What to Know
- The cars were removed overnight after Metro received a report of a door malfunction
- The cause of the malfunction needs to be determined, Metro said
- The removals will reduce the number of available rail cars by about 15%
Metro is investigating what led to a door malfunction aboard a 3000-series rail car, but has no timeline for when it will put those cars back in service, Metro's general manager said on Tuesday.
The transit agency temporarily removed all cars of that type from service overnight after Metro received a report of a door malfunction over the weekend.
According to a spokesman, not all doors on a railcar closed as the train left the Dunn-Loring station in Northern Virginia on Sunday. It was not immediately clear whether the problem was with one door or several on that railcar.
The cause of the malfunction needs to be determined, Metro said.
Metro said the affected railcar was not in service on Monday but was in service on Sunday, when the incident happened. The transit agency learned of the incident Monday afternoon and identified it as a "priority safety matter," the spokesman said.
"This voluntary safety action reduces the number of available rail cars by ~15%," Metro said on Twitter about 7 a.m.
Local
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As a result, riders saw fewer eight-car trains and more six-car trains in service during the Tuesday morning commute. Metro also resumed turnbacks at Grosvenor to make another 32 cars available.
"Every effort will be made to keep normal train intervals. Apologies for any inconvenience. Your safety is our highest priority," Metro said on Twitter.
According to WAMU, a video depicting the open door was shared on a local Facebook page.
WMATA General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a news conference on Tuesday that the cause of the malfunction remains unknown and that he does not know when the 3000-series car will return to service. The car in question is being examined by staff at the West Falls Church railyard.
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