Posts Tagged ‘WMATA’

Metro to Spend Almost $1b on Giant Kawasaki Motorcycles!!

‘Motocross #11′ courtesy of ‘Vincent Luigi Molino’ Metro announced today that they have approved a contract worth $886m for Kawasaki! The money will go towards 428 giant, super duper fast motorcycles that can hold an enormous amount of people each. Of all of the ideas to improve the rail system, I think going with giant [...]

Talkin’ Transit: Back to Basics with Richard Sarles

Orange Line Double Whammy

The Orange Line is abuzz with delays. A train has been offloaded for mechanical difficulties at East Falls Church, and another train at Ballston appears to have begun emitting smoke. This would happen right at the peak of rush hour just when hordes of hungover Washingtonians need to be at work for Seis de Mayo. [...]

Metrobus Passenger Shot on U2 near Minnesota Ave

‘Metro Bus, Downtown Washington DC’courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’ Metro has just announced that a passenger on board a U2 Metrobus was shot early this evening near the intersection of 18th & Minnesota Ave SE. The passenger was transported by life-flight helicopter to Washington Hospital Center with significant injuries. No motive is apparent, and [...]

Red Line Delays Due to Track Fire

An “arcing insulator” has caused a fire on the Red Line tracks (Shady Grove direction), outside Dupont Circle. At the same time, a track circuit issue is giving Metro problems at Farragut North. Single-tracking is currently in effect between Dupont and Van Ness. Expect major delays in both directions this afternoon. Official WMATA release here. [...]

Talkin’ Transit: Wishful Thinking

‘tunnel vision*’ courtesy of ‘mofo’ Metro has a new (interim) general manager, and what follows is my “welcome to DC, please fix Metro” letter. Some of it is needed work, but admittedly, some of my wishes are wishful thinking. Dear Mr. Sarles, Welcome to Washington. I hope the city and the mild weather we’ve been [...]

Equipment Derailment to Slow Your Commute

Orange Line Delays Due to Man Struck at Cheverly Metro

(Cheverly Metro photo by Genista) Looks like a guy jumped on the tracks and got hit by a train at Cheverly this morning. Expect delays on top of already bad weekend single-tracking for maintenance. More from CHVBlog, DCistand Post’s Get There. Be the first to like. Like Unlike

Talkin’ Transit: Institutional

SmarTrip Info Coming to a Website Near You

Metrobus Operator Arrested

Still Time to Let WMATA Hear Your Voice

‘Barbod #3′ courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’ Metro riders, you’ve only a few days left to make your voices heard. The last public hearings on WMATA’s budget crisis for the next fiscal year are tonight and tomorrow. Tonight’s hearing is at the Arlington County Board Room, Third Floor, 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Tomorrow’s hearings [...]

Talkin’ Transit: Last Week on the Job

Sick

“We need a doctor,” came the yell. Some of the last words you want to hear on Metro; they indicate that somewhere on the train, someone may be suffering or dying — and of more callous concern, that WMATA’s “Sick Customer” policy goes into effect, stopping the train and triggering cascading delays down the line. [...]

Relax, This is Just a Test

‘DSCF5781′ courtesy of ‘joelogon’ Metro announced today that two emergency response exercises will be happening Sunday and Monday next week, so here’s a heads up not to panic when you see “numerous police, fire and emergency response vehicles, first responders and volunteer ‘victims’” in the middle of the night this weekend.  One drill will simulate [...]

Delays, A Fare Raise, And Escalator Outages — Oh My!

’55/365 – dupont circle’ courtesy of ‘dracisk’ As if Metro riders haven’t had enough day-to-day issues plaguing them as they fork over chunks of their paychecks for endless delays and an array of other dilemmas over the past year … now, there’s more. WaPo reports that there are 60+ escalator outages throughout the entire Metrorail [...]

Shooting at Pentagon Metro

(Video from ArlingtonNews) Update, the next day: Pentagon shooter J. Patrick Bedell was a software engineer from California, with lots of online trails: a Wikipedia profile, a blogspot blog, an Amazon review and wish list, a Linked In page, and a SourceForge project. See DCist and Gawker for additional details on Bedell’s disturbed online presence. [...]

Talkin’ Transit

Greater Greater Washington and the Washington Post both have the news that Metro is hoping to name former New Jersey Transit Executive Director Richard Sarles as interim head of the agency on Thursday. The Post reports that Metro Board Chairman Peter Benjamin confirms they do not currently have a contract with Sarles, but that he [...]

There Will Be A Test. It Will Just Be A Test.

‘Metro Station Platform’ courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’ Should you be near the Friendship Heights Metro station this Wednesday around midnight, you’ll be seeing a fair amount of law enforcement, as the Metro Transit Police Department’s special response team, the FBI, DCPD, DCFD and emergency medical services personnel practice a staged emergency response exercise. According to [...]

Metro Board Turns to Former General Manager