WMATA starts running 7000 series as 6 car trains

This week WMATA started running 7000 series as 6 car trains so that they can retire the 2000 series trains.
I thought they could only be operated as 8 car trains

https://twitter.com/wmataGM/status/1745134317401944441

As I understand it, the only operational difference between the 7000 series trains and the older trains is that the 7000 series trains have only a cab at one end of each married pair of cars, while in the older series, there is a cab at the end of each married pair.

This means the 7000 series trains can operate in 4, 6, or 8 car trains (8 cars being the full platform length), while all older series of cars can operate in 2, 4, 6, or 8 car trains.

davinp
This week WMATA started running 7000 series as 6 car trains so that they can retire the 2000 series trains.
I thought they could only be operated as 8 car trains

Operated as only 8 car trains has always been a myth as the 7k cars like the older aluminum stock only share systems across married pairs and not 4 car sets.

WMATA set the 8 car train only policy because of the lack of a revenue operates cab in the B car of married pairs. The logic behind the policy was based on not having to use the hostler cab in the B car for movements on the mainline in the event of a having to uncouple malfunctioning cars on the mainline during normal service. Operating from the hostler cab is restricted to 15 MPH and has no train control protection and no controls for opening and closing doors.

To my knowledge WMATA has never uncouple malfunctioning cars from trains on the mainline during normal service, they simply take the entire train out service and deadhead it to the nearest yard.

When running as a 6-set, they get run with one pair attached by the B-car end to a standard Quad. Arrangement then becomes: A-B-B-A-B-A

And yes, WMATA just sorts out issues when they do nightly layups, and if a train develops critical issues the whole train is changed out

Windstorm
When running as a 6-set, they get run with one pair attached by the B-car end to a standard Quad. Arrangement then becomes: A-B-B-A-B-A

A B car will always be coupled to a B car in 7k car 6 car consists, there is no other way to assemble 6 car train using 7k cars.

Rode a 6-car 7000-series this past Sunday when I flew back into IAD and headed home.

Windstorm wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:56 pm When running as a 6-set, they get run with one pair attached by the B-car end to a standard Quad. Arrangement then becomes: A-B-B-A-B-A

And yes, WMATA just sorts out issues when they do nightly layups, and if a train develops critical issues the whole train is changed out

I work for KRC at the Greenbelt field site. I assure you the configuration can be set that way, and has several times for certain types of testing, if WMATA is not doing that setup, then it is by strange choice, but not design limitation