Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 18, 2005

Metrorail train nicks another in rail yard

A Metrorail train that pulled out of a maintenance bay to park in a storage track nicked the corner of another that was already parked. The parked train’s rear end was sticking out along an adjacent yard track that lead to the storage area. The train operator was not injured. Damage to both trains was extremely minor.

The rare incident occurred at the Alexandria, VA, rail yard at about 1 a.m. this morning. Both trains were two-car trains. The parked cars were Breda rail cars known as 3000 Series cars and the one that was moving was comprised of two CAF cars, known as 5000 Series cars. The CAF train was traveling at about 3 mph. The Alexandria rail yard houses 150 of Metro’s 900 rail cars.

Both the interlocking operator, who has been controlling train movements in the rail yard from the yard tower for two years, and the train operator, who has been a train operator for six years, were removed from service for standard post-incident testing. The incident remains under investigation.

The rail cars are expected to return to service within a few weeks.

News release issued on March 18, 2005.