On Thursday, September 6, 2018 at about 11:02 AM EDT, Shady Grove-bound Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Train 102 reported to the Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC) the presence of personnel on the tracks between the Grosvenor and White Flint stations on the outbound track (Track A2) without the required presence of an Advanced Mobile Flagger (AMF) at the departure end of Grosvenor. The track inspection was suspended by the ROCC and the personnel were picked up and transported back to the White Flint platform by Train 102.
At 10:46 AM, a track inspection team of two including one contractor requested permission to walk the tracks from White Flint to Grosvenor via the outbound track known as Track 2. During the request, the Roadway Worker In Charge (RWIC) said that the AMF was in place at Grosvenor. (AMF duties include notifying train operators that personnel are on the tracks ahead and to instruct them to sound their horn and reduce their train’s speed until visually acquiring the personnel, at which time they are to be governed by the Roadway Worker In Charge, or RWIC.) Following the confirmation between the RWIC and the ROCC, permission was granted for the track walk to commence at 10:47 AM.
At 11:01 AM, Train 102 departed Grosvenor en route to White Flint, at which time the operator of Train 102 reported that there were track personnel on the tracks ahead, and that there was no AMF in place at Grosvenor to provide a warning. Train 102 was instructed to pick up the track crew and transport them back to White Flint where the RWIC was instructed to contact the ROCC. The track inspection was then cancelled as of 11:10 AM.
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