MLG ALMOST RAN OVER UNLIT TXWY LIGHTS ON A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT.

Narrative

WHILE TAXIING OFF RWY 36 AT DCA OUR MLG ALMOST RAN OVER TXWY LIGHTS THAT WERE UNLIT SURROUNDING THE SMALL ISLAND AT TXWY N. THE REASON WE HAD TO COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT AND STOP THE ACFT WAS: 1) NO INFO ON OUR COMPANY FLT PLAN ABOUT TXWY LIGHTS OUT (NOTAMS). 2) NO INFO ON ATIS XA51 LCL OR XB51 LCL. 3) NO INFO FROM TWR OR GND CTL THAT THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE OUT THROUGHOUT THE ARPT. AFTER COMING TO A STOP 12 INCHES FROM OUR NOSE TIRES AND 3 FT FROM THE R MLG TIRES IT TOOK THE ARPT OPS VEHICLE 10 MINS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. SINCE IT WAS DARK AND RAINY; THE DRIVER HAD NO INTENTION OF GETTING OUT OF HIS VEHICLE TO CONFIRM OUR CLOSENESS TO THE LIGHTS; BUT ONLY STATED OVER THE GND CTL FREQ THAT WE WERE OK. WE WAITED FOR OUR RAMP PERSONNEL TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE; PWR US BACK 20-30 FT AND THEN GUIDE US FORWARD. I GUESS THE MOST ALARMING POINT OF THIS WHOLE FIASCO WAS THAT THE TWR PERSONNEL MADE ANOTHER ATIS TAPE AT APPROX XC15 LCL WHICH STATED THAT; YES; TXWY LIGHTS WERE OUT AT THE ARPT; BUT THEY BACK-TIMED THE OBSERVANCE TO XB51. AFTER CALLING THE TWR AND FINDING OUT THE LIGHTS HAD IN FACT BEEN OUT FOR 1 1/2 HRS; IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE A COVER-UP TO ME.