WASHINGTON - A nationals star is calling out metro just days before the playoffs begin!
The issue? Train service stops at midnight, Sunday trains stop at 10 because of the safe-track repair work.
That would cause problems for the tens of thousands of people planning to go to the night playoff games at National Park. It's not just fans city officials and even the Nationals own starting pitcher Max Scherzer agrees.
Imagine a playoff game at Nats Park - people watching across the country and in the 8th or 9th inning you see thousands of fans streaming out to catch the last metro train.
Scherzer spoke about it today on 106.7 the fan with Grant and Dan- there should be at least one playoff game in D.C. - and as many as 11 post season games if the Nats go to the World Series (we can only hope!)
It's just a handful of nights where later metro rail service would be necessary. So - why not make an exception?
But when Scherzer referenced a slippery slope he's talking about the fact that metro's GM Paul Weidefeld has said if they stay open late at night or open early in the morning for one event they may need to do it for others. How do you pick and choose? For example - metro will not open early for the Marine Corps marathon next month. We know all too well about the safety issues surrounding metro and Weidefeld says to get the much needed maintenance done - there can be no exceptions.
The metro board however, could order him to adjust the schedule for certain events. On Friday night dc Mayor Muriel Bowser told FOX 5 she's pushing for that to happen. The GM has said even after safe track it may have to be the new norm that metro closes at midnight every night to allow for regular maintenance work - so we don't end up with such dire conditions again.
On Friday night a group of Maryland lawmakers rode metro in protest - their message: We need late night service.