By Katie
‘A silver train on the blue line’
courtesy of ‘karthikkito’
NBC Washington reports that a second man has been struck and killed by a Metro train this week, this time early Sunday morning.
NBC Washington: “The accident happened on the Orange Line at 1:54 a.m. The train was going to New Carrollton; Metro was single tracking from Vienna to East Falls Church at the time.”
The death earlier this week occurred at McPherson Square.
By Jonathan
McPherson Square Station, by arvidbr (Creative Commons)
Update: Metro reports that the blue and orange lines are back to normal. Just in time for the best part of rush hour. Perhaps today isn’t so unlucky after all!
Dr. Gridlock, from the Washington Post, reported a few minutes ago that McPherson Square Metro Station is closed. It is reported that a Blue Line train hit someone on the tracks at that station.
This means that all Blue and Orange line trains are turning around at this station. There is “bus service” between Farragut West and Federal Triangle, but it might just be faster to walk. No word yet on when the station will be reopened.
By Wayan
New WMATA station names
Greater Greater Washington has an interesting idea gone all wrong. They’ve thought to rename Metro stations to be shorter and more logical. On the whole, I’d love the concept, as names like “U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo” are a run-on joke. But GGW better watch what it suggests.
To think that the Metro station at Georgia Avenue and New Hampshire should be called Park View instead of Georgia Avenue or Petworth is crazy talk. No, its fighting words. GGW can get all quick-hit somewhere else, cuz we’re not giving up our station to unknown Park View.
By Ben H. Rome
‘camera bag on shoulder tripod’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
Kudos to Michael Perkins over at Greater Greater Washington: from his efforts and many, many other Metro riders, WMATA is finally going to release schedule and routing info into the open Google Transit Feed Specification format by March 23. They announced this last night at the DC Council oversight hearing for WMATA.
According to WMATA’s Facebook page, we the public will be able to download bus and rail schedule and route info from Metro’s website. The data will be freely available to all who agree to their terms of use. The data released will be the exact same data that feeds Metro’s online Trip Planner…and Metro reserves the right to withdraw the data if necessary.
So in the end, this “punt” by Catoe and Co is actually better than the failed Google deal, as this allows anyone to use that data. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a Facebook application utilizing it in the future…
By Rebecca
courtesy of philliefan99
It seems to me that the first two months of 2009 have been a commuting nightmare. The morning traffic report on NPR is always citing a series of major delays on the metrorail, metrobus or the DC Metro area roadways. In recent days it’s been an Orange/Blue line derailment and traffic ridden lane closures on Route 50, not to mention the havoc caused by Monday’s Snowpocalypse. Even for those of us on foot, the congestion and hecticness of navigating the DC streets seems to have multiplied in 2009. Pedestrians and drivers are more irritable, hasty and almost reckless with their decision making. Yesterday, I saw a jaywalker hastily cross the “Vortex of Doom” (aka the Farragut North junction) without looking both ways and he quite nearly got creamed by a double decker bus. Could the state of the economy and the accompanying angst be trickling down into the state of our daily commutes?
By Tom Bridge
Brentwood Maintenance Yard
Originally uploaded by AlbinoFlea
Metro’s getting ready for what looks like it could be a fairly large snowpocalypse this evening. They’ve gotten their de-icing trains on the tracks, as well as 2,200 tons of salt and other ice-removal agents ready for use across the 100+ miles of track and parking lot. They’ll be starting the de-icing trains loose on the first runs of the morning tomorrow, and throughout the storm today. Bus routes are subject to plowing in the various jurisdictions that they cover, so that’ll be a game-time decision for most places depending on how bad the storm gets.
Of course, be sure to check in with OPM’s Status Page to see if you even need to go to work…
‘Tunnel Rats’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’
Via NBCWashington, I found this cool infographic from GOOD Magazine on how the US’ major metropolitan transit systems (including the DC Metro) stack up against the world’s transit systems. I had no idea that Metro has more riders than Chicago’s system, even has Chicago has many more miles of track than we do. Don’t forget to click through to the article for some good criticism of GOOD’s methodology from the commenters.
By Katie
‘Metro Opens Doors’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’
My metro ride this morning was the exact opposite of the tranquility pictured above. I was one squishy sardine on the Orange line this morning (hey, at least it works today!) but the worst part of my metro ride was that a man on it was hogging the only accessible pole by leaning his body up against it. That, my friends, is my METRO PET PEEVE (all capital letters). It is rude and inconsiderate to hog an entire pole with your body. Even the crook-of-your-arm-hug annoys the crap out of me, cause I can’t fit my hand where it should comfortably go without hitting your private bits, lady! I used to hate it when people would stand on the left, but we all hate that, it’s an unoriginal Metro pet peeve that can usually be solved by saying “EXCUSE ME THAT IS MY TRAIN!”
My friend Rebecca hates it when people blackberry and walk at the same time. My boss hates it when someone sits on the outside seat blocking the empty window seat, or spreads out on one of the benches on the platform. My roommate hates it when someone stands in front of the door when she’s trying to get off the train instead of stepping out and waiting.
So I need a therapy session – let’s share, cause sharing is caring. And maybe you’ll learn a thing or two about which of your metro habits is annoying someone. What is YOUR metro pet peeve?
By Katie
‘day175 :: year two’
courtesy of ‘erin*carly’
Delays on the Orange line are still kickin’, because we didn’t get enough of it this morning.
WMATA warns “Orange Line riders can expect major delays during afternoon rush hour as trains are single-tracking (taking turns sharing one track) between the East Falls Church and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations due to a piece of equipment that derailed for a second time today.”
Orangies, it might be time to run that errand in the city you’ve been putting off. Or go visit a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. Happy hour, anyone?
By Tom Bridge
‘beam me up, Scotty!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
Thanks to every who tweeted us to let us know that the Metro is a bit of a disaster this morning due to emergency track maintenance between Foggy Bottom and Clarendon, which means both the Orange and Blue lines are single tracking trains through these packed stations. Delays are listed as more than 40 minutes after one of the maintenance vehicles in the tunnel derailed. The incident hit this morning about 4:30am, and Metro’s hard at work at fixing it, but this one’s going to leave a mark.
By Ben H. Rome
‘waiting’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’
Ah, Metro, how we love thee.
After listening for months now from Catoe and Co go on and on about how dire Metro’s situation is, how much money they’re short, and how “woe is ME(tro)” – despite a record-breaking Inauguration ridership day and many other top-10 rider days last year AND a fare hike last year, to give Metro more of our money to play with – they do this.
Seems our near-broke and needy transit system is going after the stimulus monies now. Anything to fill that $154M gap, eh boys? (Oh, wait – the list of projects total about $230M. Well, when reaching deep into our pockets, why not go all the way?) On the list is nearly everything WMATA cried about last year, including the track maintenance warnings, replacing old buses and platforms, increasing SmarTrip services and so on.
I’ll give Catoe and Co credit; it’s a ballsy move to take your ‘needs’ list and try to siphon stimulus money for it by couching it in the “let’s help the economy now” phraseology so popular on the airwaves today. Hey, everyone else is doing it, so why not WMATA?
By Katie
‘at least we’re not outside anymore!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
I was just at metro center when a train went out of service. All the passengers unloaded and the operator blinked the lights and the train went black. A man standing near me on the platform randomly reached out to hold the door open and then I saw it, a little movement from the end of the car, a cane tip.
The man on the platform had spotted an elderly passenger who couldn’t move very fast and wasn’t off the train yet. The man on the platform yelled for the operator to hold but the operator didn’t hear and shut the door, leaving the man on the platform to pry the doors to save the old man on board from being whisked away on an out of service train. It took him two battles with the door (as well as the help of myself and two other men) to help hold the doors until the old man managed to shuffle off the car to safety. The old man exited the train and moved away, and the man on the platform went back to his blackberry and ipod.
Random acts of kindness spotted. Reason eight hundred sixty seven why I love DC.
By brownpau
(This is a video. You can play it. Listen for the horn!)
Piled on top of this morning’s Red Line woes, this train on the Red Line appeared to have its horn stuck in “VERY LOUD ON” mode, constantly blowing without stopping. (Insert clever ‘your mom’ joke here.) I got on at Union Station, got off at Metro Center, and that horn never stopped blaring through the tunnels and stations the whole time. Anyone else get to ride on the Eternal Horn Metro train this morning?
By Tom Bridge
‘Coming and going’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
Oh, Red Line. I wish you were better. But I’m hearing from all over that you’re nothing but a Charlie Foxtrot this morning. Between the Escalators at Dupont’s North Entrance freezing up, and the stuck train Union Station, and all manner of stopped up traffic jams, it’s a bad day to be at Metro Center.
It strikes me as hilarious, though, that of all the lines, only the Red Line has a Twitter Account to talk about all the issues.
By Ben H. Rome
‘e-z pass my ass.’ courtesy of ‘the idealist’
A myriad of transit news items, so pay attention.
E-Z Pass: If you’re a Maryland driver who has an E-Z Pass, get ready because the state is tacking on a monthly maintenance fee. Starting July 1, a $1.50 charge per account will be added; there will also be a new charge of $3 accompanying a Notice of Toll Due. Toll violation charges will increase from $15 to $25 and the duration of E-ZPass commuter plans will change from 60 days to 45.
Metro Track Work: After some time off, the work crews are back and we’ll be seeing weekend line delays as Metro restarts its maintenance cycles. This weekend is the Red Line’s turn, so add 20 minutes to your travels between Silver Spring and Forest Glen from 8 p.m. Friday to close of service on Sunday.
By Tom Bridge
‘Camera moves more than train’
courtesy of ‘Mllerustad’
The McPherson Square Metro station is currently closed due to a burned out cable that caused significant smoke in the station. The Blue and Orange line are currently severed between McPherson Square and Metro Center, so be aware that this will definitely impact getting around the core of the city on the Metro today. Metro’s operating a shuttle between the two stations, but there’s a 40 minute delay expected on the system right now. Ouch!
Update: Metro has reopened McPherson Square, but trains are single-tracking through the station at this time. Expect delays.
By Tom Bridge
Metro Platform
Originally uploaded by tbridge
Before last week, the best day on Metro came this past Summer, with 854,000 riders. Yesterday smashed that record. Metro has now released the numbers for yesterday’s totals and they’re astronomical. 1.12M riders on the Metro. Another 423,000 rode Metrobus yesterday, leading to a total public transit ridership of 1.54M people.
While it’s safe to say that most of them were headed to the Mall for the Inauguration, not all of them were, which means the crowd estimates around 1.4 million are sounding more and more credible for me.
I’m going to come right out and say it: I don’t think this record will fall in the next 5-10 years. While growth has been strong for metro with gas prices on the rise, I can’t see 1.12M riders in a day being topped without some sort of massive event in DC that will bring people from all around. The broad appeal of the Obama Inauguration is going to be hard to beat.
Maybe another Tibetan-Freedom-style concert down on the Mall with some monster names would do it, but even then, I can’t fathom them breaking the record.
By Tom Bridge
‘Concert Inauguration Crowd’
courtesy of ‘primplan’
No, not today. Well, not yet anyhow. Monday was the highest ridership day of all time on Metro, serving 866,681 riders.
Today, however, will definitely set the record, as over 200,000 people had gotten into the Metro system by 7am. Amazing.
By Tom Bridge
‘Shadowy Figures’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’
There’s a hole in the middle of the Red Line today, as a Red Line train struck a passenger at the Gallery Place Chinatown metro station this morning. The woman who was struck is alive and was transported to the hospital immediately thereafter. Gallery Place, however, is now closed, meaning trains are turning around at Metro Center and Judiciary Square, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the Red Line. More as this becomes available.
By Tom Bridge
‘Ikea Metro Ad’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’
We caught these ads last night at Gallery Place, and this big banner was part of a series of ads hawking bookcases and dressers and a big ol’ sale down at Ikea. I admire the timeliness of the ad, but I’ve got to ask: Did y’all really want to commercialize the Inauguration in such a way? Kinda creepy to use the peaceful transfer of power of a nation to sell cheap ass furniture.
But that’s just me, I guess.
By