Sunday morning Metro riders got an abrupt reality check when smoke near the Foggy Bottom station forced trains on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines onto a single track through the tunnel. The bottleneck stretched commutes along the corridor and left riders facing longer waits heading both into and out of the District while officials and fire crews responded and Metro crews checked the tracks and equipment.
What Metro reported
Metro advised riders that trains were single-tracking between Foggy Bottom and Clarendon/Arlington Cemetery, which meant delays in both directions on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. The agency’s live status page showed active train alerts for all three lines on Sunday morning. Metro had not released additional details about the cause of the smoke or how long the disruption might last at the time of reporting, according to WUSA9.
A recurring choke point
Foggy Bottom and the tunnel toward Rosslyn have a track record of smoke and arcing incidents that trigger single-tracking or temporary shutdowns, turning one weak link into a system-wide migraine. An electrical-cable fire at Foggy Bottom on July 31, 2025 shut the station for hours and required repairs, WTOP reported. Historic coverage in The Washington Post documents similar problems in past years that have repeatedly slowed service on the Orange, Blue and Silver corridor.
Rider options and what to watch
Riders are advised to build in extra travel time, keep an eye on MetroAlerts and check WMATA for real-time status updates, and consider alternate routes such as transferring to the Yellow Line at Rosslyn or using surface buses while single-tracking continues. Metro plans to post repair and service updates on its alert feed as crews work; riders should expect some lingering crowding and slower trips until full two-track service is restored. For the latest word on when things ease up, keep checking WMATA.
