Train Passengers Rescued From Silver Spring Tracks

SILVER SPRING, Md. - More than 40 passengers who were stuck for about three hours Thursday on a Metro train when a storm brought a power line down on the tracks northwest of Washington were rescued by another train, transportation officials said.

Commuter rail service in the area was halted about 3:50 p.m. after a storm moved through the region, bringing down power lines and trees along the tracks.

A six-car train with 41 passengers was stopped near the Silver Spring station waiting for Pepco utility workers to arrive and remove a live electric wire from the tracks. Pepco de-energized the wires.

Passengers arrived at the Forest Glen Metrorail station about 6:45 p.m. via the rescue train.

Bob Borchardt, a passenger on a train behind the stopped cars, said he was a survivor of the Metro collision last year that killed nine people. He said he was not hurt in that accident, and said Thursday's incident "was no big deal -- just another day on Metro."

Lauren-Michelle Smith, 28, of Forest Glen praised the way Metro handled the situation and said the passengers remained calm. She said the lack of bathrooms became an issue, and some passengers relieved themselves between the train's cars.

Montgomery County EMS officials said a passenger was injured getting off the rescue train after it arrived at Forest Glen. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital.

MARC said one of its commuter trains also was stopped west of the Silver Spring station, and service had been halted on the Brunswick Line.

Metro train service resumed on the Red Line between Silver Spring and Forest Glen Metrorail stations about 8:30 p.m. Shuttle buses had been brought in to transport passengers.