The rolling stock of the Washington Metro system consists of 1,242 electric multiple unit railcars that were acquired across seven orders. All cars operate as married pairs (consecutively numbered even-odd), with systems shared across the pair. The 7000-series cars, the system's newest, have an operator's cab in only one of each married pair's cars (the even numbered one) and operate in groups of three or four.
The system's track gauge is narrower than , but is not considered narrow gauge in the traditional sense despite the gauge. Also, at above top of rail, the floor height of the cars is lower than that of most other East Coast mass transit systems, including New York City, Boston Alt URL (Archive link is only to one-sentence abstract; subscription required) and Philadelphia.
, Metro owns a fleet of 1,216 railcars, 1,208 of which are active in revenue service.
Active railcars Series Manufacturer Number purchased Propulsion systemEntered service Planned year for retirement Currently owned Currently active Planned replacement 3000 Breda (refurbished by Alstom) 290 Alstom ONIX 2000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters1987 (Refurbished from 2004 to 2009) 2027 276 250–280 8000-series 6000 Alstom 184 2005–2008 TBD 184 180+ 2 as money train 8000-series(if option order is exercised) 7000 Kawasaki 748 Toshiba SEA-430 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters2013–2019 TBD 748 748 TBD
Retired railcars Series Manufacturer Number purchased Propulsion system Entered service Retired Currently owned Replacement 1000 Rohr (Refurbished by Breda) 300 GE AC Traction with GTO Inverters 1976 (Refurbished from 1993 to 1996) 2016–2017 2 preserved 7000-series 2000 Breda (Refurbished by Alstom) 76 Alstom ONIX 2000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters 1982 (Refurbished from 2002 to 2004) 2024 2 preserved + 2 as money train 8000-series 4000 Breda 100 Westinghouse 1462 DC motors with chopper controls 1991 2017 2 preserved 7000-series 5000 CAF/AAI 192 Bombardier Mitrac DR1000 AC Traction with IGBT Inverters 2001 2018–2019 2 preserved
Future railcars Series Manufacturer Number purchased Propulsion system Year planned for entering service (estimate)Notes 8000 Hitachi 256(with options for up to 800) (proposed) TBD 2028Replacing the 2000 and 3000-series rails
Rail yards There are ten Metrorail storage and overhaul facilities totaling more than of workspace. One is currently under development.
Facility Line Opened Storage Location Storage Service & Inspection Major Repair Overhaul Running Maintenance Alexandria 1981 176 VA ✔ ✔ ✔ Branch Avenue 2002 166 MD ✔ ✔ ✔ Brentwood 1974 86 DC ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Dulles 2022 184 VA ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Falls Church 1986 186 VA ✔ ✔ ✔ Greenbelt 1995 284 MD ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Glenmont 1998 132 MD ✔ Landover 202524MD✔✔✔ Largo 2004 42 MD ✔ New Carrollton 1978 114 MD ✔ ✔ ✔ Shady Grove 1983 168 MD ✔ ✔ ✔
Active Breda 3000-series
The third order consisted of 290 cars from Breda, with delivery in 1987. These cars are numbered 3000–3289 as delivered and were rehabilitated in 2004 to 2009 by Alstom in Hornell, New York.
Features These cars had a single flip-dot sign like the 2000-series cars, along with an exterior loudspeaker. As part of the rehabilitation project in 2004, they received AC propulsion systems with IGBT technology (Alstom ONIX 2000), replacing the chopper-controlled DC propulsion system manufactured by Westinghouse. Also included in the rehabilitation was the addition of railcar monitoring systems, exterior LED destination signs, interior LED next stop signs, and improved emergency exit signage. The refurbished 3000-series cars also received the red, white and blue interior found on the 5000-series cars. Since the early 2020's the 3000 Series have had another interior upgrade, with carpeting removed and received a new blue interior to match the 7000-Series. From May to July 2026, the Breda 3000 series and the Alstom 6000 series railcars are to receive modified interior signage, getting rid of the all-caps LED.
Pilot programs Beginning in 2005, several 3000-series cars that had not yet undergone rehabilitation were modified as part of a pilot program to study passenger movements to improve the seating arrangement for future rail cars. Sixteen cars received a new seating arrangement that included modified handholds and seat positions, including some longitudinal seating. These cars, as well as other cars being used as control cars in the experiment, received on-board cameras in order for planners to observe passenger movements.
Around August 2008, Metrorail tested new overhead handles of different styles on 3034, 3035, 3094, 3095, as well as some 1000-series cars to gauge public opinion.
Select 3000-series cars (3024, 3025, 3062, 3063, 3070, 3071, 3096, 3097, 3100, 3101, 3104, 3105, 3118, and 3119, respectively) were fitted with a vinyl wrap as a pilot program in November 2017. This wrap is also found on cars 6180–6181.
Incidents On January 6, 1996, a revenue train collided with an out-of-service train, both consisting entirely of Breda 3000-series cars, at the station, fatally injuring the operator of the revenue train. Car 3252, the lead car of the revenue train, collided with 3191, the car at the inbound end of the out-of-service train. The mates of these two cars, 3253 and 3190 respectively, were later mated together. 3190 reentered revenue service as 3290, and 3253 reentered service as 3291. 3252 and 3191 were retained by WMATA for training purposes at Carmen Turner Facility in Landover, Maryland until 2023 when they were replaced by railcars 6050-6051.
Cars 3036, 3037, 3256, and 3257 were involved in the 2009 Collision, being a part of the stationary train. Despite those four cars being relatively undamaged, they did not return to service and were removed from property by 2015.
On November 29, 2009, a collision occurred between two out-of-service trains at the Falls Church rail yard in Fairfax County, Virginia. Car 3216, the lead car of one of the trains, was damaged beyond repair. Three Metro employees with minor injuries were taken to a local hospital. The NTSB planned to launch an investigation of the incident. In 2015, car 3216 was taken to the Transportation Technology Center and was later used for blast testing. Car 3217 was also believed to have been sent to the Transportation Technology Center as well.
On April 15, 2019, cars 3100 and 3114 separated while in motion near Wiehle-Reston East. There were no passengers on board since this was in the pocket track just past the station. The train was then taken to the Falls Church Rail Yard for inspection, and the sets returned to service days later.
On May 21, 2019, WMATA temporarily removed all 3000-series railcars from service following reports of door malfunctions. All 3000-Series cars returned to service days later once inspections were complete.
On October 7, 2019, at 12:54 am, two out-of-service 3000-series trains collided between Foggy Bottom and Farragut West, injuring two operators. Train 755 (the stationary train) consisted of cars 3141, 3140, 3121, 3120, 3206 and 3207, and Train 700 (the striking train) consisted of cars 3008, 3009, 3010, 3011, 3019 and 3018. Car 3008, the lead car of the striking train, struck car 3207 from the stationary train. Both cars suffered damage as a result. Cars 3140 and 3120 also suffered broken couplers during the collision as well. Cars 3008, 3009, 3120, 3121, 3206, and 3207 were damaged beyond repair and were scrapped. Cars 3140 and 3141 also never returned to service and remained on property.
On September 29, 2023, a brake disk from car 3069 fell from the car and landed on the track outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station, causing a 7000-series train to derail. All 2000 and 3000 series railcars were temporarily pulled from service for inspections but returned to service by October 5, 2023.
Retirement WMATA is expecting to begin replacing its 3000-series cars, with the last ones being phased out in early 2027. At least two cars will likely be set aside for preservation.
Beginning in 2025, at least 30 railcars were retired and stored at Greenbelt Yard. On January 8, 2026, WMATA began seeking a qualified contractor to provide pick-up, removal, and disposal services to scrap thirty 3000-series railcars beginning in early 2027. As of May 2026, 26 railcars have been shipped off-property.
Alstom 6000-series
The sixth order of metro railcars consisted of 184 cars, built by Alstom, the same company involved in the 2000 and 3000 Series rehabilitation program, with assembly being completed at Hornell, New York.
Features The bulkhead doors have rounded windows and a different operator side window design without a top horizontal bar. The 6000-series cars seat 64, 4 fewer than the cars built since the 2000-series.
The interior was redesigned to allow for additional standing room (mostly around the center doors) and easier access to all portions of the car. New to the 6000-series cars is the addition of two interior LED next stop indicators located at the center of the car, which brings the total to four interior displays per car (two facing each direction). There also is an intercom located next to the center doors; previous rail cars only have them at the front and back of each car.
Another new feature is that they are the first series of cars manufactured with the flashing brake indicators on the far ends of each car. These are similar to what was used on the Rohr cars, and the current rehabilitated Bredas, indicating when the train is in the final stages of stopping. The 6000-series cars features the same cast trucks as the CAF cars, and use the same propulsion systems and advanced cab signaling systems found in the Breda 2000/3000-series after rehabilitation by Alstom.
The body shells of the 6000-series were built in Barcelona, Spain, with assembly completed in Hornell, New York.
Delivery The first 6000-series set was placed into service on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, at 11:30 am on its inaugural trip on the Green Line from to .
On November 17, 2008, Metro completed the installation of new stainless steel-grab bars to all 184 6000-series cars.
Pilot programs In late 2007, Metro began testing new resilient flooring on four 6000-series cars (6104+6105, 6142+6143) and announced in November 2013 that within two years, all 6000-series cars would feature the new flooring.
Metro tested new fabric seating on cars 6026–6027. This type of seating was also installed on cars 6014–6015.
In November 2017, cars 6180–6181 were fitted with a silver vinyl wrap, which replaces the brown painting on the sides of the cars. On the inside, new blue seats were installed to match the new 7000-series cars. A dozen 6000-series and 3000-series cars received these features. WMATA says repainting would cost $14,055 per car, while implementing a vinyl wrap costs only $4,776. Metro's Richard Jordan also claims this method is more environmentally friendly compared to painting. The aluminum surface requires harsh chemicals which have to be treated before being put down the sewer.
Incidents 6050–6051 suffered major body damage in a derailment at the New Carrollton Yard in January 2013. 6050 was sent to Upstate New York to be repaired at the Alstom Plant. 6051 was stored at Greenbelt Yard. By October 2021, 6050 was re-coupled back with 6051. However they were not returned to service and instead they are being used for training purposes at WMATA's Carmen Turner Facility in Landover, MD, replacing cars 3191 and 3252 in 2023.
6038–6039 separated from each other while operating on the Silver Line between McLean and East Falls Church on August 25, 2018. The set was repaired and returned to service in late 2018.