The fourth new 7000-series trainset of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will enter service on Monday, Aug. 17, on the Green Line, the agency said.
Departing Greenbelt Station at 5:30 a.m. and Branch Avenue Station at 6:25 a.m., the new train will continue in service throughout morning rush hour and will be assigned to the Green Line.
According to WMATA, the new trainsets are much more technologically advanced than the agency’s current railcars. The new sets, however, “backward compatible” with the agency’s oldest cars, the 1000-series.
The regular passenger service with the 7000 series cars took place shortly after 7 a.m. on April 14 when a Blue Line train departed from Franconia-Springfield.
“The 7000-series is an entirely new generation of railcars at Metro – a fleet that is, by design, revolutionary as opposed to evolutionary,” Metro Interim General Manager and CEO Jack Requa said in a March news release. “The cars were built to maximize safety while providing enhanced rider comfort and reliability. We are excited to welcome riders aboard their new trains.”
