.
According to Metro’s inspection data management system, there are currently almost 14,000 track defects logged into the agency’s software system.
That’s an astonishing and scary number, but it’s two-pronged: Yes, there are a significant numbers of problems on the tracks that could potentially pose a danger to passengers.
But what’s more, there are too many reports of defects for Metro to keep up with, and supervisors are struggling to keep abreast of which problems have been fixed, which remain outstanding, and what needs to be prioritized.
This is something that Wiedefeld is working to fix; he’s hired an outside contractor to independently conduct an inspection of the tracks at the end of the SafeTrack program and re-populate the software system with new data that’s more accurate and more consistent.
4. The challenge of conducting regular, frequent inspections is about to get even more difficult.
This map shows the volume of train traffic along all of Metro’s tracks: The redder, thicker lines are the ones that experience the heaviest traffic, while thin green lines are used less intensely.
Unsurprisingly, the stretch of tracks between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory stations undergo the most wear-and-tear. All told, the train traffic along this stretch amounts to about 37 million gross tons of trains and passenger weight annually.
But that’s about to change. As Metro introduces more of their new 7000-series railcars, they’ll be running more eight-car trains and fewer six-car train. That means more weight taxing an already-overtaxed track system.
How much more? The weight carried on the tracks between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory will eventually jump from 37 million gross tons to 55 million gross tons per year.
That’s not going to make Metro’s job any easier.
