WASHINGTON — DC Metro and the agency that oversees its safety issues have reached an agreement that will allow more 7000-series cars to return to service, clearing the way for Metrorail service to Dulles International Airport to begin by Thanksgiving
In a series of Twitter posts on Tuesday, the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission announced it “has no technical objections” to a revised plan to return the 7000-series cars to operation submitted by Metro earlier in the day. The plan calls for car inspections every four days, with an eventual adjustment to inspections every seven days.
At the same time, Metro agreed to run no more than 80 cars which pose a greater concern to the safety commission because of specifics of the axle issues that have kept most of the 7000-series fleet sidelined for more than a year.
Metro CEO Randy Clarke said in a statement that approval, along with the commission’s “close collaboration” on the safety report regarding the extension of the Silver Line to Dulles Airport, means “Metro will be able to set an opening date in the near future” for that extension. Metro Board Chairman Paul. C. Smedberg said the agreement “is a win for customers, and we are grateful to Senators Warner and Kaine for their leadership to reach an agreement that will safely return more 7Ks to service.”
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) met with representatives of Metro and the safety commission last week told them they needed to work together, after previously saying in a statement that they needed to end their “turf battles” after a disagreement became public when the safety commission turned down an earlier version of the return-to-service plan [see “DC Metro says it lacks equipment …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 21, 2022].
The Washington Post reports the agreement allows unlimited use of about 420 of the 7000-series cars with regular inspections, more than doubling the number that had previously been allowed. Most of the 748 Kawasaki-built cars, which make up about 60% of the Metrorail fleet, have been sidelined since an October 2021 derailment, leading to long-term service reductions because of a shortage of available equipment [see “DC Metrorail service reductions to extend …,” News Wire, Nov. 23, 2021].
Inspections may not find the defect. There seems to be NO cause and permanent FIX determined yet. I worry that there could/will be more derailments.