WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA)--Another tough day for Metro after a computer glitch over the weekend stranded hundreds of passengers on idle trains.
Monday morning's problems unfolded at the Dupont Circle Metro Station and they come at a time when Metro is still investigating why the software program for tracking trains crashed twice last weekend.
Metro says the computer failure wasn't a cyber-attack, wasn't related to its train control system, radios or power infrastructure. But the transit agency is still investigating what did go wrong.
"It was scary," said Metro passenger Katie Tanner. She was among therattled passengers who left Dupont Circle's Metro station after being offloaded from two trains that were abruptly taken out of service.
"It smelled kind of like burnt rubber and smoke," added passenger Monica Grandy.
Said Tanner, "After a minute or two, they take us off the train and the platform fills up and it's just a wall of people. And they say please slowly evacuate the station, which makes everyone feel panicked."
Metro's Monday morning headache comes on the heels of a troubled weekend for the passenger rail system.
"It was a long ride. Oh God, it was kind of terrible, I must say," said Randy Duncan, who was stuck on a Metro train over the weekend.
On Saturday afternoon and again early Sunday morning, a computer software glitch brought 44 trains across the system to a stop.
"It took me at least three hours to make it home," said Duncan.
"There is concern on our part. That's why we're working around the clock, 24/7. That's why we've taken the necessary steps to increase our staffing," said Dave Kubicek, Metro's Deputy General Manager.
Metro says it is still investigating the computer failure that left controllers without the ability to see moving trains on a map and unable to control switches remotely to route trains.
Metro insists the computer failure was not a safety issue and that passengers were never in danger.
Written by Andrea McCarren
9 NEWS NOW & WUSA9.COM