DC Metrorail retires 2000-series railcars

By Trains Staff | May 12, 2024

Equipment built by Italy’s Breda began entering service in 1983



DC Metrorail has retired its 2000-series railcars, built by Italy’s Breda. The visually identical but slightly newer 3000-series cars will be phased out next. WMATA

WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail has retired its 2000-series railcars, the oldest equipment in its fleet. … The cars’ last day of service was Friday, May 10, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in a press release. The cars, built by Italy’s Breda with final assembly in Beech Grove, Ind., debuted in 1983, arriving about two years late because of factory issues in West Germany and a strike at a brake factory in Wilmerding, Pa. WMATA says they ran for nearly 200 million miles and carried more than 775 million passengers.

“These 76 train cars helped move millions of people across the Capital region for decades and we thank them for their faithful service over the years,” CEO Randy Clarke said in a press release. “We recognize the rich history of these cars and they have certainly earned this well-deserved retirement. However, this will give riders a better experience and make way for the Fleet of the Future.”

The cars had mostly been placed in storage during the COVID-19 pandemic but were returned to service as Metrorail dealt with issues that sidelined its 7000-series cars for a prolonged period after wheel issues that led to an October 2021 derailment. A wheel-replacement program is in progress to address the issues with those cars [see “DC Metrorail begins wheel replacement …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 5, 2023].

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Current plans call for the next-oldest cars in the fleet, the 3000-series cars built by Breda that began entering service in 1987, to begin to be phased out in 2027. About that time, the agency expects to start introducing its 8000-series “Fleet of the Future” cars, 256 of which are on order from Hitachi Rail [see “Hitachi Rail lands contract …,” News Wire, Oct. 6, 2020]. The agency says it has sufficient equipment to accommodate peak ridership until the new cars arrive, even if ridership increases by 33%.

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Metro

Metro retires 2000-series trains

The transit authority plans to start phasing in the new 8000-series trains starting in 2027.

Author: Troy Pope
Published: 1:58 PM EDT May 9, 2024
Updated: 5:51 PM EDT May 9, 2024

WASHINGTON — It's truly the end of an era.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is retiring the last 76 of its 2000-series trains on Friday.

Metro began using the 2000-series in 1983 and the transit authority lauds the nearly 200 million miles they've traveled and that they've carried more than 775 million passengers.

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