Metrorail rolling stock (Washington, D.C.)

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The rolling stock of the Washington Metrorail system consists of 1070 75-foot cars,^[1] delivered in six shipments. All rail cars in the Metrorail system operate in married pairs (consecutively numbered even-odd), with systems shared across the pair. The system rail gauge is standard gauge 4 feet 8½ inches (1435 mm). The platform height is said to be 38½ inches (978 mm) above top of rail (ATR) and rolling stock floor height is also 38½″ ± ¾″ ATR for level entry. Washington’s Metrorail floors and platforms are lower than most East Coast mass transit systems, such as New York, Boston Blue line and Philadelphia.

[edit] 1000-Series

A train of Rohr cars arrives at Cheverly station.

Interior of Rohr 1112.

The original order of 300 Metro cars was manufactured by Rohr Industries, with delivery in 1976. These cars are numbered 1000-1299, and were rehabilitated in the mid-1990s by Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie and WMATA at their Brentwood Shop in Washington, D.C. These cars originally used cam-controlled DC propulsion and contained rollsigns which have since been changed to flip-dot technology.^{[citation needed]}

The first rehabilitation added exterior speakers in place of one rollsign on each side and also marked the first set of cars to have AC propulsion. The bulkhead on the ends of the cars are also distinguished by windows with aluminum frames that extend the full height of the train compared to other car classes.

The original interiors have a white grained appearance with orange and brown seats. The cars contain 81 seats. Future orders would have seating reduced down to 64 or 68 since seats next to the doors would be removed for additional standing areas.

Of these original 300 cars, 1028, separated from its mate after it was destroyed during the Federal Triangle derailment in 1982, has become the feeler car that checks system clearances. Four cars, now numbered 8000-8003, serve as the money train to collect the revenue from station farecard machines. 1076 faces an uncertain future, after its mate was destroyed in the November 3, 2004 accident at Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan.^[2]

• Car Builder: Rohr Industries, Winder, Georgia, USA
• Dates Built: 1973-1976
• Rehabilitated: 1993-1996
• Rehabilitated by: WMATA Brentwood Shop/Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie, Washington, DC, USA
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 1000-1299
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Cast Steel
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: General Electric 3-Phase Asychronous AC Traction Motors with GTO Inverters
• Seating capacity: 81
• Total Capacity: 175

[edit] 2000-Series

A train of 2000-Series Breda cars at Huntington following rehabilitation.

Interior of Breda 2075 following rehabilitation.

The second order, of 76 cars, was through Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie (Breda), with delivery in 1982.

These cars are numbered 2000-2075, and were rehabilitated in 2003 and 2004 by Alstom in Hornell, New York. The cars, as part of a rehabilitation project, have received new AC propulsion systems with IGBT technology, which replaced the original cam-controlled DC propulsion systems. Also included are railcar monitoring systems, advanced ATC/ATS control systems, exterior LED destination signs, interior LED next stop signs, and improved emergency exit signage.

The recently refurbished railcars also received the red, white, and blue interior found on the 5000-series cars.

• Car Builder: Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie, Pistoia, Italy
• Dates Built: 1981-1983
• Rehabilitated: 2002-2004
• Rehabilitated by: Alstom Transportation, Hornell, New York, USA
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 2000-2075
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Fabricated Steel
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: Alstom ONIX 2000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters (post rehab)
• Seating capacity: 68
• Total Capacity: 175

[edit] 3000-Series

A train of Breda 3000-Series cars prior to rehabilitation arrives at Van Dorn Street station.

Interior of Breda 3267 prior to rehabilitation.

Breda 3283 with modified floor plan. Note the side-facing bench seats in the center, the strap handles along the ceiling, and the lean rests near the end of the car.

The third order consisted of 290 cars, also from Breda, with delivery in 1987.

These cars are numbered 3000-3289 as originally delivered, and are currently undergoing rehabilitation by Alstom in Hornell, New York. As part of this rehabilitation project, they received AC propulsion systems with IGBT technology, replacing the chopper-controlled DC propulsion system. Also included in the rehabilitation is the addition of railcar monitoring systems, advanced ATC/ATS control systems, exterior LED destination signs, interior LED next stop signs, and improved emergency exit signage. The refurbished 3000-series cars also received the red, white, and blue interior found on the 5000-series cars.

On January 6, 1996, a revenue train collided with an out-of-service train, both consisting entirely of Breda 3000-series cars, at the Shady Grove station, fatally injuring the operator of the revenue train. 3252, the lead car of the revenue train, collided with 3191, the car at the inbound end of the out-of-service train.^[3] The mates of these two cars, 3253 and 3190 respectively, were later mated together. 3190 reentered revenue service as 3290, and 3253 reentered service as 3291.

Beginning in 2005, a number of 3000-series cars that had not yet undergone rehabilitation were modified as part of a pilot program to study passenger movements to improve the seating arrangement for future rail cars. Sixteen cars received a new seating arrangement that included modified handholds and seat positions, including some longitudinal seating. These cars, as well as other cars being used as control cars in the experiment, received on-board cameras in order for planners to observe passenger movements.^[4][5][6][7]

• Car Builder: Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie, Pistoia, Italy
• Dates built: 1984-1988
• Rehabilitated: 2004-2006
• Rehabilitated by: Alstom Transportation, Hornell, NY, USA
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 3000-3289
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Fabricated Steel
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: Alstom ONIX 2000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters (post rehab)
• Seating capacity: 68
• Total Capacity: 175

[edit] 4000-Series

A train of Breda 4000-series cars arrives at King Street station.

Interior of Breda 4018.

The fourth order consisted of 100 cars from Breda, numbered 4000-4099. These cars were delivered in 1991. They use all the original systems that the 2000/3000-series cars had prior to their rehabilitation.

There are some minor differences between these and earlier Breda cars prior to rehabilitation. First, the bulkhead windows are rounded as compared to squared. The 4000 series cars are also the only cars in the Washington Metro system not to have been originally built with or retrofitted with exterior speakers.

However, they still have the original flip-dot exterior destination signs, chopper-controlled DC propulsion systems, and the original cream, orange, and yellow interiors. Rehabilitation of these cars will occur around 2011 at the earliest.^{[citation needed]}

• Car Builder: Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie, Pistoia, Italy
• Dates Built: 1991-1993
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 4000-4099
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Fabricated Steel
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: Westinghouse 1462 DC motors with chopper controls
• Seating capacity: 68
• Total Capacity: 175

[edit] 5000-Series

A train of CAF cars boards passengers at L'Enfant Plaza station.

Interior of CAF 5134.

The fifth order consisted of 192 rail cars from a joint venture of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) of Spain and AAI Corporation of Hunt Valley, Maryland. These cars are numbered 5000-5191, with delivery in 2001.

Service introduction of these cars was heavily delayed due to software “glitches” which plagued delivery. At one point, WMATA looked to impose penalties against CAF for the service entry delays.

The contract consisted of CAF engineering and designing the cars and managing the project, while AAI performed assembly. These cars were the first Metrorail cars to have AC motors from the start.^{[citation needed]} They were also the first to have LED destination signs on the exterior and LED “next stop” indication signs on the interiors.^{[citation needed]} Along with these improvements, they were also the first to have intercar safety barriers (which have since been added to all other rolling stock) and railcar monitoring systems.^{[citation needed]} The 5000-series cars premiered the red, white, and blue interior. This interior color scheme has since been used on the 2000/3000-series rehabilitation project and the 6000-series cars from Alstom.

Another feature is the return of cast steel trucks, which were previously only used on the Rohr cars.^[8] This was done as a cost-saving measure, since fabricated trucks take additional time to manufacture due to the machining required.

The NTSB has begun an investigation about service life of these cars^{[citation needed]} due to recent non-revenue service derailments in Metrorail yards, and the January 7, 2007 derailment of a revenue train on the Green Line at the Mt Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center station.

• Car Builder: CAF/AAI, Zaragoza and Bessain, Spain and Hunt Valley, Maryland, USA
• Dates Built: 2001-2004
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 5000-5191
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Cast Steel
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: Bombardier Mitrac DR1000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters
• Seating capacity: 68
• Total Capacity: 175

[edit] 6000-Series

Alstom 6024 at Branch Avenue.

Interior of Alstom 6026.

Most recently, Metro has ordered 184 rail cars from Alstom, the same company that is rehabilitating the Breda cars. Delivery began in late 2005. These cars are currently being used on Metro trains; the first ones were deployed onto the Green Line. They look nearly identical to the 5000-series cars built by CAF, but feature revised styling.

This is evident with bulkhead doors that have rounded windows compared to squared, and a revised operator window design which eliminates the top horizontal bar. These stylistic features are similar to what is found on the Rohr 1000 series cars. A major change that occurred for the first time since the Breda 2000 series cars is the reduction of seating. The 6000 series cars seats 64 instead of 68.

The interior has been completely redesigned to allow for additional standing room (mostly around the center doors) and easier access to all portions of the car. New to the 6000 series cars is the addition of two interior LED next stop indicators located at the center of the car, which brings the total to four interior displays per car (two facing each direction). Also new is an intercom located next to the center doors; previous railcars only have them at the front and back of each car. Another new feature is that they are the first series of cars that will be originally manufactured with the flashing brake indicators on the far ends of each car.

These are similar to what is used on the Rohr cars and the rehabilitated Bredas, and indicate when the train is in the final stages of stopping. Mechanically, the 6000 series cars features the same cast trucks as the CAF cars, and use the same propulsion systems and advanced cab signaling systems found in the Breda 2000/3000-series rehabilitation from Alstom.

The new cars have their body shells built in Barcelona, Spain, and have assembly completed in Hornell, New York.^[9]

In December 2007, 128 cars were in service with more cars testing.^[10]

Most recently, Metro has been testing new resilient flooring on two 6000 series cars, 6104-6105.^[11]

• Car Builder: Alstom Transportation, Barcelona, Spain and Hornell, New York, USA
• Dates Built: 2005-2008
• Car Body: Extruded Aluminum
• Car Numbers: 6000-6183
• Car Length: 75 feet (23 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3 m)
• Car Height: 11.8 feet (3.59 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8½ inches (1.43 m)
• Truck Type: Cast Steel ^[8]
• Maximum Operating Speed: 75 MPH
• Propulsion System: Alstom ONIX 2000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters
• Seating capacity: 64
• Total Capacity: 175

The first 6000-series railcar was placed into service on Friday, October 6, 2006 at 11:30 AM on its inaugural trip from Greenbelt to Branch Avenue.^[12]

[edit] 7000-Series

Conceptual drawing of WMATA 7000-Series rail cars

Metro has begun plans to order 128 railcars tentatively called the 7000 series for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension, otherwise known as the Silver Line. In a February 8, 2007 press release, Metro announced that the cars would have a similar appearance to the 6000-Series cars manufactured by Alstom.^[13]

However, in a January 2008 press release, Metro indicated that the design for the 7000-Series cars would have a completely different appearance compared to older cars. The exterior would feature a stainless steel body rather than the aluminum of earlier designs,^[14] and a new "America's Metro" logo.^[15] Inside, seats would be taller and more ergonomically designed, carpeting would be replaced with a hardier floor covering,^[14] the grab bars along the ceiling would contain spring-loaded handles,^[15] and the cars would contain security cameras, as well as LCD displays to provide train information.^[14]

However, the cars would be so technologically advanced as to render them incompatible with the existing fleet. While board members recognize the seriousness of the decision, Metro general manager John B. Catoe indicated that the board needed to decide "in months" on whether to go ahead with the rail car order, regardless of whether or not the Dulles extension is approved.^[16]

This proposed order also includes a 130 car option for fleet expansion.^[17]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

The external links in this article may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links.

• world.nycsubway.org: Rolling stock interiors
• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Rohr cars Classic Breda cars Rehabilitated Breda cars CAF cars Alstom cars
• Oren's Transit Page: Rohr cars Breda cars Rehabilitated Breda cars CAF cars Alstom cars
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Fleet Management plans (revised May, 2007)
• Live From the Third Rail: WMATA 6000 Series Railcar Preview WMATA 6000 Series Rail Cars Reviewed

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