WASHINGTON — Virginia Railway Express early Monday advised riders on the Fredericksburg Line to choose another way to get to work after the first train of the morning struck a person on the tracks just north of Dahlgren Junction.
Bryan Jungwirth, spokesman for Virginia Railway Express, tells WTOP that around 5:10 a.m. Train 300 struck a person on the tracks shortly before the train was set to arrive at the Leeland Road Station in Falmouth.
The Virginia State Police investigation blocked the tracks entirely for nearly three hours, delaying some Amtrak tracks as well. A single track reopened just before 8 a.m.
On a typical day, nearly 5,000 people ride the Fredericksburg Line in the morning.
VRE also says that Manassas Line trains also experienced delays after Train 324 experienced engine problems. Train 326 had to couple with it to get both trains to D.C.
Due to the fatal crash, VRE says the Fredericksburg Line will run an “S” schedule Monday afternoon. That means the following trains will not run Monday:
- Train 305, which typically departs Union Station at 4:10 p.m.;
- Train 309, which typically departs Union Station at 5:15 p.m.;
- Train 313, which typically department Union Station at 6:40 p.m.
The only trains that will run Monday afternoon depart Union Station at 12:55 p.m. (301), 3:35 p.m. (303), 4:40 p.m. (307) and 6 p.m. (311).
VRE riders will be able to use their train pass to ride Metro home Monday afternoon.