Just one day after Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that it was removing from service 72 rail operators due to a lapse in recertification, General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld decided to step down—weeks ahead of his expected retirement date—and Chief Operating Officer Joe Leader resigned, the transit agency reported late May 16.
![“Lapse in Metrorail [WMATA] operator recertification results in changes to certain trains effective Monday [May 16]. Green and Yellow line rail service moves to every 20 minutes beginning Monday,” WMATA reported via Twitter on May 15. (Photograph Courtesy of WMATA, Via Twitter)](https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WMATA-315x168.png)
Nearly half of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 500 rail operators have lapsed recertification, WMATA reported May 15, prompting the agency to remove from service 72, who became out of compliance more than a year ago.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) on Feb. 22 released an audit report of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) emergency management and fire and life safety programs that it said demonstrates “some improvements since the 2015 smoke accident near L’Enfant Plaza Station*, including markedly improved training and system familiarization for local first responders”; however, more work is required.
The Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 7000-series rapid transit cars will be out of service for another 90 days, the agency reported on Jan. 13; it said it is acquiring technology to measure the cars’ wheelsets, which have been under inspection since an Oct. 12, 2021 Blue Line train derailment.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission on Dec. 29 ordered Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) to pull from service its 7000-series rapid transit cars; it is the second time in as many months the order has been made.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 7000-series rapid transit cars will start returning to service this month under a “metered release” plan, the agency reported on Dec. 14.
As part of the investigation into the Oct. 12 derailment on Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Blue Line, all 748 7000-series rapid transit cars were sidelined on Oct. 18.
GO Transit commuter rail service is coming to London, Ontario. In addition, the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) has released an audit of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) railcar maintenance and overhaul practices; and Caltrain has launched a Go Pass donation pilot program.
The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (WMATA) fleet of 6000-series rapid transit cars remains out of service, following two train-separation incidents on the Red Line in 2020, according to the Washington Post.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) has released an audit report of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Automatic Train Control (ATC) and signaling system inspection, maintenance, engineering and training practices that identifies “several positive practices and a number of areas that require improvement.”
