If you ride the Metro, you may be familiar with the carpeted trains. These are Metrorail's oldest cars, which were introduced in 1983.
On Friday, the 2000-series trains will be retired.
The trains were built to last approximately 40 years, according to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority news release. While these trains have undergone updates and improvements, they've had four times the number of issues compared with the newer, 7000-series trains, the statement said.
All 76 train cars will be removed. Two will be preserved.
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“…We thank [the trains] for their faithful service over the years,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said in a statement. “We recognize the rich history of these cars and they have certainly earned this well-deserved retirement,” he added.
Clarke said this decision will give riders a better experience.
Over the next few months, Metro will remove the train cars' parts and hazardous materials.
In 2027, the transit agency plans to phase out the 3000-series trains, where they will also begin to introduce 256 new train cars.
Metro will still have enough trains to accommodate current peak ridership, according to the release.
CORRECTION (10:19 p.m., May 8, 2024): An early version of this story said 76 trains are being removed. Seventy-six train cars are being removed.
