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Some Metro riders will wait longer for return of 7000 series cars

WASHINGTON — Two weeks after identifying the problem, Metro is pushing back its timeline for returning the new cars to the three rail lines hit hardest by its SafeTrack program.

As WTOP reported June 10, the 7000 series cars, Metro’s new slick, silver, computerized trains have been pulled from the Silver, Orange and Blue lines due to track fix needed at two locations outside its Rosslyn station. But Metro is still unable to give a specific date as to when the work will be done.

“That may happen later this week, it may happen next week,” Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said. “SafeTrack is obviously the priority here.”

The problem is that when the 7000 series sensors temporary lose contact with the third rail, the cars self disable. The fix is  lowering or raising that rail, depending on the location, by a quarter inch, Stessel said.

But until those fixes happen, the cars will be running on other lines.

Metro fare evasion crackdown sparks police confrontation concerns

WASHINGTON — Amid complaints that Metro’s fare evasion crackdown is leading to people being pinned to the ground or pepper-sprayed unnecessarily by police, Metro’s general manager said Thursday that the crackdown is necessary to ensure that other rules are followed and that Metro gets all of the funding it is entitled to. “The way WMATA treats its riders, particularly people of color, is unacceptable,” Brianna Musselman told the Metro Board Thursday. She recorded video of a man being pinned to the ground and pepper-sprayed by Metro police at the Gallery Place station in June, during an encounter that began when officers said the man tried to enter the rail system without paying.
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