One_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 Washington_NP0 transit_NN1 agency_NN1 's_VBZ most_AV0 closely_AV0 held_VVN secrets_NN2 about_PRP its_DPS rail_NN1 service_NN1 in_PRP recent_AJ0 years_NN2 is_VBZ that_CJT the_AT0 wheels_NN2 have_VHB been_VBN coming_VVG off_AVP —_PUN literally_AV0 ._SENT Since_PRP 2017_CRD ,_PUN Metro_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ served_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS 600_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD rail_NN1 passengers_NN2 daily_AJ0 before_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 ,_PUN has_VHZ known_VVN that_CJT the_AT0 wheels_NN2 of_PRF some_DT0 of_PRF its_DPS custom-built_AJ0 7000-series_AJ0 trains_NN2 had_VHD been_VBN shifting_VVG outward_AV0 on_PRP their_DPS axles_NN2 while_CJS moving_VVG on_PRP the_AT0 tracks_NN2 ._SENT Those_DT0 cars_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 newest_AJS in_PRP Metro_NP0 's_POS inventory_NN1 ,_PUN account_NN1 for_PRP nearly_AV0 two-thirds_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 fleet_NN1 and_CJC more_AV0 than_CJS four-fifths_CRD of_PRF annual_AJ0 subway_NN1 miles_NN2 traveled_VVN ._SENT That_DT0 problem_NN1 ,_PUN to_TO0 put_VVI it_PNP in_PRP layman_NN1 's_POS terms_NN2 ,_PUN is_VBZ absolutely_AV0 not_XX0 supposed_AJ0 to_TO0 happen_VVI ;_PUN it_PNP poses_VVZ a_AT0 risk_NN1 of_PRF derailment_NN1 ,_PUN a_AT0 dangerous_AJ0 and_CJC potentially_AV0 fatal_AJ0 event_NN1 ._SENT When_CJS a_AT0 7000-series_AJ0 car_NN1 with_PRP precisely_AV0 that_DT0 issue_NN1 derailed_VVD last_ORD week_NN1 near_PRP Metro_NP0 's_POS Arlington_NP0 Cemetery_NN1 station_NN1 in_PRP Northern_NP0 Virginia_NP0 ,_PUN it_PNP was_VBD lucky_AJ0 indeed_AV0 there_EX0 were_VBD no_AT0 injuries_NN2 ,_PUN although_CJS nearly_AV0 200_CRD people_NN0 aboard_AV0 were_VBD evacuated_VVN to_TO0 walk_VVI hundreds_CRD of_PRF yards_NN2 underground_AJ0 on_PRP dark_AJ0 tracks_NN2 to_PRP safety_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP is_VBZ disturbing_AJ0 that_CJT in_PRP the_AT0 four_CRD years_NN2 since_PRP the_AT0 wheel_NN1 troubles_NN2 were_VBD detected_VVN —_PUN and_CJC even_AV0 as_PRP Metro_NP0 officials_NN2 were_VBD in_PRP discussions_NN2 about_PRP them_PNP with_PRP the_AT0 manufacturer_NN1 ,_PUN Kawasaki_NP0 Rail_NN1 Car_NN1 in_PRP Nebraska_NP0 —_PUN the_AT0 agency_NN1 apparently_AV0 said_VVD nothing_PNI either_AV0 to_PRP its_DPS own_DT0 board_NN1 of_PRF directors_NN2 or_CJC to_PRP the_AT0 Washington_NP0 Metrorail_NN1 Safety_NN1 Commission_NN1 ,_PUN an_AT0 oversight_NN1 panel_NN1 that_CJT began_VVD work_NN1 two_CRD years_NN2 ago_AV0 after_CJS it_PNP was_VBD established_VVN by_PRP Congress_NN1 ._SENT Wheel_NN1 assembly_NN1 on_PRP Metro_NP0 rail_NN1 cars_NN2 had_VHD failed_VVN repeatedly_AV0 ,_PUN NTSB_NP0 says_VVZ Do_VDB Metro_NP0 officials_NN2 regard_VVB their_DPS board_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 safety_NN1 commission_NN1 as_PRP window_NN1 dressing_NN1 ?_SENT Is_VBZ transparency_NN1 purely_AV0 optional_AJ0 ?_SENT Metro_NP0 did_VDD n't_XX0 mention_VVI the_AT0 problem_NN1 in_PRP its_DPS most_DT0 recent_AJ0 annual_AJ0 performance_NN1 report_NN1 ,_PUN covering_VVG the_AT0 fiscal_AJ0 year_NN1 ending_VVG June_NP0 30_CRD ,_PUN either_AV0 ._SENT To_PRP the_AT0 contrary_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 report_NN1 's_POS safety_NN1 and_CJC reliability_NN1 pages_NN2 offer_VVB a_AT0 litany_NN1 of_PRF good_AJ0 news_NN1 ,_PUN including_PRP the_AT0 conclusion_NN1 that_CJT "_PUQ railcar_NN1 reliability_NN1 improved_VVN throughout_PRP FY21_NN1 and_CJC ended_VVD at_PRP a_AT0 record_NN1 high_AJ0 ,_PUN driven_VVN by_PRP strong_AJ0 performance_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 7000-series_AJ0 fleet_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Railcar_NN1 failures_NN2 during_PRP the_AT0 12-month_AJ0 period_NN1 ,_PUN Metro_NP0 reported_VVD ,_PUN averaged_VVD fewer_DT0 than_CJS half_DT0 the_AT0 number_NN1 tallied_VVD just_AV0 two_CRD years_NN2 ago_AV0 ._SENT Though_CJS the_AT0 report_NN1 mentions_VVZ ongoing_AJ0 inspections_NN2 to_TO0 minimize_VVI the_AT0 chance_NN1 of_PRF derailments_NN2 ,_PUN not_XX0 a_AT0 word_NN1 appears_VVZ about_PRP the_AT0 wheel_NN1 issue_NN1 ,_PUN which_DTQ ,_PUN as_CJS Metro_NP0 told_VVD the_AT0 National_AJ0 Transportation_NN1 Safety_NN1 Board_NN1 following_VVG the_AT0 Oct._NP0 12_CRD derailment_NN1 ,_PUN has_VHZ been_VBN recurring_AJ0 since_PRP 2017._CRD That_DT0 was_VBD three_CRD years_NN2 before_PRP the_AT0 agency_NN1 took_VVD delivery_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 last_ORD of_PRF its_DPS 748_CRD 7000-series_AJ0 trains_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 fallout_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 derailment_NN1 is_VBZ severe_AJ0 ._SENT 
