DEC 29, 6:19 PM

Metro Ordered To Pull 7000-Series Trains … Again

Jordan Pascale https://twitter.com/jwpascale

The 7000-series trains will again be completely removed from service after the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) found Metro ran railcars that didn’t meet the required criteria.

The commission says it observed Metro return at least five railcars to service “that do not meet the inspection criteria” specified in the agreed-upon plan. Five railcars out of 40 did not meet the criteria. In a statement, the WMSC says Metro committed to removing all the 7000-series trains from service.

Metro has said it will test the trains’ wheels every night to ensure they don’t move too far apart; shifting wheels could cause a derailment. It’s unclear which part of Metro’s plan maintenance workers did not follow.

The safety commission says Metro can return the trains after it provides a more specific plan that includes “additional protections and internal oversight Metrorail will carry out to ensure that any asset that fails a safety-critical inspection… is removed from and kept out of passenger service.”

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