Sleeping Beauty

Is it just me or are we starting to see more and more people falling asleep anywhere on the metro? I'm not just talking about this guy, but also in the station itself? Since when has that become the best place to rest one's head?

Last night alone I saw three different people literally lying in the middle of the ground sleeping... It doesn't make sense to me, but if it is that hard to stay awake that you must lay down on the dirty ground them by all means have at it. You won't see me sprawled out anywhere on public transit.

Metro Fair???

This weekends Metro Express headline's said, "Metro fares rise, more hikes likely". REALLY!!??

Come on, we have had two huge incidents within a year of each other, at least one suicide on the tracks per month, trains that get you no where on time, drivers that CAN'T, escalators that don't work, tracks that are faulty, the list goes on and on...

On top of their $40million deficit we will all be charged an additional 10cents, not to include the increase for those of us on the bus too. Now, I know that when you are in debt you raise prices to cover the difference. I don't mind paying the extra as long as we see CHANGE! I mean real change, like fixed escalators and better tracks where needed.

I find it ironic that with all these "incidents" the best answer is raise prices... That I am sure will help with customer retention... Only time will tell.

D.C. Metro train derails at Farragut North

The first two cars of a Metro Red Line train derailed on Friday at 10:13 a.m. as it was leaving the Farragut North station. Three minor injuries were reported among 345 passengers. The station itself and roads around it were closed for about two hours while emergency workers addressed the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board has announced an investigation. Metro sources have said that the train was automatically derailed after it went onto the incorrect set of tracks and was headed into the path of oncoming trains.
3:10 p.m.: The Red Line train derailed north of Farragut North station this morning after a safety device automatically engaged and stopped it because it had crossed from its own track and was headed to the opposite track, into the path of oncoming trains, according to Metro sources familiar with events.
Investigators are trying to understand why the train left the track headed for Shady Grove and crossed into a pocket track, where it was stopped by automatic derailers.
Both the train operator and the downtown controller responsible for that section of the Red Line were placed on administrative leave and will undergo drug and alcohol testing, as is standard Metro procedure.
The official did not know how long the operator had been working for Metro.
The train was moving very slowly when the operator attempted to return it to the main track and it derailed, a factor that minimized injuries. A "derailer popped the wheels of the track" because there was a red light ahead, the official said.
"It intentionally derailed the train for safety purposes to stop it from running a red light and prevented a collision," the official said.

-- Ann Scott Tyson

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2010/02/train_derails_at_farragut_nort.html?wprss=getthere

WANTED: Pics of the guy who sells tiny colored home-made soaps and perfumes on the green line. Last seen this evening selling his wares in a spice rack for 1 dollar each.

Intro to Metro

I am absolutely compelled to write about the experiences I have had and witnessed on the D.C. metro (WMATA.com) while riding to and from work through all hours of the week. My intended audience for this blog is to anyone who has had to ride the public transit in D.C. (or any city for that matter) and have experienced any of the things that I write about.

My stories are real, true and not in the least sensationalized...well maybe a little, but that is just who I am. I want the reader to capture the culture, mood, sights, sounds, rush, frustration, "metro-rage" and most importantly humor of riding on the metro in the District.

I want nothing more than for my readers to relate to the content of these stories and pictures and contribute by emailing me your pictures and stories that I will post to this blog @ dcmetrostories@gmail.com

I hope you enjoy the stories and thank you for riding metro...

LESSON #1...If you fall asleep on the red line and block seats, youre gonna end up on here.

Surgeon General's Warning

This week in the Metro Express the front page funny read, "Surgeon General's Warning. Riding or repairing the metro may be hazardous to your health."

The understatement of the year. This was written after last years Red Line train wreck that was more than likely due to malfunctions with an automated notification system on the tracks. It is also the day after when metro rail inspectors were walking in the tunnels inspecting the tracks and were almost hit by a speeding Red Line train.

I can't make that up! One would think that if one knew that the "Inspector" of your JOB were in town that one would be walking on eggshells to make sure nothing went wrong. Instead WMATA workers took a different approach and nearly struck the workers barely missing them as they dove to the side in an effort to save themselves from a negligent driver.

Dwell on that for a bit. Have the standards for the drivers changed as a result? Will things get better for DC metro??? We will see and as always, thank you for riding metro!

Escalator Rules and Regs

The regular riders of metro know that the use of the escalators are similar to that of the moving sidewalks one would use in an airport, the same rules apply to metro escalators.

First, you don’t stand on left side of the escalator ever! The left side is for those people wanting to walk to their destination as fast as possible.

Second, Escalators are there for our convenience not our entertainment…so don’t walk down the wrong side because you are 15 years old and you think your friends think your are cute for doing it…trust me you will cringe at the thought of having done that in retrospect one day!

Now with that being said…isn’t sad that the fastest escalators to your destination are the broken ones? I usually go to the broken ones first because at least everyone walks on them.

WARNING TO TOURISTS!

This is something that tourists need to take into serious consideration. I really feel for you all. I understand that you are visiting the Nations Capitol and you wanted to cram in the Air and Space, Smithsonian, Native American, Whitehouse, American History, Washington Monument, Archives and so many other fun museums and monuments into one day, and I know it is hard to do all that walking in your tennies and blue jean shorts with your polo shirts, and I realize that that is more walking in one given time that you have done in years so I completely understand that you want to stand on the escalators as move to your next destination, but please for all our sanity, please stand to the right.

Thank you and I hope you enjoyed riding DC metro.