Normal MetroRail Service This Afternoon

Overnight, a freight train operating on Capital Metro's rail line derailed in East Austin near Seventh Street, causing MetroRail service to be canceled this morning. Capital Metro officials say that the tracks have now been cleared and afternoon service will run as normal. See press release below:

MetroRail Service Advisory

(Austin, Texas – July 7, 2010) – MetroRail service will operate as scheduled this afternoon. At approximately 2 a.m. today, a freight locomotive had a minor derailment (wheel walk-off) just south of the 7th Street crossing on the freight side of a switch. This is the location of the track where freight trains curve east toward Manor, and MetroRail trains stay on the main commuter line west toward Plaza Saltillo Station.

After crews re-railed the locomotive and began to pull the train, a freight car also had a wheel walk-off at the same location. Following the re-railing of the freight car, the train was moved around 7:30 a.m.

Even though the incident occurred on the freight side of a switch, MetroRail service did not operate this morning due to federal safety regulations that prohibit freight and passenger trains from being on the tracks at the same time. Capital Metro activated extra buses and staffed rail stations to assist passengers during MetroRail service hours this morning.

A freight locomotive wheel walk-off also occurred at this same location on Sunday, July 4. Capital Metro and its contractors are investigating the cause of these incidents.