Metro had to evacuate a train at least once a day on average last month because of a door malfunction.
Part of the problem, Metro officials say, is that riders push to squeeze in just one more person when they hear the chimes warning that the doors are about to close.
But train doors aren’t like elevator doors that pop open when something is blocking their path. A jammed bag, coat or even leg stuck between Metro doors can break the door. That can force everyone off the train as crews come out to fix the problem, which leads to more packed cars on subsequent trains.
Such delays are a concern each weekday, especially during the morning and evening rush.
But the doors could be a bigger issue on Tuesday when Metro will be running rush-hour train service for 17 consecutive hours. Officials anticipate packed trains as the massive Inauguration Day crowds flood the rail system.
To be sure, the doors sometimes break on their own, without passenger assistance. But the message, Metro officials say, is don’t lean on doors or try to squeeze in as they close.
“The doors are critical,” said Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel. “Our customers have a part in making sure our trains run.”
On Monday evening, a train malfunction at the Silver Spring station caused crowds to squeeze into subsequent trains on the Red Line. That, in turn, caused doors to break on two other trains and forced passengers off.
Still, it’s rare that doors malfunction, considering how many train doors open each day, Taubenkibel said. Each car on the train has six sets of doors, three of which open at each station, which Taubenkibel said translates to more than 2.6 million door openings each weekday.
Between August and November, less than 2 percent of trains had door malfunctions. But they occur more often during rush-hour traffic, when trains tend to be more crowded.
