WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail operations will remain limited at least through the remainder of this week, as the agency continues to deal with an equipment shortage triggered by the sidelining of its 7000-series railcars.
The Washington Post reports Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul J. Wiedefield said Friday the current reduced service levels will continue through at least Oct. 31, with no timetable for the return of the 7000-series cars, which represent about 60% of the agency’s rolling stock. The cars were removed from service as the result of an axle issue discovered in the wake of an Oct. 12 derailment [see “DC Metrorail service to be limited …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 18, 2021].
The removal of those cars has left just 40 trainsets in operation for the 91-station, 117-mile system, stretching headways to 15 to 20 minutes on the Red Line and 30 to 40 minutes on other lines.
The website Greater Greater Washington reports a change in specifications for how wheels were attached to axles may have contributed to the derailment and more widespread wheel problems discovered among the Kawasaki-built railcars. The NTSB reported last week that it had found axle problems on 21 other cars as a result of inspections following the Oct. 12 derailment.
With the 748 cars in the 7000 series sidelined, Metro is facing a shortage of equipment that extends beyond just its newest cars. Greater Greater Washington reports only about 312 cars of the 1,278-car fleet are currently available, compared to the 864 required for the regular full schedule. Among older car types, just 16 of the 6000-series cars are in operation after being pulled from service following two incidents of trains separating while in operation. An audit by the independent Washington Metrorail Safety Commission raised questions about safety practices involving maintenance of those cars [see “Audit finds safety issues with DC Metrorail maintenance procedures,” News Wire, Sept. 15, 2021]. Older 2000-series cars were put into long-term storage when service was decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic; Metro is now working to return those cars to service.
Adding to the agency’s problems, a Metrorail train broke down Friday afternoon in the tunnel near the Gallery Place station used by Green and Yellow line trains, leading to the evacuation of about 100 passengers. WJLA-TV reports the incident was blamed on a possible brake problem.
