“some of the door components were found to be at a low level of acceptable tolerance” also “First-ever digital touchscreen displays in 8 Metrorail stations”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Joe Flood

From WMATA:

“This past weekend, Metro’s railcar maintenance and engineering staff completed inspections of door operations and components on all 100 4000-series cars. The inspections revealed no evidence of a systemic or emergent safety hazard. However, some of the door components were found to be at a low level of acceptable tolerance in terms of meeting Metro standards, and mechanics will need to make adjustments to the door equipment to keep all components in good working order. This work will help enhance safety, ensure the reliability of door operations and reduce offloads.

The door maintenance work will require more time with the cars than is available during overnight hours and includes adjusting tension on the doors, switches, and checking all screw mechanisms, as well as a more robust inspection of all components.

Over the next month, Metro will gradually return 4000-series cars to passenger service as the maintenance work is completed. This means that mostly 6-car trains will continue to operate in the coming days but will gradually be expanded as more 4000-series cars return to service.

Metro greatly appreciates our riders’ patience and understanding as this necessary work is undertaken to ensure safe and reliable train operations.”

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“Metro Center now has a touch screen information display, pretty cool. 13 & G exit”

Yesterday Metro issued a press release about them:

“Today, Metro along with OUTFRONT Media launched a digital advertising pilot program with the debut of large, interactive touchscreens at 8 Metrorail stations.

A first for Metro, the 72” digital flat-panel screens will be wall mounted and feature an interactive HD display. The divided screen will show eight-second advertisements and provide real-time customer information, including train arrival/departure times, station maps and area maps with dynamic navigational guides.

“We are thrilled to be working with WMATA to install these displays,” said Jeremy Male, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OUTFRONT Media. “Digital displays enhance the customers’ journey through way-finding and real-time information, and provide enhanced revenue opportunity for WMATA. Relevant and changeable ad messaging based on criteria such as time of day, weather, and other sales triggers is extremely appealing to advertisers.”

Digital advertising displays are being piloted at the following locations:

Gallery Place
7th & F Verizon Center Entrance
7th & H Chinatown Entrance
Metro Center
11th & G Entrance
13th & G Entrance
Farragut North
Connecticut Ave. & K St. Entrance
Farragut West
18th St. & I St. Entrance
Foggy Bottom

Pentagon

Federal Triangle

Capitol South

“We are excited to pilot these new touchscreen displays which provide real-time passenger information in a rider-friendly design, while expanding advertising opportunities throughout the Metrorail system,” said Assistant General Manager for Customer Service, Communications and Marketing Lynn Bowersox. “WMATA advertising generates about $20 million annually in revenues that support bus and rail transportation and help keep fares affordable for riders.”

Interactive Map
The map is interactive and will display information about a station when the user interacts with the station’s location on the map.

On the lower left, customers can select Metro map or Area map to display a full screen map
On the Left of the screen, up-to-date train and line arrival/departure times are displayed
By touching one of the color-coded buttons on the lower middle left of the screen, customers can select a line, to see all stations that connect to that line

Station Information
Along the bottom of the screen, station-specific information is available, including:

Accessibility features
Bus connections
Parking and car sharing availability
Bike rack and bike locker availability

Advertisers
During the 3-6 month pilot, advertising opportunities are available for commercial ads only. Issue-oriented ads remain temporarily suspended throughout the Metrorail and bus system until the end of the year.

Advertisers for the digital displays already include:

Brandywine Valley
Graduate School USA
Providence Hospital
Sofi”