Metro Extends Reduced Service For Metrorail Riders At Least Until Nov. 30

WASHINGTON, DC — Although the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) said Wednesday it had improved service on a number of its Metrorail lines, customers should expect reduced service to continue at least until Nov. 30.

As of Wednesday, WMATA reported the following service improvements:

• Red Line trains will run every 12 minutes
• Green Line and Yellow Line trains will run every 20 minutes
• Blue Line, Orange Line, and Silver Line trains will run every 24 minutes
• Silver Line service has resumed between Wiehle-Reston East and Largo Town Center

WMATA originally announced it was only going to be able to provide reduced service after the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) issued an order on Oct. 17 for WMATA to pull all 7000 series railcars out of service, so that they could be inspected. That order meant a reduction of service by Metrorail, as the transit agency had to operate with nearly 60 percent of its fleet sidelined for safety inspections.

While investigating the circumstances surrounding the Oct. 12 derailment of a Blue Line Metrorail train in Arlington, the National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) discovered defects in the fourth axle on the railcar. NTSB also determined that the WMATA was aware of at least 21 other derailments stretching back to 2017 caused by defective wheel sets in 7000 series railcars. This prompted WMSC's order to remove the 7000 series trains from service.

In the subsequent weeks, WMATA pulled older trains out of storage and stepped up the repair of others in order to bolster its depleted fleet. Previously, Metro customers were told to expect the reduced service to continue until at least mid-November. Now that has been extended to Nov. 30 or possibly longer.

WMATA is working with manufacturer Kawasaki to resolve any wheel tolerance issues with the 7000 series trains, so they can be safely returned to service.

More recently, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D), who represents parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia, asked the U.S. Transportation Department's inspector general to determine why WMATA didn't make public the earlier failures connected to the 7000 series trains. The IG office will report its findings to the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, which Connolly chairs.

Related:

VA Lawmaker Calls For Federal Investigation Into Metro Failures