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4/13/2023
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority yesterday announced it has advanced to the final phase of its 7000-series rail car return-to-service plan.
Under the plan, WMATA’s operations team will implement a 15-day manual measurement interval of the 7000-series rail-car wheelsets and eventually implement a longer measurement period in the future, authority officials said in a press release.
During investigation of the October 2021 derailment that prompted WMATA remove the 7000-series rail cars from service, the National Transportation Safety Board determined the derailment's probable cause “can be mitigated safely by increasing interference fit and by increasing press tonnage of the 7000-series wheelsets,” according to the final plan published April 10.
WMATA will continue using the existing wheelset measurement program, which has been refined and monitored since May 2022.
The 15-day process stems from data analysis and operational considerations that will make more trains available for the May 7 service schedule, which coincides with service resuming on the Yellow Line. The process also enables WMATA to train more rail operators.
WMATA is working with the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission to advance the automated wayside inspection system and increase the wheelset interference fit and press tonnage plan. Both actions require safety certification from the commission, WMATA officials said.
WMATA will provide the commission monthly wheel movement data and analysis relative to baseline and monthly vehicle and track interaction.