Investigation Widens to Similar Cases With Same Car Model

The National Transportation Safety Board has expanded its investigation into Sunday's Metro derailment to include all similar incidents involving 5000-Series rail cars, which make up 20 percent of Metro's fleet, agency officials announced yesterday.

Metro also disclosed three additional derailments of 5000-Series rail cars. All occurred last year, but none involved passengers or were considered serious. The cars, manufactured by CAF Inc., a Spanish company, have been involved in eight of the system's 15 derailments since 2001, when the cars were introduced into Metro's 952-car fleet.

Jack Requa, Metro interim manager, defended the subway's safety record yesterday and said he welcomed the expanded investigation. He also said the CAF cars have proved to be safe during the past six years.

"Every new vehicle has issues," he said, adding that Sunday's incident was the fifth derailment with passengers onboard in Metro's 31-year history and the only one of those five involving a CAF car. "We think the system is safe," he said.

Metro officials did not provide details about the additional derailments disclosed yesterday because of the NTSB investigation.

An internal report on the first four of the eight 5000-Series derailments, issued in October 2004, said they took place on side tracks or in rail yards. They involved trains that had no passengers aboard, that were operating at 5 to 10 mph and that were making tight turns on tracks that were not lubricated properly. Proper lubrication helps prevent train wheels from climbing up and off rails in tight turns.

The train that derailed near the Mount Vernon Square station last week was also on a rarely used switch track with a tight curve. Metro officials would not provide data on the last time the stretch of track involved in Sunday's derailment was inspected or lubricated. NTSB officials said they would look closely at the rail car and track.

The train's operator passed a drug and alcohol test, which is required after any incident, Metro officials said.

The car that derailed has since been moved to a maintenance building near the Branch Avenue Station.

Requa questioned reports by the D.C. Fire and Emergency Services Department that it took Metro 10 minutes to inform 911 dispatchers of the derailment, delaying a response.

"Personally, I'd like to get clarification from the fire department," Requa said, adding that records show the operator of a second train saw the derailment and told Metro headquarters about the incident a minute after the accident, which occurred at 3:46 p.m.

He said Metro officials called 911 three times during the incident, once to report a derailment, once to report a back injury after an evacuated passenger told officers on the station's mezzanine that she was injured, and a third to request evacuation assistance.

"There were three separate calls within that time frame as the story developed," Requa said.

Asked whether any of those calls were made within 10 minutes of the accident, which would directly contradict city dispatch records, Requa said he is waiting to review internal records and tapes. He said the NTSB has requested all of the communications records for use in its investigation.

The first call received by 911 operators came at 29 seconds past 3:56 p.m., reporting a back injury, according to a spokeswoman for District Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D). A second call, at 41 seconds past 3:58 p.m., first mentioned a derailment. Rescue crews arrived at the station at 12 seconds after 4 p.m.

Asked about the discrepancy, Requa said: "We're checking the records, but we want to talk to the fire department about what their concerns are."

Fire department officials could not be reached for comment.