Amanda Michelle Gomez
Jordan Pascale
Expect Metrorail delays until mid-April.
On Thursday, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced that he will not return any 7000-series trains for “about 90 days” to buy engineers and mechanical experts more time to analyze the root cause of the wheelset problems that have kept the trains off the tracks on and off for months. He said Metro also has to acquire the technology needed to measure the 7000-series wheelsets.
The announcement marks the first update on the 7000-series fiasco in weeks. Wiedefeld had indefinitely paused the return of any of the troubled railcars in late December.
Riders should expect to continue to wait 10 minutes, on average, for all lines on Metrorail for the next three months. All told, riders are looking at delays for at least six months. Metro is also working fast to restore 6000-series trains, which had their own problems, to improve reliability for commuters.
WMATA board member Matt Letourneau acknowledged at Thursday’s meeting that Metro has two large issues with COVID affecting staff and the 7000-series trains. “The board is very attuned to those challenges, we understand the difficulties that riders have been experiencing, it may not always be visible to the public, but we’ve had many, many discussions with staff and with each other about how to address those the best that we can. And we’re working through those things.”
On Oct. 17, the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission ordered WMATA to immediately remove its newest trains, the 7000-series, following a derailment on the Blue Line near the Arlington Cemetery station. (Metro compensated riders who were stranded on the derailed train for roughly two hours with $21 in ride credits.) The commission identified problems with the wheels of dozens of 7000-series trains, which amount to roughly 60% of Metro’s fleet. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said Metro was aware of the problems since 2017.
Consequently, riders have experienced long delays and crowded trains the last several months. When Metro first pulled the 7000 railcars, the Red Line ran every 15-20 minutes while the rest ran every 30-40 minutes. Commuters are not waiting as long to ride the Metro nowadays, but there are still service delays.
As recently as December, Metro began returning 7000-series trains — with a new requirement to inspect train wheels every seven days, rather than the previous 90 days — but offered no timeline on when rail service would return to pre-derailment days. Later that month, Metro pulled the few railcars it had from service, after the WMSC said they did not meet the agreed-on inspection criteria.
The issues with the 7000-series trains have caught the attention of national regulatory bodies. In October, the National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation into the debacle. Meanwhile, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) told News4 last month that he plans on holding a hearing and inviting Metro leaders. A U.S. Senate committee has also written to Metro asking for details on the wheel problems.
Several Metro riders have called for eliminating peak fare or implementing discounted fares as service levels remain low. But Letourneau says that’s not good fiscal policy, as Metro could face another financial crisis in fiscal year 2024 when federal relief funds from 2020 are set to run out.
“Every dollar we spend this year puts us closer to having to take dramatic steps to really shut down large portions of the system next year,” he said. “And so I feel like it’s the responsibility we all have to try to keep this thing afloat.
“I think that’s important to understand, especially for the riders who might be out there wondering, ‘why isn’t the board isn’t giving us some fair relief right now?'”
Meanwhile, the alternative to rail — Metrobus — is also facing challenges. Metro was forced to reduce bus service this month because a significant number of drivers have been calling out due to COVID-19. In response to the omicron-driven wave of cases, Metro strengthened its vaccine-or-test requirement, requiring employees to comply with weekly testing beginning Jan. 16 or face suspension. Of the roughly 12,000-member workforce, approximately 1,500 employees were unvaccinated and thus required to get tested weekly, as of Jan. 4.
According to the agency, Metro is averaging below 200,000 rail trips daily, which is less than a third of pre-pandemic demand. The average number of riders per car is also far below the maximum standard of 120, currently at 45 passengers.
Jordan Pascale contributed reporting.
Previously:
National Transportation Safety Board Investigating Blue Line Train Derailment
Safety Commission Orders WMATA To Pull 60% Of Its Train Fleet, Severely Reducing Service
Metro 7000-Series Safety Problems Could Have Led To ‘Catastrophic Event,’ Service Limited
Metro Service Will Continue To Be Reduced Until End Of Year
Metro Pauses Return Of 7000-Series Trains Out Of ‘Abundance Of Caution’
