The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said a Blue Line train derailed near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after it hit an object that had fallen off a different Metro train, according to an initial video review.
The derailment occurred between the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Potomac Yard stations in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia, with service between the stations being suspended for nearly two hours on Friday. The 7000 series train was heading in the direction of the Franconia-Springfield station when it is believed to have hit a foreign object on the track.
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“Preliminary review shows there was an object on the tracks, and that initially appears to be the cause of the incident. There is no evidence this is a security-related incident at all, but it does look like the foreign object caused an impact when the wheel of the train —hit that train,” WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke said at a press conference.
Clarke said that the object on the track appeared to be from a different 3000 series train.
“Indications show that the object was the component of a 3000 series train that preceded the incident train through the station. Based on that, I have given a direction for an inspection of 2000 and 3000 series trains in the fleet. That visual inspection will be completed by tomorrow morning, and additionally, there will be a more detailed shop inspection that will be completed within the week,” Clarke added.
Video shows incident today of Blue Line train at National Airport hitting an object on the track. Prelim inspection appears object came off of proceeding 2k/3k train. We are inspecting all 2k/3k trains and will provide additional updates. #wmata pic.twitter.com/DJ7mekZady
— Metro Forward (@wmata) September 29, 2023
He said service would not be affected by the inspections of the 2000 and 3000 series trains and that the inspection remains active.
WMATA confirmed the 43 people who were on the derailed train were transferred by shuttle bus to a different train to “continue their trip” and that none of them were injured.
The 2000 and 3000 series trains entered service from the mid- to late 1980s and are expected to be replaced by the end of fiscal 2028, according to the transit agency.
Metrorail service between the two initially affected stations resumed, with single-tracking between the Potomac Yard and Pentagon City stations, just before 1 p.m. WMATA said trains would operate every 12-24 minutes due to the single-tracking but that additional Blue line trains would run from the Downtown Largo and Arlington National Cemetery stations to “minimize congestion.”
The Potomac Yard station is the newest station to open in the Metro system, opening as an infill station in May 2023. The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station is one of the system’s oldest, opening in 1977.
The derailment comes nearly two years after a derailment on the Blue Line between the Rosslyn and Arlington National Cemetery stations in Arlington, Virginia, caused the transit agency to pull its 7000 series trains after a malfunction with the wheels was discovered. Officials stressed at the press conference that the 7000 series train on Friday did not appear to malfunction in any way.
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Since the incident, 7000 series trains have been brought back into service, with the transit agency now touting running “more train service than at any time in its 47-year history.”
WMATA is facing its own struggles with a $750 million budget gap starting next summer as commuters slowly return to the system after the pandemic. Transit agency leaders are asking regional leaders for an increase in funding and are warning of possible hiring freezes, employee layoffs, and slow train service if the budget gap cannot be met.
