The return of Metro鈥檚 7000-series railcars will pick up the pace later this month.
Metro announced Friday that beginning Sept. 12, another 12 7000-series trains, with eight cars each, will be allowed to run, bringing the total to 20 trains up from the current eight.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission approved the move Friday, the latest step in the return to service plan for the 7000-series cars. All 748 of the cars 鈥� representing about 60% of Metro鈥檚 fleet 鈥� were taken out of service last fall over safety concerns after a train went off the track because the wheels on the train had shifted too far apart on their axles.
鈥淥ur 7000-series trains are the newest and most reliable in Metro鈥檚 fleet, and they are key to providing the level of service our customers want and deserve,鈥� Randy Clarke, Metro鈥檚 general manager and chief executive officer, said in the statement.
Since putting some of the trains back on the tracks in June, 鈥淭hey have not identified any instances鈥� of the wheels moving more than they鈥檙e designed to, said WMSC spokesman Max Smith.
The timetable for returning more cars to service 鈥渋s discussed on a regular basis,鈥� Smith said, but there鈥檚 no deadline 鈥渂ecause that could create an artificial pressure. The focus is on having the safety procedures and processes in place that are needed.鈥�
鈥淲e all use the system,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 want us or our families to be unsafe, to let (the cars) out if the data didn鈥檛 support that this is something we should be doing.鈥�
海角社区app’s John Domen contributed to this report.
