Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have expanded their investigation into Sunday’s Metro derailment at the Mount Vernon Square stop to include all Metro derailments during the last six years.
Metro’s Interim General Manager Jack Requa told the Metro Board of the expansion at the board’s Thursday morning meeting. The safety board was looking into only the 5,000-series car that jumped the track, but now is looking into all derailments since 2001.
Twenty people were injured in Sunday’s derailment. The car in which they were riding is one of the 5,000-series models — a model that has been involved in eight of 15 derailments in the last six years but makes up only 20 percent of Metro’s fleet.
A Metro investigation into four of the derailments involving the 5,000-series cars led to new rules governing track conditions and maintenance reports. One of these derailments took place while the train was switching tracks, just as Sunday’s derailment did.
The specific car involved in the derailment underwent maintenance Jan. 5. Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein would not comment on what kind of work was being done.
The safety board declined to comment on the expanded investigation.
Construcciones y Auxiliar Ferrocarriles S.A., the Spanish company that builds the type of car involved in the derailment, said it is unaware of any problem with the 5,000-series cars.
Farbstein said she looks forward to the expanded investigation.
“We welcome them to do this,” she said following Requa’s statement. “We encourage them to look under every rock they can.”
Farbstein said the driver of the train tested negative for drugs and alcohol. She said it has not yet been determined if the track was properly lubricated at the time of the incident.
She added there have been no updates to standard operating procedure for how to deal with a derailment, although she said changes could be coming.
Farbstein said the cars involved in the derailment have been taken to the Branch Avenue Rail yard, where they are being examined by investigators.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
