WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail service will remain at reduced levels through at least Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced at a Thursday board meeting, although the agency will work to increase the number of available cars.
WMATA had previously said the reduced service would continue through at least Oct. 31. Under the current schedule, Red Line trains will operate on 15- to 20-minute headways, while other lines will see trains every 30 to 40 minutes.
The website DCist reports it will take at least two weeks to add more of the system’s older 2000-, 3000- and 6000-series cars, which need to be inspected before they can return to service. The oldest cars had been placed in storage during the pandemic-related reduction of service, while the 6000-series cars had been sidelined over maintenance issues. The 748 cars of the 7000 series, which make up about 60% of the Metrorail fleet, remain sidelined following an Oct. 12 derailment caused by axle problems which led to all the cars in the series being pulled from service [see “Metrorail car in Arlington derailment had left tracks twice …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 19, 2021].
There are currently just 31 Metrorail trains in service; the agency aims to boost that number to 50. The first eight would address peak-hour service on the Red and Green lines; subsequent additions would be used to reduce headways to 12 to 15 minutes on the Red Line and 20 to 30 minutes on the Green and Yellow lines.
It appears enough axles have failed inspection to warrant setting the entire 7000 series aside.
Does “while the 6000-series cars had been sidelined over maintenance issues” mean the newer the car, the less reliable it is?
Upon further review, the WMATA 6000-series cars have been out of service after an unintentional uncoupling event November 24, 2020 and an earlier pull-apart of a married pair August 25, 2018. They have needed work done on their couplers, followed by an inspection.