BUS BAY ESCALATOR UNDER " MAJOR REPAIR " AT BETHESDA METRO STATION (PHOTOS) #WMATA

That problematic escalator between the street level and bus bays at the Bethesda Metro station is acting up again, earning itself a "major repair" from Metro. Currently shut down as of this writing, the escalator is forecast to reopen tomorrow, in time for Election Day. Stay tuned!

FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS METRO ESCALATOR RENOVATION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The escalator between the bus bays and mezzanine at the Friendship Heights Metro station is currently scheduled to reopen on October 31. Will there be a trick or a treat come that day? Stay tuned. Here are some photos of the project.

MASSIVE BETHESDA METRO ESCALATOR PROJECT UNDERWAY (PHOTOS) #WMATA

The replacement of the first of 3 106' entrance escalators at the Bethesda Metro station is underway, and will take approximately 42 weeks to complete. Here is a look at the state of things now, as well as the newly-added, temporary Transit Police box. What's the box for? A transit officer must be on-site at all times in the event of an emergency during the 2-1/2-year escalator replacement project. Part of that is to ensure the station does not become overcrowded, should any failures occur with the still-operating escalators.

METRO TESTING 7000-SERIES RAILCARS ON RED LINE (PHOTOS)

WMATA is finally on something of a timetable to restore automatic train control to its subway system, and the Red Line will be the first route to have it, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. In October, some Red Line trains will begin operating automatically, and all trains will do so by next March, according to the Post report. That long-overdue positive sign wasn't the only big Red Line news this past weekend. Metro tested new 7000-series railcars on the Red Line Saturday and Sunday, between the Twinbrook and Shady Grove Metro stations.

I caught one in action at the Rockville station on Sunday. The train was not accepting passengers during the test run. The 7000-series are manufactured by Kawasaki.

We simply must improve the service and reliability of Metro, if we are to even begin to manage future growth in places like downtown Bethesda, White Flint, Silver Spring and Rockville. Scarce transportation dollars need to go to the projects where they impact the most people, such as 8-car trains for Metro, more capacity on the Red Line (especially north of Grosvenor), and a new Potomac River crossing to relieve congestion on the Beltway and I-270.

FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO SMOKE AT BETHESDA METRO STATION (PHOTOS)

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue services responded to a report of smoke at the Bethesda Metro station around 9:00 PM tonight. No fire was found. Trains were briefly slowed along the Red Line. According to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer, the smoke was coming from an arcing insulator in the tunnel just outside the station.

By 9:30, a station announcement by Metro indicated trains were back on their normal weekend schedule. Firefighters and investigators handed over the issue moments later to Metro maintenance crews.

Battalion Chief on scene at
Bethesda Metro station tonight

Firefighters in Bethesda Metro station

There was minimal
disruption of train service

A few tense moments,
but all smoke and no fire