Metro is adding a new six-car train to the Green Line to handle the rush of travelers expected to flood the line before and after Washington Nationals games, officials said.
The transit agency is scheduled to receive 10 new 6000-series railcars this week — part of Metro’s initial order of 184 — and will deploy six of them for Green Line rush-hour service, Assistant General Manager Gerald Francis said Monday.
That will bring the number of rush-hour trains on the line from 19 to 20 and will accommodate about 1,000 more baseball fans on the route.
Nationals evening games are scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m.
District and Nationals officials are relying heavily on Metro to transport fans to the 41,000-seat ballpark as the team has struggled to secure enough parking spots for even just its season-ticket holders.
Metro is estimating 60 percent of ticket holders — or almost 25,000 people during sold-out games — will ride the train to the new stadium. Fans also can park at RFK Stadium and ride a shuttle.
Currently the Green Line serves only about 6,000 people in the direction of the stadium during rush hour, Metro officials said.
Francis said Metro has spent extensive time planning for the season and is ready to handle the crowds.
During rush hour, the agency will have spare trains waiting near Green Line stations ready to replace any train that breaks down, Francis said.
Metro also will have extra trains waiting after games to move people out of the Navy Yard Metrorail station.
That station, which has been undergoing construction to expand its capacity from 5,000 people to 15,000 people an hour, will be ready in time for opening day, Francis said.
Metro officials are asking fans to stagger their departure times and to be patient when leavingthe stadium.
“People need to know it will be crowded inside the Navy Yard station, but we will get you to and from the games,” General Manager John Catoe said.
