WASHINGTON — With some riders sweating, Metro is trying to get to the bottom of “hot cars,” and why certain air conditioning systems have repeat problems.
As part of efforts to cut down on the number of trains and cars that are out of service or forced to offload passengers, Metro spokesman Richard Jordan said in an email that Metro has developed recommended changes to its maintenance procedures for air compressors on the 2000 series and 3000 series cars.
Those cars date to the 1980s, and had midlife overhauls last decade.
Metro has also assessed the possible root issues with maintenance and operation of the couplers on the 6000 series cars, which are the second-newest railcar type in the fleet.
The findings of both reviews are now being reviewed to determine what, if any, changes should be put in place. Railcar problems cause a majority of Metro delays. Each fix can cut down on wait times and crowding.
An outside consultant hired by Metro said last month that improving railcar maintenance is the biggest key to making service more reliable.
