All Things WMATA 7000 Series

realtype wrote:I'm guessing the original four are still being used for testing/familiarization/spares along with another two 8-car trains.

None are being used for that purpose anymore. Originally two sets were used for operator training, but both of those were released into service. All cars in revenue service are in active rotation, so any deuce maybe pulled for work/maintenance whenever needed; it doesn't look like they're trying to keep quads together at all.

I found this on YouTube this afternoon with car 7031:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_TNWFHUm8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks like the LED signage was modified slightly as of late. Apparently on the Red Line, they've been changed in this video to state "Destination", followed by "Shady Grove." Basically they just clarified the information instead of just going from the next stop station name to the destination station name.

On car 7122 which is coupled go 123 on green line to greenbelt. The LCD screen now shows a green bar and 'to' greenbelt instead of old way of saying 'for'.

Unfortunately this 7000 series car got tagged. This picture was found on the Unsuck DC Metro Facebook page and via @MetroReasons.
https://www.facebook.com/unsuckdcmetro/ ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metro has worse problems than taggers,got to be a hole in a fence somewhere.

A way of aiding in reducing this type of vandalism is to not advertise it.

Sand Box John wrote:A way of aiding in reducing this type of vandalism is to not advertise it.

What I wonder is how anyone can even get close enough do vandalize a rail car like that.

Is there no security in rail yards? Think about it.. if people can get lose enough and have enough time to tag a train so extensively.. they also have enough time to do something more destructive. Something a terrorist might do. I don't want to say what specifically because I don't want to give ideas.

That isn't much work for a practiced graffiti vandal.

Riding the green line today during rush hour, I observed 3 7000-series trains in usage. I also got to listen to two automated announcements I had not heard before. The first was when we were waiting for a Yellow line train to clear the platform at L'Enfant, and the operator had the system announce that we were holding for a train on the platform ahead. Then when the platform was clear, the operator used the announcement for 'hold on, train moving' (or something like that).

That's been in place for awhile, heard those announcements being used several months ago.

What is going on with the 7k's lately? Have they all been moved to the Green line?

Over the weekend I drove by the Greenbelt rail yard and all I saw was 7k's parked as far as the eye can see. Never saw that many 7k's at once before. On top of that.. I haven't seen any on the red line for about two weeks or so.

Have they moved them all to the green line or are these just the new deliveries waiting to be commissioned? Seems unfair that the green line would get the majority of them. Especially since the green line has the most crime.

Yes, they're currently restricted to the Green Line (and Yellow Rush+) in light of the recent incidents involving 7K trains becoming disabled. The trains were getting stuck due to out-of-spec (low) third rail height, something the 7K cars apparently are more sensitive to.

Chris Brown wrote:What is going on with the 7k's lately? Have they all been moved to the Green line?

Over the weekend I drove by the Greenbelt rail yard and all I saw was 7k's parked as far as the eye can see. Never saw that many 7k's at once before. On top of that.. I haven't seen any on the red line for about two weeks or so.

Have they moved them all to the green line or are these just the new deliveries waiting to be commissioned? Seems unfair that the green line would get the majority of them. Especially since the green line has the most crime.

Was wondering the same thing. They abruptly disappeared from the Red Line after becoming increasingly common.

Don't see what the Green Line and crime has to do with it though. The vast majority of passengers that benefit from the new cars aren't criminals, and while the southern branch does go through some rough areas, the northern branch is hardly any more unsafe than the eastern Red Line branch. There have been two murders at Deanwood recently so arguably you could even say the Orange Line is more dangerous, but again that should have no bearing on what equipment they assign to the line. Historically, new cars have been assigned exclusively to the Green Line.

dcmike wrote:Yes, they're currently restricted to the Green Line (and Yellow Rush+) in light of the recent incidents involving 7K trains becoming disabled. The trains were getting stuck due to out-of-spec (low) third rail height, something the 7K cars apparently are more sensitive to.

Thanks. Guess I can see why they kept this under wraps. I wonder how they'll end up dealing with this.

Do you know how many cars have been delivered so far and if they've finally opened the test track?

realtype wrote:

Chris Brown wrote:What is going on with the 7k's lately? Have they all been moved to the Green line?

Over the weekend I drove by the Greenbelt rail yard and all I saw was 7k's parked as far as the eye can see. Never saw that many 7k's at once before. On top of that.. I haven't seen any on the red line for about two weeks or so.

Have they moved them all to the green line or are these just the new deliveries waiting to be commissioned? Seems unfair that the green line would get the majority of them. Especially since the green line has the most crime.

Was wondering the same thing. They abruptly disappeared from the Red Line after becoming increasingly common.

Don't see what the Green Line and crime has to do with it though. The vast majority of passengers that benefit from the new cars aren't criminals, and while the southern branch does go through some rough areas, the northern branch is hardly any more unsafe than the eastern Red Line branch. There have been two murders at Deanwood recently so arguably you could even say the Orange Line is more dangerous, but again that should have no bearing on what equipment they assign to the line. Historically, new cars have been assigned exclusively to the Green Line.

The crime on the green line is relevant because this is new equipment. In rough areas the equipment is more likely to get damaged, tagged, etc. by passengers. The trains need to last 40 years. Why put the majority in a place where they are at more risk of damage so early in their life? That's all I was saying.

realtype wrote: Do you know how many cars have been delivered so far and if they've finally opened the test track?

As of today, 140 cars have been delivered. 102 of those have been accepted and are available for service.

Chris Brown wrote: Seems unfair that the green line would get the majority of them.

Safety and reliability trump fairness.

I'm trying to avoid the "crime" discussion as I can't help but hear the dog whistle in the background. But I will add two thoughts: if the Green line really is more prone to crime, then you've made a great argument for testing the new anti vandalism features incorporated in to the 7000 car design. Over the years I have spent my fair share of time working evening and night shift at both New Carrollton and Branch Ave shops and I dutifully rode the train to and from work everyday day. Not once was I a victim of any crime.