Light rail service will be delayed this weekend as maintenance crews repair the tracks between the Rainier Beach and Tukwila International Boulevard stations.
Crews found cracks in the rails south of Rainier Beach where the tracks cross Interstate 5, according to Sound Transit spokesperson Kimberly Reason. The cracks were found during a routine maintenance inspection.
The agency is investigating what caused the cracks on the nine-year-old tracks, but Reason said it was too early to make a conclusion.
Northbound trains have already been slowing down near the area since a slow order for 10 mph was issued Sept. 20. Southbound trains have been traveling at 40 mph, which is normal speed in the work zone area, according to Reason - southbound trains will slow down to 10 mph in the work zone during repairs.
It takes approximately nine minutes for northbound trains to travel from the Tukwila stations to Rainier Beach, according to Sound Transit's schedule. The slowdown before Rainier Beach is causing an approximate one-minute delay, according to Reason.
Reason says the agency has not seen irregularities in the tracks like this before.
"We’ll be closely investigating the root-cause of this incident and use the information to inform future inspections, rail maintenance and any other actions that might derive from the investigation," Reason said in an email.
Between Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 5 a.m. trains will operate on a single track between the Rainier Beach and Tukwila International Boulevard stations.
The tracks will be closed completely between Saturday at 5 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. while crews make repairs. During the closure King County Metro Route 97 will run between the two stations.
Trains will operate on a single track again Sunday, and full service will resume Monday at 5 a.m.
