DC/MD/VA: Additional 7000-series trains returning to Metrorail service September 12

[marmar]

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will be able to return up to 20 of its 7000-series trains to daily service starting Sept. 12, under an updated return to service plan that has been approved by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC). The updated return to service plan was developed based on data analysis accumulated during the first phase of the 7000-series trains service reentry, which includes an accumulation of more than 860,000 miles of train travel.

The increased number of trains marks the start of the second phase of WMATA’s return to service for the 7000-series fleet; the first phase saw up to eight trains enter daily service. The third phase will be determined by WMATA and approved by WMSC at a later date.

Phase One saw nightly inspections of the trains and Phase Two will implement a four-day inspection interval. WMATA reports it inspected 234 cars 24,000 times during the summer and the return to service plan says the authority has 56,000 data points for back-to-back and journal bearing gap with no measured failures or observable movement.

WMATA installed the first automated inspection system this spring. The authority intends to install six of these systems to inspect wheelsets of its 7000-series railcars in real time. WMATA says any railcar with wheel measurement changes would be removed from the fleet. ......................(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/article/21279755/additional-7000series-trains-returning-to-metrorail-service-september-12