16 Rail Cars Pulled For Potential Brake Problems

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Metro has pulled 16 rail cars out of service as a precaution because they have the same brake equipment as a car that experienced a problem earlier this week.

Metro said Wednesday it pulled cars out of service that had brake equipment from the same manufacturing batch as a blue line train that had part of its brake system fall off Tuesday. The falling piece struck the electrified third rail, causing sparks and smoke. Some 300 riders were escorted off the trains, but no one was injured. What caused the piece to fall is still under investigation.

The agency is inspecting the rest of the so-called 5000-series rail cars. The cars are among the newer cars in Metro's fleet, having been delivered between 1998 and 2003.

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