After a Metrorail derailment last month, riders will see a slight increase in trains Monday, but full service will remain limited through Nov. 15.
The transit agency announced 40 trains will be available — up eight from the 32 trains traveling throughout the D.C. region Friday. Each train will have six cars.
The additional trains will allow Silver Line service to extend to Largo Town Center and not end between Federal Center SW in D.C. to Wiehle-Reston East in Northern Virginia.
The agency said the additional trains will decrease wait times to every 20 minutes on the Green Line, which previously ran last week every 30 to 40 minutes.
“Our rail maintenance crews are working hard to get more trains into service so that customers don’t have to wait as long to get where they need to go,” Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a statement. “We are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore more service in the coming weeks and continue to develop plans for inspections to return our 7000-series railcar fleet to service.”
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, an independent agency created by Congress, pulled all 748 of the 7000-series trains which decreased service by 60%.
Expected wait times on all remaining lines are 15 to 20 minutes for the Red Line and 30-40 minutes for the Blue, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines.
The National Transportation Safety Board continues to inspect wheels on the 7000 series, which the agency has assessed as the reason for the derailment, in which no one was injured.
The Federal Transit Administration marks as the third agency participating in the derailment investigation. Kawasaki Rail Car of Yonkers, New York, manufactures the 7000-series cars.
Meanwhile, Metro’s Finance and Capital Committee plan to meet Thursday and review a proposed fiscal 2023 budget.
A document of the financial summary includes a $2 late-night Metrorail fare for one-way trips after 9:30 p.m. until closing and provide $5 for every $25 placed on a SmarTrip card.
The agency also proposes to permanently implement the $12 price for the seven-day regional bus pass that went into effect in September.