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By month’s end, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) passengers will be boarding six- instead of four-car trains on the Blue and Yellow lines during morning and afternoon rush periods.

The transit authority plans to add 18 6000 series passenger cars to its rush-hour fleet and convert one Yellow Line and seven Blue Line trains from four-car to six-car units.

WMATA will provide 800 cars to serve morning and afternoon rush-hour commuters — the first time in the agency’s 31-year history its weekday service will feature 800 cars.

WMATA has taken delivery of 106 6000 series cars from Alstom Transport since fall 2006. The cars feature additional overhead room, seat back-to-ceiling handrails and fewer windscreens. The transit authority expects the 6000 series fleet to increase to 184 cars by early 2008.