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Last weekend, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) completed inspections of brake assemblies on all 2000-, 3000- and 4000-series rail cars following an incident Jan. 6 in which a friction ring became detached from an Orange Line Train.

While the cause remains under investigation, WMATA “has taken the precaution of replacing more than 290 friction rings from brake assemblies that are showing wear,” agency officials said in a prepared statement. “This maintenance measure exceeds the standards set by the original equipment manufacturer.”

After a New Carrollton-bound train became mechanically disabled on Jan. 6, the train was brought to a stop and passengers were transferred to other trains at Stadium-Armory Station, WMATA officials said. Agency officials conducted an onsite inspection and discovered a friction ring had fallen off the train’s brake assembly.