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Metrorail Reports 17-Month Slide in On-Time Service
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Metro personnel so far have identified one component that is failing on the oldest cars. "But not all of the cars are having that problem," Francis said.
On the series with the door problems, an electronic control is failing and needs to be replaced in all 192 cars, Kubicek said. It is likely to take up to 18 months to make repairs when trains are not in service or during less-busy times, he said.
From July to November 2007, almost 60 percent of the 1,825 service disruptions were caused by mechanical and door problems, according to Metro data.
Metro officials said they will increase spending to improve train and bus reliability in the budget year that begins in July. The first draft of the budget, to be presented today, also calls for more eight-car trains during rush hours, with the number rising to 50 percent on all five subway lines by spring 2009. Most trains now have six cars. The agency is also trying to reduce the number of four-car trains it operates. A car carries 180 to 200 passengers.
Metro will also be spending more to buy needed bus and rail parts.
One obstacle to better performance, officials say, is that Metro, alone among major U.S. transit systems, does not have a dedicated source of revenue for capital improvements, such as new train cars, buses and other heavy equipment.
At the same time, the few hours when trains are not running allow little time for track maintenance and other repairs to be done. That's why such work also takes place almost every weekend and during off-peak hours.
Yesterday, officials announced several major projects on the Red Line that will mean additional weekend delays through mid-February.
Research director Lucy Shackelford contributed to this report.
