The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has officially retired its last 2000-series railcar, marking the end of an era for the Metro system. The final train was removed from service at the Greenbelt Rail Yard this past week, closing the book on a fleet that first entered operation in the early 1980s.
The 2000-series trains were a familiar sight to generations of Metro riders across the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. Over more than four decades, the cars operated nearly 200 million miles and carried an estimated 775 million passengers, according to WMATA. Known for their boxy aluminum bodies and iconic orange interiors, the 2000-series cars represented the second generation of Metrorail trains following the original 1000-series fleet.
Metro officials described the retirement as “a bittersweet farewell,” noting that the removal of the final car makes room for WMATA’s newest generation of trains, the 8000-series, which will begin entering service in the coming years. The new cars, built by Hitachi Rail in Hagerstown, Maryland, will feature modern design elements, digital information displays, open gangways between cars, improved accessibility, and energy-efficient systems…