Metro -riders self-evacuate Red line train on 9/13/16

Metro is sweeping the system for areas with radio problems, focusing on pocket tracks or I guess other non-regularly used tracks. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html

Was the operator not making announcements on the train's PA system?

The Post's article (I believe) mentioned the 7K's automated "we will be moving momentarily" announcements were going every few minutes, but the operator didn't make any manual announcements. The first/only actual announcement was when the rail supervisor boarded the train on the reverse end to pull it back to Farragut North.

The hearing, which I listened to, made clear he announced that the train would be holding AND that he had to change ends. But, there were then no further announcements from the operator as he traveled from one end to another. Because of how crowded the train was (two sporting events had recently ended), and the length of the train, it took him 11 minutes to get from one end to another. So people were calling on the emergency intercom and getting no response, but that was because the operator was en route from one end to another.

NBCWash has a more indepth report discussing the common knowledge within Metro that there are numerous dead zones where there is little to no communication because of the deteriorated cables, especially on the Red line. The article includes photos. http://www.nbcwashington.com/traffic/tr ... 66911.html

Wouldn't it have been faster by about 10 minutes and 30 seconds for the operator to walk to the other end of the train from outside on the catwalk?? Why would he fight through the inside of the train for so long?

I believe there was no catwalk there because it was a crossover. That's the problem with the self-evacuating passengers, who tried one side but found no catwalk and just the wall and then used the other side and were walking directly on the track bed.

"JDC"
I believe there was no catwalk there because it was a crossover. That's the problem with the self-evacuating passengers, who tried one side but found no catwalk and just the wall and then used the other side and were walking directly on the track bed.

All tunnels have walkways, and as the evacuation instructions says 'walkway is on the side of the train where the tunnel lights are'.

There is very little room on the side of the train that has no walkway, just under a foot between back side of the third rail cover and the base of wall.