Motor [upgrade] status

How many DC-motored cars are left in the system?

I think all Rohr's were converted to AC with VFD's years ago.

And some of 2000/3000's were as well. But are all now AC or not? Weren't some chopper-controlled?

Are any work trains DC...?

3000 and 4000 were/are chopper controlled. I haven't seen a 3000-series with choppers in more than six months, though, so I'm guessing that all the 3000-series cars have either been rehabbed, or are in Hornell being rehabbed. So I think I'm safe to say that the 2000's and 3000's are all AC now, and the only DC-motored cars are the 100 4000-series cars.

And yes, all the Rohrs were converted to AC propulsion in the 1990s.

As for work cars, 1028 was converted to a work car after the 1982 Federal Triangle derailment, and then two Rohr pairs have become revenue collection cars. In addition, there are lots of other work cars that were never part of the revenue fleet.

SchuminWeb wrote:...so I'm guessing that all the 3000-series cars have either been rehabbed, or are in Hornell being rehabbed.

Yeah, I haven't seen a pre-rehab 3000 for at least 4-5 months. I think the last ones to go were 3282-3283 which were Metro's "test cars" that had the grab handles, lean-pads (or whatever they're called), and the bench seating. All bad ideas IMHO.

"SchuminWeb"

As for work cars, 1028 was converted to a work car after the 1982 Federal Triangle derailment, and then two Rohr pairs have become revenue collection cars. In addition, there are lots of other work cars that were never part of the revenue fleet.

1028 is not a "work car" it is a clearance checking car, aka the feeler car. It is used for no other function.

For the record, the 8000 series cars aka revenue collection cars (formerly 1010 1011 and 1044 1045) have had their propulsion system upgraded to AC.

realtype wrote:Yeah, I haven't seen a pre-rehab 3000 for at least 4-5 months. I think the last ones to go were 3282-3283 which were Metro's "test cars" that had the grab handles, lean-pads (or whatever they're called), and the bench seating. All bad ideas IMHO.

The grab handles are a good idea in theory, but they're putting them on the Alstoms, and those cars have enough floor-to-seatback poles to make those handles unnecessary.

SchuminWeb wrote:

realtype wrote: The grab handles are a good idea in theory, but they're putting them on the Alstoms, and those cars have enough floor-to-seatback poles to make those handles unnecessary.

I'm still looking for cars with more seatback poles. Which have them, and how many?

The Alstoms have them on all seats in the middle of the cars except for the double-ended seats and the side-facing seats. As before, there are no poles at the blind end beyond the last set of doors, and no poles at the cab end beyond the doors.

As far as the 3ks are concerned, I think they all have been rebuilt, therefore making the 4K the only car class having the original propulsion sounds and DC motor traction, therefore, until these are AC-converted, the 4K cars cannot trainline with the other stuff (1K, 5K, etc.....)

Robert Paniagua wrote:As far as the 3ks are concerned, I think they all have been rebuilt, therefore making the 4K the only car class having the original propulsion sounds and DC motor traction, therefore, until these are AC-converted, the 4K cars cannot trainline with the other stuff (1K, 5K, etc.....)

Wow, I can't believe that I didn't even notice that the 4Ks weren't being coupled with the other cars. I guess next time I see a 4K at the front of the train, I won't walk down the platform to see if there are any rehabs or 6000s in the train.

The 4000s can most definately be MUed to any other car class, even though they have not been rehabbed.

As I recall, the 1k cars that were upgraded to AC traction were regularly mixed with both chopper and cam control equipped Breda cars before they were sent out for rehabilitation.

WMATAGMOAGH wrote:The 4000s can most definately be MUed to any other car class, even though they have not been rehabbed.

Oh, I didn't know that, and in fact, I just remembered that I saw a 4000 run with a 1000 or 3000-series. Unlike uphere in Boston where the Red Line 015/016/01700-series (DC traction equipped) cannot trainline with the AC-tractioned 01800-series by Bombardier or on the Blue Line the Hawker Siddeley DC traction 0600s cannot trainline with the Siemens AC traction 0700s

Isn't it a given that any current WMATA pair can run with any other?

I recall reading of an upcoming decision about the next generation that would *not* be interoperable...

Sand Box John wrote:As I recall, the 1k cars that were upgraded to AC traction were regularly mixed with both chopper and cam control equipped Breda cars before they were sent out for rehabilitation.

They most definately did, I rode on such trains countless times.

farecard wrote:Isn't it a given that any current WMATA pair can run with any other?

I recall reading of an upcoming decision about the next generation that would *not* be interoperable...

1000s, 2000s, 3000s, 4000s, 5000s, and 6000s are all compatible with each other. However, WMATA probably shouldn't mix cars nearly as much as they do, especially 1000s and 4000s with 2000s, 3000s, 5000s, and 6000s due to the computer systems on board the last 4 types of cars I just listed.

As of now the 7000s will not be compatible with any of the existing 6 (or 5 post 2000/3000 Rehab) types of cars.