Riders on Metrorail encountered standing-room-only conditions on some trains Tuesday morning after the transit agency pulled about 15 percent of an older-model car from service.
In a message on Twitter, Metro said all 3000-series car have been “temporarily removed” while it investigates what caused a door to malfunction on a car and it labeled the decision a “voluntary safety action.”
Metro also said it was restoring turnbacks of some trains at the Grosvenor Strathmore Red Line station in North Bethesda, meaning an additional 32 cars would be available to serve stations inside the Beltway and fewer trains would continue north to Shady Grove.
Shorter six-car trains, rather than eight-car trains, were also configured for the morning rush hour, Metro said.
“Every effort will be made to keep normal train intervals,” the Metro tweet said. “Apologies for any inconvenience. Your safety is our highest priority.”
At 7:45 a.m., trains arriving at the Twinbrook station in Rockville had few available seats. By the next stop at White Flint, aisles were filled with standing passengers and some commuters on the platform opted to wait for the next train.
The regional transit agency also deployed some 2000-series cars. Introduced in 1982, they among the oldest in the system and their return prompted one jab on a social media site that monitors Metro: “The bigger questions is why would they bring these ancient beasts back online.”
