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  • WMATA - 6000-series train decouples

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

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 #1484260  by Sand Box John
 
"davinp"
It took over 6 hours to remove the broken cars


They had to assemble a teem from the shop with the needed tools to disconnect the remaining cables and hoses. Disconnect those cables and hoses. Couple a rescue train to the east end of the train and pull it to Falls Church Yard, Couple another rescue train to the west end and push it to Falls Church Yard.
 #1484313  by smallfire85
 
Sand Box John wrote: They had to assemble a teem from the shop with the needed tools to disconnect the remaining cables and hoses. Disconnect those cables and hoses. Couple a rescue train to the east end of the train and pull it to Falls Church Yard, Couple another rescue train to the west end and push it to Falls Church Yard.
Yep. The only thing that happened differently was that the lead 5 cars self-recovered to WFC Yard. Two rescue trains were used to pick up the passengers from both ends of the train due to the gap at the pull-apart.
 #1484417  by davinp
 
Funny thing is that Metro said that they are going to inspect all 5000 and 6000 series trains.
What does the 5000 series have to do with this? Metro has retired most 5000 series trains from service.
I don't know how many are still in service and I have not seen a 5000 series train in quite a while
 #1484717  by JDC
 
Good point. Upwards of 75% of the time I am on a 7k these days (Yellow or Green lines). The remaining percentage is divided between 2/3k series or 6k. Haven't seen or ridden a 5k all summer.
 #1484743  by Sand Box John
 
"davinp"
Funny thing is that Metro said that they are going to inspect all 5000 and 6000 series trains.
What does the 5000 series have to do with this? Metro has retired most 5000 series trains from service.
I don't know how many are still in service and I have not seen a 5000 series train in quite a while


Both series have a similar two piece drawbar between the cars of the married pair.
 #1484916  by Sand Box John
 
"R36 Combine Coach"
It has happened on BART as well.


Actually no. This was a failure of a drawbar between a married pair. Bart does not operated trains composed of married pairs.

Like bart, WMATA has had several break aparts involving failures in their automatic couplers, this wasn't one of them.
 #1485412  by davinp
 
Sand Box John wrote:"R36 Combine Coach"
It has happened on BART as well.


Actually no. This was a failure of a drawbar between a married pair. Bart does not operated trains composed of married pairs.

Like bart, WMATA has had several break aparts involving failures in their automatic couplers, this wasn't one of them.
I saw on a BART train, they have a way to walk between the cars. Unfortunately, Metro did not design their railcars this way.
Also, I read that the railcars are not designed to be married pairs
 #1513919  by JDC
 
We now know the cause for why a married pair of cars separated on the Silver line back in Aug. 2018. (https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... -railcars/) According to the WTOP story, it was "because the agency was using the wrong parts, installing parts that were used incorrectly, and not checking to ensure things were done right." https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... on-tracks/. The story has some great photos showing the incorrect type of bolts used to hold the married pair together, which failed and they separated as the train approach McLean station.
 #1513921  by srepetsk
 
JDC wrote: Sun Jul 14, 2019 1:06 pm We now know the cause for why a married pair of cars separated on the Silver line back in Aug. 2018. (https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... -railcars/) According to the WTOP story, it was "because the agency was using the wrong parts, installing parts that were used incorrectly, and not checking to ensure things were done right." https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... on-tracks/. The story has some great photos showing the incorrect type of bolts used to hold the married pair together, which failed and they separated as the train approach McLean station.
Here's the full WMATA SAFE report which this article quotes https://wmsc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/today.pdf
 #1514005  by davinp
 
Of course, the 5000 series are no longer in service as Metro retired then in late 2018.
They should not have been mixing different series together, which they no longer do.