WASHINGTON - As commuters and the Metro system struggled to get back to their normal schedules after two major winter storms, a derailment late Friday morning snarled the transit system and caused a few minor injuries. Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato said the front wheels of the train's first car slipped off the rail just after 10 a.m. Friday, but the car did not hit anything. The accident-plagued rail system was offering limited service at some aboveground suburban stations for the first time in days when the incident happened near the Farragut North station in downtown D.C., officials said. D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said there were 345 passengers on board and three people had minor injuries with bumps and bruises. Passengers said the train had been moving slowly before it suddenly stopped. Authorities blocked traffic and closed the station for a few hours as they evacuated the train. The station reopened by early afternoon.

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