Inspections ordered on Bombardier cars after subway doors open in transit
NEW YORK (WABC) -- There are alarming new details from the MTA about doors opening on some moving subway cars, prompting the MTA to order that each train car to be inspected.
The MTA says it was forced to pull its entire fleet of R179 subway cars, the newest model, the over ongoing door problems.
Both of the incidents happened on the southbound C train less than two weeks apart.
The first was December 24 on a C train heading south of High Street, and the train's doors opened about four inches while the train was moving.
Bombardier, which made the cars, said it was an issue with a locking mechanism.
Then, on January 3, it happened again on a southbound C train that was stopped at the platform at the Jay Street-MetroTech station.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Bombardier is blaming the flub on a supplier it maintains made the "problematic doors," but Transit President Andy Byford also seems to have had enough, calling the latest development unacceptable and adding the MTA intends to hold the company fully accountable.
Much older trains have replaced the new trains until inspections are complete, and the changes resulted in slower service for some customers on the first day of implementation.
Service has since been restored to normal.
The MTA recently blasted Bombardier for missed deadlines, poor car design, and construction methods.
Comptroller Scott Stringer also audited Bombardier last month.
"The New York City subway riders who foot the bill for the MTA's $600 million contract with Bombardier were promised new, state-of-the-art train cars to help modernize our ailing transit system," he said. "Now, all the cars that were delivered so far have been pulled from service due to critical defects. It is completely unacceptable."
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