Metro to keep 4000-series cars out of service

UPDATE: June 16, 2015 at 2:20 p.m.

WASHINGTON — 4000 series Metro cars will return to passenger service over the next month as maintenance is performed on some of the doors. Metro says that while no cars failed inspection, many of the doors were at the “low level of acceptable tolerance.”

Cars will be brought back into circulation as the maintenance is completed, with all 100 cars back on the rail within a month. Until all cars are reinstated, there will be some 6-car trains running until all can be restored to 8 cars.

EARLIER: June 16, 2015 at 7:07 a.m.

WASHINGTON — Metrorail’s 4000-series rail cars will not return to service June 16, as initially intended.

Inspections on rail cars that were pulled for safety checks last week will continue until further notice, according to a statement on Metro’s website.

At least three times in recent weeks, doors have opened on moving 4000-series rail cars.

While those cars are offline, shorter trains will run on the Red, Blue, Orange and Green Lines. Even during rush hours, trains will only be six cars long, as opposed to the usual eight.

Metro says an abundance of caution for customer safety is behind the extended safety review.

In a move to improve reliability, Metro also is ramping up maintenance on all rail cars in its fleet. So even after the 4000-series cars are again available, shorter trains will run on Mondays and Fridays during the typically slow summer months.

Metro’s Blue Line, however, may see some of the usual eight-car rush-hour trains even on Mondays and Fridays subject to rail car availability.

Metro says the 4000-series rail cars are the least reliable in its fleet. They’ll be replaced with 7000-series cars as the newer models begin to come online.