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Some thoughts on the Washington Metro


R68 Subway Car

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As you all know, I visited Washington, D.C. last week and I gotta say that the Metro is an awesome Subway System. I rode on the Orange Line between Foggy Bottom and L'Enfant Plaza and vice versa en route to the National Air and Space Museum last week Thursday. I love the cleanliness of the Metro in comparison to the NYC Subway. The track beds were absolutely clean. No trash and no mice or rats. The subway cars looked clean and well maintained and the trains were very fast. Unfortunately, because me and my dad were focused on our commute, I never really got the chance to take photos. I promise to do that the next time I go to Washington (hopefully in a few years). I have a few criticisms though. I thought the system's stations were a little too dark for my liking. Also, I find it weird that the Metro asks you to pay a fare to leave, not enter, the subway system. As a native New Yorker (obviously), I am so used to just swiping my Metro Card to enter and just bursting through the gate to exit when I reach my destination. However, I think the Metro is an incredible system. Although I still love riding and fanning the NYC Subway, the Metro in terms of appearance and efficiency is a way better system. What say you on this?

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So Andrew which subway system you like better? Toronto or DC Metro? Next times you in the captial take the yellow line between L'Enfant Plaza and Petagon station. It's like their version of the Manhattan Bridge where you outside traveling on the potomaic river and see both the Downtown Washington and Petagon skyline.:cool:

 

 

As you all know, I visited Washington, D.C. last week and I gotta say that the Metro is an awesome Subway System. I rode on the Orange Line between Foggy Bottom and L'Enfant Plaza and vice versa en route to the National Air and Space Museum last week Thursday. I love the cleanliness of the Metro in comparison to the NYC Subway. The track beds were absolutely clean. No trash and no mice or rats. The subway cars looked clean and well maintained and the trains were very fast. Unfortunately, because me and my dad were focused on our commute, I never really got the chance to take photos. I promise to do that the next time I go to Washington (hopefully in a few years). I have a few criticisms though. I thought the system's stations were a little too dark for my liking. Also, I find it weird that the Metro asks you to pay a fare to leave, not enter, the subway system. As a native New Yorker (obviously), I am so used to just swiping my Metro Card to enter and just bursting through the gate to exit when I reach my destination. However, I think the Metro is an incredible system. Although I still love riding and fanning the NYC Subway, the Metro in terms of appearance and efficiency is a way better system. What say you on this?
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I also visited dc last week and took the red line from shady grove to chinatown and heard alot of "ding ding doors opening step back to allow customers to exit when boarding plz move to the center of the car". Also"step back doors closing" the 5000 series has same propulsion as R142 and r160 alstom

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As you all know, I visited Washington, D.C. last week and I gotta say that the Metro is an awesome Subway System. I rode on the Orange Line between Foggy Bottom and L'Enfant Plaza and vice versa en route to the National Air and Space Museum last week Thursday. I love the cleanliness of the Metro in comparison to the NYC Subway. The track beds were absolutely clean. No trash and no mice or rats. The subway cars looked clean and well maintained and the trains were very fast. Unfortunately, because me and my dad were focused on our commute, I never really got the chance to take photos. I promise to do that the next time I go to Washington (hopefully in a few years). I have a few criticisms though. I thought the system's stations were a little too dark for my liking. Also, I find it weird that the Metro asks you to pay a fare to leave, not enter, the subway system. As a native New Yorker (obviously), I am so used to just swiping my Metro Card to enter and just bursting through the gate to exit when I reach my destination. However, I think the Metro is an incredible system. Although I still love riding and fanning the NYC Subway, the Metro in terms of appearance and efficiency is a way better system. What say you on this?

Glad to hear you enjoyed your experience, R68. The system hasn't aged too gracefully unfortunately (broken escalators, deteriorating platforms, malfunctioning HVACs and doors on trains, etc), but the system is undergoing a major improvements. New LED lighting is in the pipeline for the darker lit stations. I believe Foggy Bottom-GWU already has them installed.

 

Metrorail is a much younger system than the NYCS so naturally it'll look cleaner. It also doesn't run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so crews are afforded ample time to clean and maintain trains and stations.

 

I'm really looking forward to fanning out to Tysons Corner once phase one of the Dulles extension opens in 2013. Hopefully, the first set of 7000 series cars will be ready for revenue service by then.

So Andrew which subway system you like better? Toronto or DC Metro? Next times you in the captial take the yellow line between L'Enfant Plaza and Petagon station. It's like their version of the Manhattan Bridge where you outside traveling on the potomaic river and see both the Downtown Washington and Petagon skyline.:cool:

Lol that's the only highlight of the Yellow line. It's the most boring (and shortest) line in the system. Crossing over the Fenwick bridge is still nice, though.

I also visited dc last week and took the red line from shady grove to chinatown and heard alot of "ding ding doors opening step back to allow customers to exit when boarding plz move to the center of the car". Also"step back doors closing" the 5000 series has same propulsion as R142 and r160 alstom

That's the Breda rehabs (2000 & 3000 series) and Alstom cars (6000 series). Their propulsion system is similar to the NYCT cars you mentioned. I hate the current door chime; it's just too wordy. I miss the old, simple door chime from the 90s (below). :P

 

watch?v=4PHOSSf0Svc&feature=related

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