All Things WMATA 7000 Series

tommyboy6181 wrote:Looking at YouTube, a poster put these videos up earlier today:

Next stop/transfer automated announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siuTosS6AQk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Doors opening/next stop announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOf7AOhD9rk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Train leaving Capital South:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frQ8obewNdY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A few things I noticed here. Kawasaki went with NYC style announcements here with everything, and that is not a bad thing. It's also good that they included the transfers to VRE with this example, which I'm sure they also did with MARC and Amtrak trains that connect with other stations.

The new announcements do not mention the side of the platform doors will open.

Also, anyone notice the new chimes sounding similar to the R142/R143/R160/R188 trains in NYC except in a different pitch?

I have to say, Kawasaki did a very nice job with this project from what I saw here and I don't doubt that the new trains will perform extremely well in the system.

I could have sworn the announcement said what side the doors were going to open on...

JDC wrote:I wanted to see how the automated voice handled the French - pretty good.

But how will it pronounce "Judiciary Square"?

Dr. G has a good write up too. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr- ... s-in-them/

It might be an interesting day long experiment to ride the 7000-series on each line and record each announcement of a station's name.

Here is the press conference that welcomed the new cars. Of course, it has many of the political figures you'd expect along with a visit from the Japanese Embassy and the Kawasaki CEO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44NQdBdlSH0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I found this video on YouTube of an interior ride on the new trains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74I32zGemKI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I see they also have a railfan front window which is not supposed to be blocked, which enables me to videotape out the front. I'll be going this weekend and Ill be sure to get footage of the 7Ks

"Robert Paniagua"
I see they also have a railfan front window which is not supposed to be blocked, which enables me to videotape out the front. I'll be going this weekend and Ill be sure to get footage of the 7Ks

Catching a ride on the 7k cars on a weekend ain't going to happen. WMATA is only making 3 round trips a day with them on weekdays on the Blue line. 1 1/2 in the morning and 1 1/2 in the afternoon.

You might see one of the other set out testing if you are lucky.

Sand Box John wrote:"Robert Paniagua"
I see they also have a railfan front window which is not supposed to be blocked, which enables me to videotape out the front. I'll be going this weekend and Ill be sure to get footage of the 7Ks

Catching a ride on the 7k cars on a weekend ain't going to happen. WMATA is only making 3 round trips a day with them on weekdays on the Blue line. 1 1/2 in the morning and 1 1/2 in the afternoon.

You might see one of the other set out testing if you are lucky.

The set might not run on weekends, but it is certainly not restricted to the Blue Line, as far as I can tell...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXUxZlVaxVY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - credits to T. Logan.

Fan Railer wrote:

Sand Box John wrote:"Robert Paniagua"
I see they also have a railfan front window which is not supposed to be blocked, which enables me to videotape out the front. I'll be going this weekend and Ill be sure to get footage of the 7Ks

Catching a ride on the 7k cars on a weekend ain't going to happen. WMATA is only making 3 round trips a day with them on weekdays on the Blue line. 1 1/2 in the morning and 1 1/2 in the afternoon.

You might see one of the other set out testing if you are lucky.

The set might not run on weekends, but it is certainly not restricted to the Blue Line, as far as I can tell...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXUxZlVaxVY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - credits to T. Logan.

During a snafu last week (the fallen bridge on the Green line), Metro diverted the 8-car long 7000-series train to the Yellow line to move people in/out of the core.

Oh I get it now. So I think I'd have to wait a bit more until they get more 7000s in service so that they can be used on weekends to prepare for the 1K retirement

Given the 7000s are out and acceptance and production is ramping is there any ETA for finishing the Greenbelt test track? It looks like Greenbelt will be closed every weekend until at least into June.

"drwho9437"
Given the 7000s are out and acceptance and production is ramping is there any ETA for finishing the Greenbelt test track? It looks like Greenbelt will be closed every weekend until at least into June.

I have no idea. My guess is, principle construction should be done sometime this summer. Wiring up the signalling and train system will likely be done by fall and should be turned over to WMATA no later then the end of the year.

All of the running rail has been moved from the staging area at the Greenbelt station to the right of way. The third rail has not been delivered yet.

The contractor is working on the grading and track laying at the same time trains are operating between Collage Park and Greenbelt. That is what they were doing when the piece of equipment knocked down the Berwyn Road pedestrian bridge. On the weekends I have been over there to take pictures the contractor was moving trucks and equipment across the mainline between revenue trains.

I believe the Commissioning Facility within Greenbelt yard is done and is now being use the assemble the cars and pretest them before sending them out on the mainline for road testing.

I was visiting the DC area for a week. Had tickets to the Nationals/Yankees game Tuesday night. As we had plans all day in DC that day and we were staying in South Laurel MD, we parked at Greenbelt in the morning since that would be an easy, one-seat ride from the ballpark after the game.

We got to Greenbelt sometime after 11:30pm and I saw a VERY shiny train on the other side of the platform. It was full of test equipment, workers with laptops, drums that I think were full of water to simulate weight, etc.. I noticed right after that it was a 7000-series train.

I tried to get a few pictures as inconspicuously as possible. Unfortunately, when I try to attach the files here, I'm getting a message that they are invalid, but no reason why.

"djlong"I was visiting the DC area for a week. Had tickets to the Nationals/Yankees game Tuesday night. As we had plans all day in DC that day and we were staying in South Laurel MD, we parked at Greenbelt in the morning since that would be an easy, one-seat ride from the ballpark after the game.

We got to Greenbelt sometime after 11:30pm and I saw a VERY shiny train on the other side of the platform. It was full of test equipment, workers with laptops, drums that I think were full of water to simulate weight, etc.. I noticed right after that it was a 7000-series train.

Did you happen to recall the car numbers?

I tried to get a few pictures as inconspicuously as possible. Unfortunately, when I try to attach the files here, I'm getting a message that they are invalid, but no reason why.

Post to your images to your favorite images hosting service, (Picasa, Flicker, Imgur . . .), place URL to image in post between: Images hosted elsewhere can be no wider then 800 pix.

Sand Box John wrote: Did you happen to recall the car numbers?

The train in service consists of cars 7000-7007. The second train (presumably 7008-7015) is expected to be in service sometime this month, but WMATA has yet to provide an actual date for its entrance to service.