Scrapping has begun

Chris Brown wrote:Here is video of the scrap yard with the three retired 1K's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp90Cmle4Mo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm SO glad to see the cars go...but that video made me somewhat sad. The cars just look so forlorn now that their long journey is done and they have no passengers to carry....

This Washington Post article says that 2 cars are being removed every week since early February; 6 total are gone so far: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

"srepetsk"
Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

The one in the Post article is the same car in the picture that opened this thread, 1013. 1012 and 1013 are in the youtube clip. I forgot to make a mental note of the numbers of the 2 I saw Friday night in Baltimore, something in the low 20s sticks in my head.

Now that I know shipping schedule I can roll by the scrap yard write down car numbers. I will stop by the yard Monday to see what's still there.

Chris Brown wrote: At the very least they should save trains numbered 1000-1001. The original 1K pair is still in service today. I saw them about two months ago on the red line. The very first Metro railcars ever built. They should be saved and put in a museum. If not the pair, then at least #1000. I see no reason not to. Its part of Washington DC's history. In 100 years people will look at that rail car the way we look at antiques today. And if they make it an exhibit you can walk into and sit down in, that's even better.

To be honest.. they never should of rehabbed #1000-1001. Those cars should of been saved back in the 90's.

CB and Everyone:

I agree that the prototype Metro cars 1000-1001 should be saved from being scrapped. With the 40th anniversary of
the first Metro line opening just one month away an effort should be made by those interested to preserve at least
one pair of these cars for a DC historical society or museum and/or one of the regional rail museums: Baltimore or
National Capital Streetcar Museums for starters on first thought. A historical standpoint should be enough reason
to make sure at least one pair of 1000 series cars goes to preservation.

This reminds me of when the LIRR was retiring the M1 MU fleet the prototype cars of 9001-9002 were kept aside
to be preserved but because of their condition they were eventually sent out to be scrapped and in the end only
two pairs would be saved: 9547-9548 at the Railroad Museum of Long Island and 9745-9746 for the MTA Transit
Museum collection out of a fleet that once numbered 770 cars (LIRR) and 178 cars (MNCR M1A) after they were
built and placed in service (1968-1972). All of the M1A cars were scrapped as far as I know...

If cars 1000-1001 are structurally sound they should be saved if at all possible but if not - a pair in as good a
condition as possible out of the retiring 1000 series should be preserved in its place because once they are gone...

MACTRAXX

Someone with the time should make contact with both WMATA and the museums that might be interested in preserving. After doing that use crowdfunding to raise the monies necessary to purchase and ship the car to the preserving museum.

Another option would be to preserve them on WMATA property using crowdfunding to maintain them.

The National Capital Streetcar Museum would likely not be able to operate them base on their track layout, the Baltimore Streetcar Museum could, but they could not be turned on their loops.

Here is a wild idea. Lease or purchase a piece of property using crowdfunding along Brookville Road in Silver Spring and make a deal with the future Purple line operator to run them between 16th Street and Bethesda.

srepetsk wrote:This Washington Post article says that 2 cars are being removed every week since early February; 6 total are gone so far: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

I like how it says 'transit dweebs' can tell what car they are in by the serial number...um...that would be how ANYONE could tell what series they were in. True railfans could tell from the sound of the motor, the various internal indicia, etc. I also take offense to transit dweeb.

JDC wrote:

srepetsk wrote:This Washington Post article says that 2 cars are being removed every week since early February; 6 total are gone so far: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

I like how it says 'transit dweebs' can tell what car they are in by the serial number...um...that would be how ANYONE could tell what series they were in. True railfans could tell from the sound of the motor, the various internal indicia, etc. I also take offense to transit dweeb.

I can tell what series I'm in from the layout and texture of the poles and grab bars. I can also tell what series I'm looking at from the outside even without seeing the numbers. Except for the 2000 and 3000 because they're 100% identical as far as I know.

Chris Brown wrote:

JDC wrote:

srepetsk wrote:This Washington Post article says that 2 cars are being removed every week since early February; 6 total are gone so far: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

I like how it says 'transit dweebs' can tell what car they are in by the serial number...um...that would be how ANYONE could tell what series they were in. True railfans could tell from the sound of the motor, the various internal indicia, etc. I also take offense to transit dweeb.

I can tell what series I'm in from the layout and texture of the poles and grab bars. I can also tell what series I'm looking at from the outside even without seeing the numbers. Except for the 2000 and 3000 because they're 100% identical as far as I know.

Instead of "transit dweeb", they should try "transit enthusiast."

Besides knowing the car series by number, it's easy to tell each. Basically the 1k has the extra seating by the doors, has the sign that was converted to an exterior speaker, and has the textured interior. The 2k and 3k are identical except for their original construction where the 2k had the silent cam motors and the 3k had the loud chopper. The 4k has the extra set of door lights, rounded windows on the cab ends, has the brown rubber on the grab bars, and still has the wheelchair locks. The 5k almost resemble the 1k cab ends now that the black paint wore off. They of course have the LED signage and have the round door lights. The 6k- interior is different, the second next stop display, LED lights on the doors, and rounded windows on the cab ends. The 7k of course- stanless steel body, new interior, FIND displays, the video displays, seats, etc.

Eh, you all get the point.

Back to the topic at hand.

1203 in Baltimore 6:14 PM, will likely see her mate 1202 tomorrow night.

Wow cool! The more retirements of this, the better. But they'll keep the Rohr 1ks used for the Money train

Robert Paniagua wrote:Wow cool! The more retirements of this, the better. But they'll keep the Rohr 1ks used for the Money train

I'm going to speculate that potentially the 1k Money Train and even the 1k feeler car could potentially be replaced by the 5k that gets retired. But anything could happen.

"tommyboy6181"
I'm going to speculate that potentially the 1k Money Train and even the 1k feeler car could potentially be replaced by the 5k that gets retired. But anything could happen.

I happen to believe that the feeler car will remain on the property as it is a piece of unpowereed non revenue equipment. Before the destruction of its mate in the Smithsonian wreck of 01 13 1982 a revenue married pair was temporally fitted for that task.

As to the 4 revenue collection cars, WMATA is strapped for cash and again those cars are non revenue equipment with low mileage on them. If they go at all they will likely be the last.

On a related note, A friend of mine that I recently learned worked on the 1k car acceptance testing team for Rohr told me that 8 of the cars were fitted for revenue collection.

JDC wrote:

srepetsk wrote:This Washington Post article says that 2 cars are being removed every week since early February; 6 total are gone so far: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anybody happen to know which ones have been retired, and what order they're leaving in? (Obviously after getting rid of the pre-crashed ones, that is. Will the least-reliable 1Ks leave first, etc.?)

I like how it says 'transit dweebs' can tell what car they are in by the serial number...um...that would be how ANYONE could tell what series they were in. True railfans could tell from the sound of the motor, the various internal indicia, etc. I also take offense to transit dweeb.

Everyone:

I read the article by Paul Duggan and noticed that Metro spokesman Dan Stessel mentioned something about
WMATA being open to preserving 1000 series cars - and there was added mention in the Comments following
about the subject of saving some 1000 series cars which impressed me now knowing that there are others out
there that feel the same way about saving at least a chosen few of these cars for historical purposes.

The thing that bothered us in this article was the term "transit dweeb"...I would have expected this from a 16
year old high school student and not a big city newspaper reporter..."Transit BUFF" would describe many of us
and it just plain sounds better - and a little more professional then the term "dweeb" which is a put-down...

Someone with connections and clout either from this forum or with one of the preservation groups/museums
should contact Dan Stessel directly and suggest this subject of saving cars 1000-1001 for preservation.

Another thought would for cars 1000-1001 would for them to go to the Smithsonian in some type of display
about Washington history if they would be interested. With the 40th Anniversary of the initial Red Line opening
only weeks away this month could be the prime time to step forward to save cars 1000-1001.

With the Metro initial line anniversary this makes me think of another Metro car: Back in the 1970s there was a
original Metro car mockup that carried the number 144 and was easily recognizable by the use of the M - Metro
logo and name below the front door window - a feature that all Metro cars should have had - the new 7000 fleet
finally has this identification feature. Whatever became of this mockup prototype car and was it preserved?

Metro should be proud of and commemorating this month's Red Line anniversary in some form and it would be
only fitting if cars 1000-1001 could be a part of some kind of ceremony come March 29th.

MACTRAXX

About the only place for 1000-1001 at the Smithsonian would be at the NASM annex at Dulles airport in a "underground" station recreation
near the annex buildings.

@"MACTRAXX"
First off I wouldn't get all worked up, at the present scrapping rate it will take almost 3 years for WMATA to dispose of all of them.

I happen to believe the best way to get the attention of the folks at WMATA is to show them some money. The schema I'm thing of is to use crowd source funding to rise money to procure and ship one or more pairs to the various museums that would be interested in displaying and or operating them. Base on the figure quoted in the Post article, United Iron & Metal was paid $4,785.71 each to remove the cars from WMATA property. I would guess WMATA would except almost any offer to buy some of them.

"Backshophoss"
About the only place for 1000-1001 at the Smithsonian would be at the NASM annex at Dulles airport in a "underground" station recreation
near the annex buildings.

Display them in the main hanger and note that they were manufactured by an enterprise the was originally founded as a parts and sub assembly suppler to the aviation industry. Back in the 1980s the Air and Space Museum on the Mall had an exhibit about the diversification in the aviation industry. In that exhibit was a pair of 1/25 scale Rohr cars.