Metro Crash Raises Safety Concerns

In the wake of the deadly Red Line Metro crash, many people are questioning the safety of the old 1000-series cars.

On Wednesday, the union representing rail operators made safety demands to deal with the cars deemed "not" crashworthy.

The National Transportation Safety Board says those 1000-series cars have little if any survivable space and can collapse in a crash. Despite loud calls to pull them off the tracks, Metro says it's not feasible for dealing with capacity nor is it economically possible.

If the 300 oldest cars were pulled, that would displace an estimated 200,000 passengers who would have to cram into the remaining newer fleet.

"WMATA address our concerns about potential hazards of the series 1000 trains. We are asking that those trains be bellied, or placed in the center; not at the front or rear of the trains in trailing cars," said Jackie Jeter, Union President.

The NTSB has said in the past they should be removed. Even so, on the Red Line platform, large crowds anxiously wait for some of the outdated cars.

Metro passenger Gheiza Dias said, "Every time the train stops, especially in the tunnels, people get nervous you can see in the face."

It's why many like her are looking out for the numbers which are located on the front and back of the each train cars near the door.

One passenger said, "I can't tell the difference, but I would prefer the newer series."

Some wonder why the 1000's are on the track at all and ask why some are not clearly marked with a number. Some have no numbers at all.

"They should be removed definitely," said passenger Lee Rush.

"I'm not totally comfortable on one, but I don't have a better option," said another anxious rider.

Despite the loud cry, one of the nation's leading rail experts says pulling them is not the answer.

"That's not realistic. Each agency that operates their own fleet has to make their own assessment. There are a lot of factors to include. It's not assuming those vehicles are unsafe," said
Martin P. Schroeder, chairman of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Rail Transit Vehicle Standards committee.

Safety experts say repositioning them may be the best option.

"If you place them at the center they don't get as much force or energy, collapse in that structure. It's mostly on the end," said Schroeder.

Of equal concern, the NTSB and The Federal Transit Authority have no authority to tell Metro they've got to run a safe train. Regulating transit agencies is banned by federal law.

Even if those cars were pulled tomorrow, it would take 5 years to build and put new rail cars in service. Bottom line, the 1000 series will be on the tracks until 2014.