Aerial view of the Shady Grove rail yard in Derwood, Maryland, which serves the Red Line of the Washington Metro system.
At the time that this photo was taken, the facility was temporarily closed due to a construction project at Rockville station, which required suspending train service between Twinbrook and Shady Grove stations, and cut this yard off from the rest of the system. The 64 cars stored in the yard were expected to remain in a mothball status for the duration of the project, as reduced service levels due to a pandemic-induced drop in ridership meant that these older railcars would not be needed for service for some time. However, following a derailment on the Blue Line on October 12, 2021 and the subsequent temporary withdrawal of all of the 7000-Series railcars, these railcars were again needed for service.
Measures were soon taken to clear the way in order for these railcars to be removed from the Shady Grove facility in order to enter service.
Ben Schumin is a professional photographer who captures the intricacies of daily life. This image is all rights reserved. Contact me directly for licensing information.