VIENNA, Va. – On a Tuesday morning filled with delays, rush hour commuters bumped into Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld during a crowded trip on the Orange Line.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Virginia, invited Wiedefeld to ride from Vienna to Capitol South to get another look at the commuter experience.

Wiedefeld listened in on his phone as Metro tried to figure out the best way to move trains through the area around East Falls Church, where two rails cracked. He tried to explain to riders exactly what happened.

Wiedefeld said he’s much happier with how Metro communicated with riders this morning than he was after an incident earlier this month on the Red Line.

Maria Gray agreed. She was among the riders packed in with Wiedefeld as the train pulled into the Courthouse station, where some commuters on the platform weren’t able to get on.

“This is a weather problem, but at least today they communicated well,” said Gray, of Manassas. “The last time it happened, I was on the platform for like 30 minutes before I heard an announcement.

Cracked rails are a risk when temperatures drop sharply or remain frigid. Gray hopes Wiedefeld will address the inconsistent timing of her commute, so she can better plan her day, even if it means waking up earlier to drop off her daughter.

“We just want to manage those as well [as we can],” Wiedefeld said before leaving the train at Capitol South. “The key is getting the normal stuff to perform normally in the way it’s supposed to, that’s my focus.”