WASHINGTON — Metro pulled all 3000 series cars from service overnight after a report Monday of a door malfunction.
Officials said they need to identify the cause of the malfunction, so what they're calling a "voluntary safety action" reduced the number of available rail cars by about 15%. That's about 280 train cars.
"Because any door malfunction poses a significant safety risk, I ordered the 3K fleet removed from service until further notice," Metro General Manager Paul Wiedenfeld said. "I cannot tell you when the 3Ks will return to service."
Tuesday morning dawned with more six-car instead of eight-car trains on the subway system's tracks. Metro resumed "turn backs" at Grosvenor on the Red line, which made 32 more cars available, but Wiedenfeld said a lack of overcrowding during rush hours helped him decide Tuesday afternoon to run all trains to Shady Grove.
► MAY 20: Metro to start running Yellow Line trains Saturday to Greenbelt
► MAY 15: How to get around Metro's summer shutdown in Virginia
The 3000 series of cars are among the oldest of Metro's rail cars though they have been refurbished. After door problems with the 4000 series, those rail cars were retired two years ago.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's "Rush Hour Promise" remains in effect, so if your commute takes more than 10 minutes longer than it should, you will get a free ride credit on your registered SmarTrip card, officials said.
"Fewer railcars will be needed after Saturday when the platform project begins," Wiedenfeld said. "To the extent that customers will notice an impact, it will be limited to the balance of this week."