For immediate release: November 17, 2016

Metro to remove 4000-series

railcars after safety concern
identified
Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld today ordered the immediate removal
from service of all 4000-series railcars following the identification of a potential safety
concern involving the train's automatic train control (ATC) system that could result in a
"false indication" to a train operator going undetected.
Metro's ATC system keeps trains properly spaced and a safe distance from other trains
by displaying "speed commands" on a control panel in the operator's cab. When
operating in "manual mode," the train operator responds to the speed commands, which
indicate the train's maximum authorized speed relative to the train's location and
distance from other trains. Train operators receive "zero speed commands" -- indicated
by a double zero -- when the train is not authorized to move (i.e. the equivalent of a
"stop signal").
Albeit remote, Metro railcar engineers believe the potential exists for an undetectable
failure of the 4000-series ATC system control board that could result in improper speed
commands being given to a train when a 4000-series car is in the lead position.
"Today's action is being taken in an abundance of caution and, while we believe that the
risk is small, it is a risk I am unwilling to take," Wiedefeld said. "Everything we do here is
going to put safety first, no matter what."
As of 3:30 p.m., Metro is in the process of removing 4000-series cars from its mainline
tracks. The process is expected to take several hours.
Based on a preliminary investigation initiated today, it appears that the 4000-series
railcar manufacturer recommends annual testing as a way to mitigate the risk of a false
indication. Such testing is not currently done at Metro.
Metro may consider "bellying" 4000-series cars in the center of trains -- similar to 1000series cars -- at a future date. The ATC issue identified today is not a risk when the
4000-series cars are not in the lead position.
The 4000-series is the smallest and least reliable of Metro's six "legacy" fleets. There
are 41 married pairs of 4000-series cars currently in active service, andMetro was

already considering retiring all of them by the end of 2017. Metro may further accelerate
the 4000-series retirement in light of this newly identified issue.
Customers may notice fewer 8-car trains in service over the next several days as a
result of today's action.