Metro News Release

For immediate release: February 26, 2010

Metro to repair door control units on nearly half of rail fleet

Door repairs to enhance rail safety for automatic train operations

Metro will repair door control units on 546 rail cars, which will enhance passenger safety once Metro resumes automatic train operations. Trains have been functioning in manual mode since June 22, 2009, following a fatal train collision. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the accident.

The Metro Board of Directors yesterday (Feb. 25) approved these repairs on nearly half of the Metrorail fleet at a cost of $2.6 million.

The repairs are the result of three incidents in 2008 in which where trains that were operating in automatic mode had the doors open on the wrong side of the tracks at station stops.

All repairs are expected to be completed in spring 2011.


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Media contact for this news release: Steven Taubenkibel or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.

News release issued at 8:12 am, February 26, 2010.