WMATA 8000 Series Rail Cars

KTHW
6 things wrong (I think)

1. Headways for Red Line
2. Train going the wrong way to Judiciary Square
3. Blue/Red line don’t share any stations where just the two intersect
4. Display says all trains are 6 cars (I assume these will have the same 4x4 config as the 7ks)
5. It’s NOMA/Galludet-U not NY Ave
6. Glenmont is at the end of the line AFTER Silver Spring.

The picture is shoddy work the more I look at it.

Your list adds 5 to my 3. The other 2 are

7. Size, location and type of pylon. Pylons on twin platforms have 12" sides that are located 18" in front of the light trough parapet.
8. Bench on opposite platform is on top of the light trough parapet that should be 41" high.

You could also add the shine on the platform with no grout between the tiles.

Also, Metro doesn't have red lights on the platform edge anymore.
Finally, LED headlights. Even the 7000 series don't have LED headlights, just regular old halgeon lights

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:58 am KTHW
6 things wrong (I think)

1. Headways for Red Line
2. Train going the wrong way to Judiciary Square
3. Blue/Red line don’t share any stations where just the two intersect
4. Display says all trains are 6 cars (I assume these will have the same 4x4 config as the 7ks)
5. It’s NOMA/Galludet-U not NY Ave
6. Glenmont is at the end of the line AFTER Silver Spring.

The picture is shoddy work the more I look at it.

Your list adds 5 to my 3. The other 2 are

7. Size, location and type of pylon. Pylons on twin platforms have 12" sides that are located 18" in front of the light trough parapet.
8. Bench on opposite platform is on top of the light trough parapet that should be 41" high.

You could also add the shine on the platform with no grout between the tiles.

davinp
Also, Metro doesn't have red lights on the platform edge anymore.
Finally, LED headlights. Even the 7000 series don't have LED headlights, just regular old halgeon lights

Based on the shape of the headlights they will likely be LEDs.

Does it really matter that some random graphic artist somewhere got a few minor details wrong? I care about the train, it's shape, and how it works, not that they have some slight errors on a completely irrelevant background sign.

MattW
Does it really matter that some random graphic artist somewhere got a few minor details wrong? I care about the train, it's shape, and how it works, not that they have some slight errors on a completely irrelevant background sign.

I live in a real world not some world some graphic artist think it might look like. The artist that did all of the renderings of the Metro in the 1970s for Harry Weese & Associates was a friend of mine. He used pencil and paper, ink pins and colored markers. None of his renderings ever look like that. Huntington Station.

One quick question: if the 8000s do replace remaining 6000s, that would leave just 7000s and 8000s.
When the time comes for the 9000s, would they replace the entire fleet in one shot and provide full
uniformity? That would be a massive order if so.

PATH and BART have elected in replacing their entire fleet at once with a uniform car series.

R36 Combine Coach
One quick question: if the 8000s do replace remaining 6000s, that would leave just 7000s and 8000s. When the time comes for the 9000s, would they replace the entire fleet in one shot and provide full uniformity? That would be a massive order if so.

The 8ks will replace 2 and 3ks and increase the overall size of the fleet. The 7ks were originally planed to replace the 1ks increase the fleet size for the Silver and increase the overall size of the fleet. They ended up replacing 4 an 5k cars and not increasing the overall size of the fleet. The 9ks will not be considered for procurement until the 7ks receive their mid life complete rehabilitation and reach the end of their useful service that will likely be in 35 years . The 8ks will hit the rails around 1/3 into the 7ks useful service life. The reason why the 4 and 5ks were not mid life rehabilitated is because the cost of rehabilitation along with increasing crash worthiness was equal to the price of new cars with half the useful service life.

The reason the 4Ks weren't rehabilitated when Metro rehabbed the 2K/3K's is because Metro didn't have the money to rehab them. As a result, the 4Ks were becoming more unreliable, so the decision was made to purchase additional 7ks to replace them. As for the 5Ks, they were so unreliable, that Metro decided to scrap them instead of rehab them.

Metro has not announced whether they will rehab or retire the 6Ks early, but since they are much more reliable than the 5Ks, they can be rehab. The 6Ks are 15 years old.

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Wed Jul 07, 2021 7:25 am R36 Combine Coach
One quick question: if the 8000s do replace remaining 6000s, that would leave just 7000s and 8000s. When the time comes for the 9000s, would they replace the entire fleet in one shot and provide full uniformity? That would be a massive order if so.

The 8ks will replace 2 and 3ks and increase the overall size of the fleet. The 7ks were originally planed to replace the 1ks increase the fleet size for the Silver and increase the overall size of the fleet. They ended up replacing 4 an 5k cars and not increasing the overall size of the fleet. The 9ks will not be considered for procurement until the 7ks receive their mid life complete rehabilitation and reach the end of their useful service that will likely be in 35 years . The 8ks will hit the rails around 1/3 into the 7ks useful service life. The reason why the 4 and 5ks were not mid life rehabilitated is because the cost of rehabilitation along with increasing crash worthiness was equal to the price of new cars with half the useful service life.

davinp
The reason the 4Ks weren't rehabilitated when Metro rehabbed the 2K/3K's is because Metro didn't have the money to rehab them. As a result, the 4Ks were becoming more unreliable, so the decision was made to purchase additional 7ks to replace them. As for the 5Ks, they were so unreliable, that Metro decided to scrap them instead of rehab them.

The original schema of the 7k procurement (09 18 2008) was to mid life rehabilitate the 4k cars to make them compatible with the 7k cars. See page 13: 7000 Series Railcar Program (757 kb PDF file)

• 128 Silver line.
• 100 Mid life rehabilitate the 4k cars.
• 300 Fleet enhancement (replace 1k cars).
• 220 Fleet Growth.

628 7k cars 220 4k cars compatible with the 7k car. Total 748 car.

The 4k cars were replaced one for one with 7k cars. Total 748 car.

The money issue entered the picture after the Fort Totten Wreck (06 22 2009) as the 4k cars are structurally similar to the 1k cars and 5k car to less extent.

New $70M Md. factory that will build Metro’s railcars to create hundreds of jobs
Luke Lukert
wtop.com
03 21 2022 0612

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 7:55 am New $70M Md. factory that will build Metro’s railcars to create hundreds of jobs
Luke Lukert
wtop.com
03 21 2022 0612

I see a possible redevelopment spot where they could build the factory and a test track... and have a connection to CSX. That'll then be a straight shot route (no hand-offs) to the Greenbelt yard.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:25 am

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 7:55 am New $70M Md. factory that will build Metro’s railcars to create hundreds of jobs
Luke Lukert
wtop.com
03 21 2022 0612

I see a possible redevelopment spot where they could build the factory and a test track... and have a connection to CSX. That'll then be a straight shot route (no hand-offs) to the Greenbelt yard.

I assumed that would be the case, i guess that the new cars would go over the former WM Dutch line?

STrRedWolf
I see a possible redevelopment spot where they could build the factory and a test track... and have a connection to CSX. That'll then be a straight shot route (no hand-offs) to the Greenbelt yard.
scratchyX1
I assumed that would be the case, i guess that the new cars would go over the former WM Dutch line?

I see them being shipped to Greenbelt Yard by truck as the article states the plant is a 90 minute drive from the Hagerstown plant to Greenbelt. Shipping by rail would require switching between local trains either in Baltimore MD or Cherry Run WV.

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 11:28 am STrRedWolf
I see a possible redevelopment spot where they could build the factory and a test track... and have a connection to CSX. That'll then be a straight shot route (no hand-offs) to the Greenbelt yard.
scratchyX1
I assumed that would be the case, i guess that the new cars would go over the former WM Dutch line?

I see them being shipped to Greenbelt Yard by truck as the article states the plant is a 90 minute drive from the Hagerstown plant to Greenbelt. Shipping by rail would require switching between local trains either in Baltimore MD or Cherry Run WV.

Oh, yeah. 90 minute drive, or few hours train ride, and I don't know where they would interchange in baltimore.
It's a shame, it would be steady traffic for a few years, that any shortline/regional would love.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:48 pm

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 11:28 am I see them being shipped to Greenbelt Yard by truck as the article states the plant is a 90 minute drive from the Hagerstown plant to Greenbelt. Shipping by rail would require switching between local trains either in Baltimore MD or Cherry Run WV.

Oh, yeah. 90 minute drive, or few hours train ride, and I don't know where they would interchange in baltimore.
It's a shame, it would be steady traffic for a few years, that any shortline/regional would love.

I can't see these being shipped by semi-hauler. I'm looking at a recent (2022) Google Maps Satellite view of Greenbelt's yard... and it looks very hard to do that. Meanwhile, you got NYC MTA R32 subway cars being hauled away for scrap via freight train consists, SC-44's and passenger cars being hauled the same way. Plus, Greenbelt yard has a connection to that CSX line (remembered that through my college days).

Mapping it out... ether it gets handed off and there's reverse moves the more "direct" way... or it takes the Hanover Subdivision from Hagerstown down to Curtis Bay yard, then an engine swap to get it down to Greenbelt.