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Here's the bleak outlook for transit services on Wednesday.

• Metrorail will operate underground only. The Red Line, split in two segments, will operate between Union Station and Medical Center and between Glenmont and Forest Glen. The Blue and Orange lines will both operate between Ballston and Stadium-Armory. The Green Line will operate between Fort Totten and Congress Heights. The Yellow Line will run between the Pentagon and Crystal City.
• Metrobus will not operate.
• MetroAccess will not operate.
• Alexandria's DASH buses will not operate. DASH will make an announcement on Wednesday after 7 p.m. on plans for Thursday.
• Arlington's ART buses will not operate.
• Fairfax County's Fairfax Connector bus will not operate.
• Falls Church's GEORGE bus will not operate.
• Loudoun County's commuter bus will not operate.
• PRTC's OmniRide bus will not operate.
• The District's Circulator bus will not operate.
• Montgomery County's Ride On bus will not operate.
• Maryland's commuter buses will not operate.
• Maryland's MARC trains will not operate on any line.
• Virginia's VRE trains will not operate on any line.

Airports | Amtrak | Buses | Capital Weather Gang | D.C. snow emergency | Plowing plans | Rails | Snow removal | Live traffic

Stay home this evening. Snow and ice have made it hazardous to drive on local streets and on highways. The snowfall is obscuring some of the icy patches and snow packs that lurk beneath. The snow bergs that obscure views at intersections are only getting bigger.

Road crews will work through the night. If you are out, give that equipment plenty of room to plow and treat the roadways. There's not much room left for the plows to push snow, so drivers may find lanes have narrowed. It doesn't make sense to get ahead of the plows. They're preparing a path for you.

Virginia
The Virginia Department of Transportation reported icy conditions emerging on roads throughout Northern Virginia. Snow is sticking on roads with lower traffic volumes, and Interstates and primary roads are becoming deceptively slick, VDOT said.

More than 2,000 trucks will continue to plow and treat Northern Virginia's Interstates and other major routes through the night, as well as the neighborhood streets that remain impassable from the weekend storm. VDOT crews and trucks from Hampton Roads, Richmond, Salem, Lynchburg and Culpeper have arrived in Northern Virginia to help attack this new storm.

The District
A snow emergency went into effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday. That means all vehicles must be moved immediately from snow emergency routes so they can be salted and plowed. The routes are posted with red and white snow emergency route signs.

Owners of cars parked illegally on those routes are subject to a $250 fine and additional fees for towing and storage at an impoundment lot. To locate a towed vehicle, call 202-727-5000.

The District has identified parking spaces at the DC USA rental center at 14th Street and Park Road NW for people who can't find parking on the streets. The entrance to the garage is on Park Road.

The Circulator bus has shut down for the night and will not operate on Wednesday. Metrobus will not operate. Metrorail will serve only the underground stations.

Maryland
The State Highway Administration, like the region's other transportation departments, urges people to stay off the roads.

The Maryland highway crews are focused on moving snow with front end loaders, replenishing supplies and fueling up trucks, the SHA said. They already have treated bridges, ramps, curves and hills with salt brine to prevent ice from bonding to the surface.

"SHA will do everything we can to keep one lane passable during the upcoming blizzard," SHA Administrator Neil J. Pedersen said in a statement. "With 50 mile per hour winds forecast, driving will be extremely dangerous. We need people to heed the warnings and stay home."

SHA maintains the numbered, non-toll routes in Maryland, the ones labeled as interstates, U.S. or MD highways. Counties and cities maintain other roads, including neighborhood streets.

Because the weekend storm sapped so much materiel, SHA is redistributing salt supplies among nearly 30 maintenance shops from terminals at the Port of Baltimore. On Tuesday, crews used front end loaders to make room for additional accumulation.

Snow is coming down so quickly Tuesday night that if you're out on the highways, you may wonder where the plow is. They're working. Each SHA team is assigned to plow and salt routes of 20 to 25 miles. It can take a plow driver up to two hours to complete a route, including reloading salt.

Airports | Amtrak | Buses | Capital Weather Gang | D.C. snow emergency | Plowing plans | Rails | Snow removal | Live traffic

Metrorail stopped its above-ground service at 8:45 p.m Tuesday, deciding to limit rail service to the underground portion of the system. The news was tweeted about 8:40 p.m., followed by the distribution of a press release.

Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said, "Train operators have been reporting that they were having difficulty operating the trains." She said the decision was made due to "the sudden snowfall which accumulated at a much faster rate than anticipated." The news was being broadcast throughout the system, she said.

The transit agency did not want to risk that a train might lose electricity on the tracks and strand customers, Farbstein said, noting that there were few people in the system Tuesday night.

"We've been saying all day that we would be monitoring conditions," she said.

Metro has been concerned about whether snow and ice would affect the electrified third rail, which powers trains. Service to above-ground stations had been suspended during the weekend snowfall. Widespread service had just resumed Tuesday morning.

Farbstein said Metro would do its "best to accommodate" riders in the system when the service stops. Trains would be stopping at whatever their prearranged destinations are for the end fo the night she said. In some cases, Metro Transit Police may provide rides home to customers, she said.

The Metro system will open on Wednesday at 5 a.m. with service limited to underground stations.

Airports | Amtrak | Buses | Capital Weather Gang | D.C. snow emergency | Plowing plans | Rails | Snow removal | Live traffic

Amtrak is canceling and limiting service on Wednesday due to downed trees and power lines on some tracks.

Acela Express

• Limited service is available between Washington, New York and Boston.

• Limited service is available between Washington, New York and Boston.
• All Northeast Regional service south of Washington to Richmond and Newport News is canceled.
• Train 176 will operate Lynchburg to Washington and onto Boston and train 171 will operate through to Lynchburg.

• Capitol Limited: Trains 29 and 30 (Washington, D.C. - Chicago)
• Auto Train: Trains 52 and 53 (Lorton, Va. - Sanford, Fla.)
• Palmetto: Trains 89 and 90 (New York - Savannah).

Visit Amtrak's Web site for more information.

VRE will not operate on Wednesday due to the approaching snowstorm.

Gabe Klein, director of the District Department of Transportation, said 25 percent of the city's snow equipment, including plows, were out of service early Tuesday due to wear and tear. He said that was not unusual given the magnitude of the storm. Klein estimated that repairs would improve the number to 10 percent by Tuesday night.

Robert Marsili, citywide program manager in charge of snow removal, echoed Kleiin's comments that that breakdowns were not unusual given the significance of the snowfall and the amount that has to be cleared.

"It's not oil changes. It's transmissions, clutches, or it's the actual snow equipment. Maybe the spreader has stopped working. " Marsili said.

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The transit authority says the new snow is likely to keep the trains in the tunnels Wednesday. There will be no Metrobus or MetroAccess service.

Metrorail system will open at 5 a.m., the normal time, with service limited to underground stations.

The transit authority says it will monitor weather conditions and restore service if possible. Meanwhile, efforts to clear aboveground tracks will continue so service can be restored Thursday.

Metro officials are optimistic that some aboveground service will be restored Thursday and that some bus and paratransit service will resume.

It's not just the snowfall that Metro is worried about. The high winds with this storm are likely to cause heavy snowdrifts on tracks as well as roadways.

The Metrorail system can operate well in snowfall of less than eight inches, but once it tops eight inches, it covers the electrified third rail, which provides the power to move the trains. Additionally, heavy snowfall often damages electronic components in the undercarriage of rail cars.

On Wednesday, trains will be serving underground stations at intervals of 24 to 30 minutes from opening until midnight:

The Red Line will be split into two segments. It will operate between the Union and Medical Center stations and between the Glenmont and Forest Glen stations.

The Blue and Orange Lines will both operate between the Ballston and Stadium-Armory stations.

The Green Line will run between the Fort Totten and Congress Heights stations.

The Yellow Line will run only between the Pentagon and Crystal City stations.

Whether they had a tough time getting to work or never made it out of their neighborhoods in the first place, many people looked for ways to effectively vent their anger about the pace of the storm cleanup.

I heard from travelers and would-be travelers everywhere, so I offer what follows only as an example.

Residents in many Montgomery County neighborhoods said they hadn't seen a plow or considered the plowing ineffective. Montgomery County's snow line was overwhelmed with phone calls. Officials asked people to hold off on calling.

Others said the main roads, handled by the State Highway Administration, were barely passable. That's what General Assembly members representing the 16th Legislative District in Montgomery County heard about, and they wrote a letter of protest to State Highway Administrator Neil J. Pedersen.

Here's a portion of the letter signed by Sen. Brian E. Frosh, Del. William A. Bronrott, Del. C. William Frick and Del. Susan C. Lee of the 16th Legislative District, which includes Bethesda, Glen Echo and Cabin John and parts of Chevy Chase, Kensington, Potomac, and Rockville.

Dear Mr. Pedersen:
On behalf of our beleaguered constituents, we are writing to express their frustration and disappointment with the current status of snow removal operations in our district. Four days after this storm, the condition of major arteries such as Wisconsin Avenue, Bradley Boulevard and River Road are dangerous and, in some cases, nearly impassable. We understand that this was a storm of epic proportions, however, our constituents deserve better driving conditions on state-owned roads.

With another major storm forecast for our region, we are concerned that our constituents will be facing even more treacherous conditions on these state roadways. We ask that you make these and our other major state arteries a priority in the next 24 hours.

I understand their concern. It's well-placed. It has been difficult and sometimes treacherous to travel on those roads since the storm ended, and it probably will be again over the next day. But I think they're moving too quickly past the "epic proportions" part in their description of the storm. This storm would have been a knock-down blow in any urban area of this country.

Airports | Amtrak | Buses | Capital Weather Gang | D.C. snow emergency | Plowing plans | Rails | Snow removal | Live traffic

Here are a few suggestions and advisories to help with your planning for the next round.

Transit
While all Metrorail stations are open now, the transit authority says it could cut back service on the aboveground portions of lines as the storm develops tonight and Wednesday. The policy is to cut back when snow along the tracks reaches 8 inches, but we've already got so much on the ground, it's more difficult to anticipate that point than it was Friday night.

Metrobus service, limited today, will probably scale back too as road conditions deteriorate. Metro would probably drop back to service on snow emergency routes before completely suspending service.

Alexandria's DASH buses will end service at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

8:40 p.m. Update: Montgomery County's Ride On bus service to stop at 10 p.m. Tuesday and will not operate Wednesday

[More transit updates coming.]

Roads
The District has declared a snow emergency to take effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday. That means, once again, that drivers must get their cars off those routes or risk a $250 fine and a tow charge. Free parking at the Free the DC USA garage on 14th Street NW has been extended through noon on Saturday, the District Department of Transportation says.

Snow removal operations continue. Crews are still working in the neighborhoods, but they're also trying to push the snow back as far as they can on the Interstates and other main routes so they'll have somewhere to move the newest snowfall.

The falling snow is likely to mask a lot of roadway problems that were more obvious this morning. For a while, it may be difficult to tell what's powder and what's hard-packed snow or ice. Driving among the snow piles and slush was difficult enough. A fresh coating should inspire even more caution.

The federal government and most schools will be closed Wednesday. Their decisions to close over the past two days made the difference between difficult travel and a complete breakdown in our ability to get around.

Airports
BWI Marshall: Some airlines have canceled flights from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. Check with your airline to confirm flight status before heading to airport. Consider parking under cover in one of the airport's garages rather than outdoors in the big economy lots.

Dulles: The airfield is open for flight operations but many airlines have canceled their flights for Tuesday afternoon and evening. There probably will be no flights from Dulles on Wednesday. Contact your airline to be sure of your flight status.

Reagan National: The airfield is open for flights but many for Tuesday have been canceled. There probably won't be any Wednesday. Check your flight status with your airline before going to the terminal.

All Metrorail stations are open this afternoon, the transit authority says. Service resumed about 2:30 p.m. on the Blue Line between Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center.

Metrorail trains on the Red, Blue, Orange, Yellow and Green lines are operating every 20 minutes, and all 86 Metrorail stations are open.

Metro officials are watching the weather and may decide to reduce Metrobus or Metrorail service later this evening as more snow and below-freezing temperatures are expected.

Rush hour never ended on main roads like East-West Highway in Montgomery. (Thomson)

Airports | Amtrak | Buses | Capital Weather Gang | D.C. snow emergency | Plowing plans | Rails | Snow removal | Live traffic

We are in the midst of a natural disaster, and no part of the D.C. area's transportation system is functioning very well. Residents say many neighborhood streets haven't been cleared. Drivers are crawling along main roads, which is good, because if they got up any speed, it would be dangerous. Bus riders often don't have a stop at which to wait. Train riders are complaining about long waits on crowded platforms.

Roads
On neighborhood streets that have not been made passable, the snow has hardened, making it difficult for plows to gain the upper hand. Different equipment is needed. Some residential areas will see small front-end loaders working to break up snow piles.

Main roads are much more crowded today. It's as though the morning rush never ended. The condition of these roads is somewhat better than on Monday, but more people came out of their neighborhoods to reach work or do errands in the brief window before the next storm later today.

A driver breaking free of traffic is tempted to step on the gas. Resist that temptation. Some road obstacle is in your immediate future. These are the key problems I encountered:
Lanes disappear. On East-West Highway and Brookville Road in Montgomery County, there is no eastbound lane. As drivers come down the hill and enter a curve, the lane vanishes into the snow and their only move is into oncoming traffic.

There's no place to put the snow. At points where the roads narrow or bend, there's likely to be frozen slush in the roadway and piles of hardened snow on the sides of the road. Medians are piled high with snow that occasionally spills into the left lane and creates bumps and slippery spots.

Visibility is limited. Interchanges and intersections are particular problems. At many intersections, the snow piles are so big, they could hide a basketball team. At these points, drivers will not see pedestrians stepping out into the roadways. Be particularly careful making a right turn.

Pedestrians in roads. What else can they do? People are walking out of neighborhoods to get supplies. In many cases, the sidewalks are under more than a foot of snow, even along main roads.

Bus stops
They don't exist. At least, not in the normal sense. Stops identified only by poles and bus shields are surrounded by hardened snow in many areas. A prospective passenger would have to stand in the travel lane or stand atop the snow pile and hope for the best.

Shelters don't shelter. Benches inside shelters are partly buried in snow. But who would want to wait inside the shelter, anyway? The bus, if it comes, is going to stop out in a travel lane, yards away across a snow bank. At some stops, though, people have cut a hole in the wall, allowing one passenger at a time to move between the travel lane and the shelter.

It will get worse. Metro said more than 300 buses were operating on 98 routes as of 11 a.m. but that is likely to change later today as road conditions deteriorate. The snowfall won't help the condition of the stops and shelters, either.

Trains
Why so few trains? That's one of the two most frequently asked questions I'm hearing about Metrorail service, which has been restored to all but five Blue Line stations. Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel told me it was a question of supply and demand. As of 11 a.m., he said, Metrorail had carried 83,333 passengers. About 45 trains were operating, serving platforms every 20 minutes.

With the federal government closed, he said, it was not necessary to mount a regular rush-hour service. Also, he said, Metro was playing it safe as it resumed above-ground operations. Because snow and ice continue to be problems, the speed limit for the trains today is 35 mph.

Why so long to restore service? That's the other FAQ. It took less time to restore above-ground service after the December storm, riders say.

Taubenkibel said that clearing the snow and ice took longer because there was a lot more of it this time. And it was constantly refreezing. Plus, the snowdrifts would form three- to six-foot mounds. In fact, along the Blue Line from Stadium-Armory to Largo, the drifts has been as high as eight feet.

Remember, the Metro policy is to stop above-ground operations when the snow levels along the tracks reach eight inches, the point at which trains often begin to lose power. It's a little more difficult to predict when we'll reach that point in this storm, since we already have so much snow on the ground.