Metrorail will continue to operate at reduced levels until at least November 15 as the efforts are still ongoing to safely return 7000-series railcars to service.
“It has been a difficult few weeks for those who rely on transit in the region, and we thank our customers for their continued patience as we work to increase service as quickly as we can with safety being our top priority,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said in a statement.
Inspections of all 7000-series railcars have been finalized, and Metro is currently collaborating with the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission for a testing plan that will allow the trains to be safely restored, according to Wiedefeld.
Trains are available every 15-20 minutes on the Red Line and every 30-40 minutes on all other lines until full service returns. Silver Line service only operates between Wiehle-Reston East and Federal Center SW.
Reduced Metrorail service to continue November 1 – 15https://t.co/GEqeAvK0wA #wmata pic.twitter.com/IjPofWBLm8
— Metro (@wmata) October 28, 2021
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) urges customers to use Metrobus as an alternative to trains where it makes sense for them.
WMATA avoids announcing a date for returning to full service, saying it will continue to update riders “as more is known about a timeline.”
The shortage on the Metrorail service stems from the withdrawal of all 748 railcars in the 7000-series fleet, which were recently inspected by the manufacturer of the series, Kawasaki, and the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.
On October 22, Metro announced that the restoration of the rail system would continue through at least October 31.