The Washington Metro , known colloquially as Metro and branded Metrorail , is a heavy rail system that serves the Washington metropolitan area of ​​the United States. It is managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which also operates Metrobus services under the name Metro. In addition to the District of Columbia, Metro serves several jurisdictions in the states of Maryland and Virginia. In Maryland, Metro provides services to Montgomery and Prince George districts; in Virginia, to Arlington and Fairfax County and the independent city of Alexandria. Combined with its passengers in the independent cities of Virginia Falls Church and Fairfax, the Metro service area is largely coextensive with the inner ring of the Washington metropolitan area. The system is currently being expanded to reach Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County, Virginia. It mostly operates as a subway in the District itself, while most suburban tracks are at surface level or elevated.
Opened in 1976, the network now includes six lines, 91 stations, and 117 miles (188 km) of routes. Due to the depth of the subway line, the Wheaton Metro station has the longest escalator, one level in the Western Hemisphere, which stretches 230 feet (70 m).
Metro is the third busiest transit system in the United States in the number of passengers, after New York City Subway and Chicago "L". There were 179.7 million trips on the Metro in fiscal year 2016 In June 2008, Metro set a monthly travel record of 19,729,641 trips, or 798,456 per business day. Rates vary based on the distance traveled, time, and type of card used by passengers. The riders enter and exit the system using a proximity card called SmarTrip.
Video Washington Metro
Histori
During the 1960s plans were laid for large toll road systems in Washington. Harland Bartholomew, who heads the National Capital Planning Commission, thinks that the train rail system will never be self-sufficient because of low density land use and declining public transport decline. But the plan encountered fierce opposition, and was changed to include Beltway Capital plus radial rail system. Beltway receives full funding; funding for an ambitious Inner Loop Freeway system is partly reallocated for the construction of the Metro system.
In 1960 the federal government created the National Capital Transport Agency to develop a rapid train system. In 1966, the bill that made WMATA legalized by the federal government, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, with the power of planning for the system transferred to NCTA.
WMATA approved a plan for a regional system 97.2 miles (156.4 km) on March 1, 1968. The plan comprised a "core" regional system, which included five original Metro lines, as well as several "future extensions", many of which were not built. Construction began after the groundbreaking ceremony on December 9, 1969, when Transport Minister John A. Volpe, Walter Washington District Mayor, and Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel threw the first shovel in Diriciary Square.
The first part of the system opened March 27, 1976, with 4.6 miles (7.4 km) available on the Red Line with five stations from Rhode Island Avenue to Farragut North, all in the District of Columbia. Arlington County, Virginia was associated with the system on July 1, 1977; Montgomery County, Maryland, on February 6, 1978; Prince George's County, Maryland, on November 17, 1978; and Fairfax County, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia, on December 17, 1983. Underground stations were built with cat-like arches, highlighted by soft and indirect lighting. The name Metro was suggested by Massimo Vignelli, who designed the subway map for the New York City Subway.
The 103-los (166Ã,¬km) 83-station system was completed with the opening of the Green Line segment to Branch Avenue on January 13, 2001. This does not mean the end of system growth: 3.22 miles (5.18 × km) extension of the Blue Line to Largo Town Center and Morgan Boulevard opened on December 18, 2004. The first infill station, NoMa-Gallaudet U (at that time referred to as New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet University station) The Red Line between Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood, opened November 20, 2004 Construction began in March 2009 for expansion to Dulles Airport to be built in two phases. The first phase, five stations linking East Falls Church to Tysons Corner and Wiehle Avenue in Reston, opened on July 26, 2014.
The construction of the metro requires billions of federal dollars, initially provided by Congress under the authority of the National Capital Transport Act of 1969. The fee was paid with 67% federal money and 33% local money. This action was amended on 3 January 1980 by the 1979 National Capital Transport Amendment (also known as the Stark-Harris Act), which grants an additional $ 1.7 billion to enable the completion of 89.5 miles (144.0 km) system as stipulated under the terms of the full funding grant agreement that was implemented with WMATA in July 1986, requiring 20% ​​to be paid from local funds. On 15 November 1990, the National Capital Transport Amendment of 1990 authorized an additional $ 1.3 billion in federal funds for the construction of the remaining 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of the 103-mile (166 km) system, which was completed through full implementation of a grant funding agreement , with a localized federal/37% match rate of 63%.
The highest one-day retaliation was on the day of Barack Obama's first inauguration, January 20, 2009, with 1,120,000 riders. It broke the previous record, setting the previous day, from 866,681 riders. June 2008 set some travel records: one month travel records of 19,729,641 total riders, record highs on weekdays with 1,044,400 work days, have five of the top ten day trips, and have 12 working days where passengers exceed 800,000 trips.
In February 2006, Metro officials chose Randi Miller, an automobile dealer employee from Woodbridge, Virginia, to record "new doors", "doors closed", and "please close the doors, thank you" announcement after won an open contest to replace the message recorded by Sandy Carroll in 1996. The "Doors Closing" contest attracted 1,259 contestants from across the country.
On October 30, 2010, the crowd at the Rally to Restore Kewarasan and/or Fears broke the 19-year-old record on Saturday's rider, with 825,437 trips. The previous record was set on June 8, 1991 on 786,358 trips during the Desert Storm rally.
Opening date
Maps Washington Metro
Architecture
Many Metro stations were designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese, and are an example of late twentieth-century modern architecture. With heavy use of exposed concrete and repetitive design motifs, Metro stations showcase aspects of Brutalist design. The stations also reflect the influence of Washington's neoclassical architecture in its respected dome ceiling. Weese works with the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Bill Lam lighting designer on indirect lighting used throughout the system. All of the original Brutalist Metro stations are found in Downtown Washington, D.C. and near the urban corridor of Arlington, Virginia, while the newer stations incorporate a simplified cost-effective design.
In 2007, the design of the Metro vaulted ceiling station was voted 106 on the "Favorite Architecture America" ​​list compiled by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and is the only Brutalist design to win a spot among the 150 chosen by it. public surveys.
In January 2014 AIA announced that it would award the Twenty-Five-Year Awards to the Metro Washington system for "enduring architectural design" that "has stood the test of time by realizing architectural excellence for 25 to 35 years". The announcement cited the key role of Weese, who compiled and implemented a "general design kit", which continues to guide the construction of new Metro stations over a quarter of a century later, albeit with a slightly modified design for cost reasons.
System
Since it opened in 1976, Metro's network has grown to include six lines, 91 stations, and 118 miles (190 km) of routes. The rail network is designed based on the distribution hub's talking paradigm, with a rail line connecting downtown Washington and the surrounding area. The system uses extensive interlining - running more than one service on the same path. There are six lines of operation. The system's official maps are designed by renowned graphic designers Lance Wyman and Bill Cannan as they partner with Wyman & amp; Cannan in New York City.
About 50 miles (80 km) of Metro lines are underground, like 47 out of 91 stations. The underground track runs mostly in densely populated districts and suburbs. The surface track record is approximately 46 miles (74 km) from the total, and the air trajectory forms 9 miles (14 km). This system operates on a unique 4n, ftÃ, 4/7 / 4 in 4 span> ( 1,429 mm ). It is 1/4 inch narrower than 4Ã, ftÃ, 8 1 / 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard size .
In an effort to earn revenue, WMATA has begun allowing retail businesses at Metro stations. WMATA authorizes DVD-rental vending machines and ticket booths for Old Town Trolley Tours and searches for additional retail tenants.
Financing
The Metro relies heavily on customized passenger fare and financing from the governments of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., which are represented on Metro's board of directors. This system has no special revenue stream like other city mass transit systems. Critics allege that this has contributed to Metro's recent maintenance history and security problems.
For Fiscal Year 2015, the estimate of the farebox recovery ratio (tariff revenue divided by operating costs) is 66 percent, based on WMATA-approved budgets.
Infrastructure
Station
There are 40 stations in District of Columbia, 15 in Prince George's County, 11 in Montgomery County, 11 in Arlington County, 11 in Fairfax County, and three in the City of Alexandria. The second phase of the Silver Line will add 6 new stations - three more in Fairfax County and three in Loudoun County, Virginia - in 2019 or 2020.
At 196 feet (60 m) below the surface, Forest Glen station on the Red Line is the deepest in the system. No escalators; the high-speed lift takes 20 seconds to walk from the road to the station platform. Wheaton Station, one stop north of Forest Glen station, has the longest continuous escalator in the United States and in the western hemisphere, at 230 feet (70 m). Rosslyn Station is the deepest station on the Orange/Blue Line, at 117 feet (36 m) below street level. This station has the second longest continuous escalator on the Metro system at 194 feet (59 m); an escalator ride between the street level and the mezzanine level takes nearly two minutes.
The system is not centered on any single station, but Metro Center is at the crossroads of the Red, Orange, Blue, and Silver Line. This station is also the location of WMATA's main sales office. Metro has designated five other "core stations" that have high passenger volumes, including: Place Gallery, transfer stations for the Red, Green and Yellow Line; L'Enfant Plaza, transfer station for Orange, Blue, Silver, Green, and Yellow Lines; Union Station, the busiest station by boarding passengers; Farragut North; and Farragut West.
To deal with the high number of passengers at the transfer station, Metro is studying the possibility of establishing a pedestrian connection between the nearest core transfer station. For example, a 750-foot track between Metro Center and Gallery Place stations will allow passengers to move between the Orange/Blue/Silver and Yellow/Green lines without stopping on the Red Line. Another tunnel between Farragut West and Farragut North stations will allow transfers between the Red and Orange/Blue/Silver lines, lowering the transfer request at Metro Center by an estimated 11%. Farragut pedestrian tunnels have not yet been implemented physically, but added in the virtual form effective October 28, 2011. The SmarTrip system now interprets out of one Farragut station and enters into another as part of a single journey, allowing cardholders to transfer on foot without having to pay the second full rate.
Rolling stock
The Metro fleet consists of 1,242 trains, each 75 feet (22.86 m) in length, with 1,132 in active revenue service in March 2018. Although current operating rules limit trains to 59 mph (95 km/h), they has a maximum speed of 75 mph (121 km/h), and an average of 33 mph (53 km/h), including stops. All cars operate as married couples (numbered evenly with taxis at each end of the pair except 7000 series railcars), with systems split between pairs.
The bold bold indicates that the cars are currently operating in the revenue service.
The CAF 5000-series train is expected to retire in 2019 because of its poor and unreliable quality.
Metro trains are obtained in six phases, and each version of the car is identified with a separate serial number. The original sequence of 300 rail cars (all of which had been retired since July 1, 2017) was produced by Rohr Industries, with final delivery in 1978. These cars were numbered 1000-1299 and rehabilitated in the mid-1990s. Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie (Breda), now Hitachi Rail Italy, produced the second order of 76 cars shipped in 1983 and 1984. These cars, numbering from 2000 to 2075, were rehabilitated in the early 2000s by Alstom in Hornell, New York. The third sequence of 288 cars, also from Breda, was sent between 1984 and 1988. These cars were numbered 3000-3291 and rehabilitated by Alstom in the early 2000s. The 100 car order from Breda, number 4000-4099, was shipped between 1992 and 1994. The fifth order of 192 cars was produced by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) of Spain. These cars were numbered 5000-5191 and shipped from 2001 to 2004. The sixth order of 184 cars from Alstom Transportation, amounted to 6000-6183 and shipped between 2005 and 2007. These cars have a shell built in Barcelona, ​​â € < â € Series 7000 cars, currently under construction by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Rolling Stock Company, Japan shipped for on-site testing during winter 2013-2014, and first entered service April 14, 2015 on Blue Line. The new cars were different from previous models while still operating as married couples, taxis in one car were removed, turning them into cars B. The new designs allow for increased passenger capacity, excessive equipment removal, greater energy efficiency, and lower maintenance costs. Investigation of the National Transportation Safety Agency from a fatal June 22, 2009 accident led him to conclude that the 1000 series cars were unsafe and unable to protect passengers in an accident. As a result, on July 26, 2010, Metro chose to buy 300 7000 series cars to replace the remaining 1000 series cars. The additional 128 7000 series cars are also ordered to serve the new Silver Line to Dulles Airport (64 for each phase). In May 2013, Metro placed another order for the 100 7000 series car, which will replace all 4000 series cars. On July 13, 2015, WMATA used their last option and purchased an additional 220 000 railcars for the fleet expansion, bringing the total number of 7000-series railcars on order to be 748. On March 8, 2018, WMATA received a delivery of the 500 Series 7000 cars. Signaling and operations
During normal passenger operations on the revenue line, trains are designed to be controlled by Automatic Train Operating (ATO) and Automatic Train Control (ATC) systems that accelerate and brake the trains automatically without operator intervention. All trains are still manned by train operators who open and close doors, make station announcements, and keep track of their trains. The system is designed in such a way that the operator can operate the train manually when needed.
Since June 2009, when two Red Line trains collided and killed nine people due to some malfunctions in the ATC system, all Metro trains have been operated manually. The current state of manual operation has led to highly degraded services, with new manual requirements such as absolute blocks, speed limitations, and end-of-platform cessation leading to increased headway between trains, increased residence time, and worse performance on time. Metro originally planned to have all the auto rail again by 2017, but the plan is shelved in early 2017 to focus on more urgent safety and infrastructure issues.
The train door was originally designed to be opened and closed automatically and the doors would reopen if an object hindered them, just like the elevator doors. Almost immediately after the system opened in 1976 Metro realized these features were not conducive to safe or efficient operation and they were disabled. Currently the door can be opened automatically or manually. If a door tries to close and meet the obstruction, the operator must reopen the door.
Hour and main street
Metrorail starts serving at 5 am Monday to Friday, 7 am on Saturdays, and 8 am Sunday; it ends service at 11:30 pm Monday to Thursday, 1:00 Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 on Sundays, although the last train leaves the final station entrance about half an hour before this time. Trains run more frequently during peak hours on all fronts, with scheduled 4-minute scheduled time headlines on the Red Line and 8 minutes on all other lines. Headways are longer during day and night on weekdays and throughout weekends. The six minute mid-day headway is based on a combination of two Metrorail lines (Orange/Blue and Yellow/Green) as each route can run every 12 minutes; in the case of the Red Line, every other train heading to Glenmont ends up in Silver Spring instead. Evening and weekend services vary between 8 and 20 minutes, with trains generally scheduled only every 20 minutes.
Other service cuts also occur in the system during peak hours only. On the Red Line, every other train that goes to Shady Grove ends at Grosvenor-Strathmore, in addition to the alternate stoppages in Silver Spring mentioned above. For the Yellow Line, all trains heading to Fort Totten end at Mount Vernon Square. This is primarily institutionalized due to the limited supply of rail cars and pocket track locations throughout the system.
Until 1999, the Metro ended service at midnight every night, and the weekend service began at 8 am. That year, WMATA started late night service on Fridays and Saturdays until 1 am. In 2007, with encouragement from business, closing time has been pushed back to 3 am, with the highest rate applicable for entry after midnight. There are floating plans to end service late at night due to costs in 2011, but they are met with rejection by motorists. WMATA temporarily stopped the late night train service on May 30, 2016, allowing Metro to conduct extensive line rehabilitation programs in an effort to improve system reliability.
On June 25, 2017, Metro changed its operating hours by closing at 11:30 pm Monday-Thursday, 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 pm on Sundays, with the last train leaving the final station about half an hour before this.
Custom service patterns
Metro runs a special service pattern on holidays and when events in Washington may require additional services. Independence Day activities require Metro to tailor services to provide extra capacity to and from the National Mall. WMATA made similar adjustments during other events, such as the presidential inauguration. Metro has changed services and used multiple stations as an entrance or exit just to help manage congestion.
Rush Plus
In 2012, WMATA announced an upgraded busy period service held on June 18, 2012, under the name "Rush" (or "Rush Plus"). The Rush Plus service only takes place during sections of the top service: 6: 30-9: 00 AM and 3: 30-6: 00 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Rush reordering is intended to free up space in the Rosslyn Portal (the tunnel between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom), which operates at full capacity already. When the Silver Line service begins, the trains will be routed through the tunnel, and part of the Blue Line train to Largo Town Center is now diverted across the Fenwick Bridge to become the Yellow Line train that runs up the Green Line to Greenbelt. Select Yellow Line train running south diverted along the Blue Line to Franconia-Springfield (as opposed to the normal Yellow line terminal in Huntington). Until the start of the Silver Line service, the overload capacity of the Rosslyn Tunnel was used by an additional Orange Line train running along the Blue Line to Largo (compared to the normal Orange Track terminal in New Carrollton). Rush has the added effect of delivering a number of more passenger-free transfers, although it greatly increases the headway for the Blue Line passage that runs between the Pentagon and Rosslyn. In May 2017, Metro announced that Yellow Rush service would be eliminated effective June 25, 2017.
Passenger information system
The Passenger Information View System (PIDS) was installed on all Metrorail stations in 2000. The displays are placed on all track platforms and at the mezzanine entrance at the station, and provide real-time information about the arrival of subsequent trains, delayed trains, emergency announcements, and related information. WMATA also provides current trains and related information to customers with conventional web browsers, as well as users of smart phones and other mobile devices. In 2010 Metro began to share its PIDS data with outside software developers, for use in the creation of additional real-time applications for mobile devices. Free apps are publicly available on major mobile device software platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Palm). WMATA also began providing real-time train information over the phone in 2010.
Tariff structure
Incoming and outgoing system drivers use stored value cards in the form of proximity cards known as SmarTrip. Tariff is deducted from card balance upon exit. SmarTrip cards can be purchased at station vending machines, online or in retail outlets, and can store up to $ 300. Metro also accepts Baltimore's CharmCard, the same unattended payment card system.
Metro rates vary by distance traveled and time of day of entry. During peak hours (weekdays from opening until 9:30 am and 3-7 pm), rates (effective 2017) range from $ 2.25 to $ 6.00, depending on the distance traveled. At other times, rates range from $ 2.00 to $ 3.85 based on the distance traveled. Discounts are available for schoolchildren, the disabled, and the elderly. The metro charge reduces the tariff and parking fees on all federal holidays.
Since June 25, 2017, the first tariff increase in three years, peak period train rates increased 10 cents, with $ 2.25 as new minimum and $ 6 as maximum one-way rates. Off-peak tickets rose 25 cents, to $ 2 minimum, $ 3.85 maximum, as well as bus fares. An unlimited daily train/bus ticket will be available for $ 14.75.
Passengers can purchase entrance tickets at farecard vending machines. Passing is loaded into the same SmarTrip card as the stored value, but give the unlimited rider within the system for a certain period of time. The validity period begins with the first usage. Four pass types are currently on sale:
- One Day Ticket for $ 14.75, valid for one day of unlimited Metrorail trip. Pass will end at the end of day of operation.
- 7 Days Short Trip Ticket for $ 38.50, valid for seven consecutive days for Metrorail travel at a cost of up to $ 3.85 (maximum off-peak rate) during peak hours and every ride during peak hours. If the travel cost is more than $ 3.85, the difference is deducted from the cash balance of the SmarTrip card, possibly after the required value is added in the Exitfare machine. A non-negative saved value is required to enter the Metrorail system.
- A 7-Day Fast Pass for $ 60.00 applies for seven consecutive days of unlimited Metrorail travel.
- The 28-Day Metrorail Fast Leap for $ 237. This is just for convenience, offering no savings on the four uses of the 7 Day Fast Pass.
In addition, Metro sells SelectPass, available for purchase online only by registered SmarTrip cardholders, valid for travel up to a certain value for a specific calendar month, with a balance deducted from the same cash value as the Short Trip Pass card. These tickets are priced based on an 18 day round trip. SelectPass is available in the following values:
Users can add value to any farecard. Riders pay outbound rates based on the time of day and distance traveled. Travel may include segments on several lines under one rate as long as motorists do not get out of the car, with the exception of the "Farragut Crossing" intersection outside the station between Farragut West and Farragut North stations. At Farragut Crossing, the rider can get out of one station and re-enter at another station in 30 minutes at a cost. When traveling using Metrobus and Metrorail, 50 Â ¢ discounts are available when using SmarTrip cards. When logged in and out at the same station, users are usually charged the minimum rate ($ 2.15/$ 1.75). However, since July 1, 2016 users have had a 15 minute grace period to exit the station; those who do so will receive a rebate paid as autoload to their SmarTrip card.
Students in the public schools of the District of Columbia board Metrobus and Metrorail for free.
Fare history
The contract for the Metro collection system was awarded in 1975 to Cubic Transportation Systems. The collection of electronic tariffs using magnetic stripe paper cards began on July 1, 1977, a little over a year after the first station opened. Before electronic tariff collection, exact integer changes are used. The Metro's historic farecard system is also shared by the Bay Area Rapid Transit, which Cubic won a contract for 1974. The remaining value stored on the paper card is printed on the card at each exit, and the greeting card is printed with an expiration date.
Some adjustments were made to redirect ticket availability from paper tickets to SmarTrip cards in 2012 and 2013. In May 2014, Metro announced plans to retrofit more than 500 tariff machines across the system to issue SmarTrip cards, rather than paper rate cards, and finally eliminating magnetic tariff card completely. It was completed in early December 2015 when the last piece of farecard was sold. The gateway stopped receiving greeting cards on March 6, 2016, and the last day for the trade of a price card to transfer the value to SmarTrip is June 30, 2016.
Safety and security
Security
Metro planners design systems with passenger safety and order maintenance as a key consideration. The open vaulted ceiling design of the station and the limited barrier on the platform allows several opportunities to hide criminal activity. The station platform is built away from the station walls to limit vandalism and provides the scattered lighting at the station from the recessed lights. Metro's efforts to reduce crime, combined with how the station environment is designed with crime prevention in mind, have contributed to Metro being one of the safest and cleanest subway systems in the United States. There are nearly 6,000 video surveillance cameras that are used throughout the system to improve security.
Metro is patrolled by its own police force, in charge of ensuring passenger and employee safety. Transit Police Officers patrol the Metro and Metrobus systems, and they have jurisdiction and detention forces in all areas of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km 2 ) metro services for crimes occurring on or against transit authority facilities; or within 150 feet (46 m) of Metrobus stop. The Metro Transit Police Department is one of two US police agencies with local police authority in three "country" jurisdictions (Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia), Park Police of the U.S. is another.
Each city and district in the Metro service area have similar ordinances governing or prohibiting sales on Metro property, and which prohibits motorists from eating, drinking or smoking on Metro trains, buses and stations; Transit police have a reputation for strictly enforcing this law. A widely publicized incident occurred in October 2000 when police arrested 12-year-old Ansche Hedgepeth for eating French fries at Tenleytown-AU station. In a 2004 opinion by John Roberts, now the US Supreme Court Justice, Circuit Court of Appeals D.C. Uphold Hedgepeth's capture. At that time WMATA had responded negative publicity by adopting a policy of issuing the first warning to teenagers, and arresting them only after three violations within a year.
Metro's zero tolerance policy on food, rubbish, and other sources of disturbance embodies the "broken windows" philosophy of crime reduction. This philosophy also extends to the use of station toilet facilities. A long-term policy, intended to curb unlawful and undesirable activity, is to only allow employees to use Metro toilets. One widely publicized example is when a pregnant woman is denied access to the bathroom by a station manager at Shady Grove station. Metro now allows the use of toilets by passengers who get permission from the station manager, except during the increasing warning period of terror.
Random bag search
On October 27, 2008, Metro Transit Police Department announced plans to immediately start random searches of backpacks, purses, and other bags. Transit police will look for random drivers before boarding a bus or entering a station. It also explains his intention to stop anyone who acts with suspicion. Metro claims that "The legal authority to examine packets brought to the Metro system has been established by the court system on similar types of inspections in mass transit properties, airports, military facilities and courthouses." Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn stated that, if somebody reverses course and only enters the system via escalators or other elevators, Metro has a "plan to deal with suspicious behavior". Security expert Bruce Schneier marked the plan as a "security theater against the threat of movie plots" and did not believe that random bag search really improved security.
The Metro Riders Advisory Board recommended to the WMATA board of directors that Metro hold at least one public meeting on the search program. As of December 2008, Metro has not made a single bag search.
In 2010 Metro once again announced that it will apply a random search bag, and perform a search like the first on December 21, 2010. The search consists of swabbing bags and packages for explosive residue, and X-raying or opening packages that appear positive. On the first day of the search, at least one false positive for explosives was generated, which Metro officials indicated could occur for various reasons including if a passenger was recently associated with firearms or had been to gunfight. Bill of Rights D.C Coalition and Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition circulated the petition against random bag searches, taking the position that the practice violated the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and would not increase security. On January 3, 2011, Metro held a public forum for searches at a meeting of the Metro Riders Advisory Board, where more than 50 motorists spoke, most of them opposed to the search. But at the meeting Metro officials called random bag checks as "successful" and claimed that some motorists complained.
After a prolonged hiatus, in February 2017, bag searches have continued at random stations throughout the Washington Metro area.
Security
Accidents and incidents
Some collisions occurred in Washington Metro, which resulted in injuries and fatalities, along with many derailments with little or no injury. WMATA was criticized for ignoring safety alerts and suggestions from experts. The Tri-State Monitoring Committee oversees WMATA, but does not have regulatory authority. Metro's safety department is usually in charge of investigating incidents, but can not ask other Metro departments to implement their recommendations. After some security lapses, the Federal Transit Administration took over surveillance at WMATA.
Collisions
During Blizzard in 1996, on January 6, a Metro operator was killed when a train failed to stop at Shady Grove station. Four-car trains stormed the station's podium and crashed into an uninhabited train waiting for duty. National Transportation Safety Inquiry (NTSB) found that the accident was the result of a computer-controlled brake failure system. The NTSB recommends that Metro train operators provide the ability to control the braking system manually, even in inclement weather, and recommend that Metro prohibits parked cars on rails used by incoming carriages.
On November 3, 2004, the Red Line train off the train track slid back to Woodley Park station, crashing into an in-service train that stops on the platform. The rear car (1077) was intercepted by the first car of the standing train (4018). Nobody was killed, but 20 people were injured. The 14-month investigation concluded that train operators were most likely not alert when the train slid back into the station. The safety official estimates that the train is full, at least 79 people will be killed. The train operator was dismissed and Metro officials agreed to add rollback protection to more than 300 rail cars.
On June 22, 2009, at 5:02 pm, two trains on the Red Line collided. A train heading south towards Shady Grove stops on the short lane from Fort Totten station and another southern train collides with the rear. The front car of the moving train (1079) was monitored by a rear car carriage that stood (5066), and passengers trapped. Nine people were killed and more than 70 people injured, dozens of them were described as "people walking injured". The Red Line service was delayed between Fort Totten and Takoma stations, and New Hampshire Avenue was closed. One of the dead is a train operator that collides with a train that stops.
On November 29, 2009, at 4:27 am, two trains collided on the West Church Falls train line. One train came in and crashed into the back of another train. No customers were up, and only minor injuries to operators and cleaning staff were reported. However, three cars (1106, 1171, and 3216) are believed to be damaged beyond repair.
Derailments
On January 13, 1982, a train stopped at a malfunctioning intersection south of the Federal Triangle station. In an effort to return the train to the tracks, the superintendent failed to notice that other cars had also slipped. Another rail car slid out of the track and hit the tunnel support, killing three people and injuring 25. Incidentally, this accident happened about 30 minutes after Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into nearby 14th Street Bridge during a huge snow storm.
On January 20, 2003, when construction of a new canopy at the National Airport station, Metro began running the train through the central line although it had not yet been built for standard operation, and the Blue Line train stopped at the switch. No injuries were caused but the accident delayed development by several weeks.
On January 7, 2007, the Green Line train carrying about 120 people slipped near Mount Vernon Square station in downtown Washington. The train was carrying out a single tracking at the time, and a fifth car derailment took place where the train switched from the southern path to the northern lane. The accident injured at least 18 people and prompted the rescue of 60 people from a tunnel. At least one person suffered a serious but not life-threatening injury. The incident was one of a series of five derailments involving a 5000 series car, with four of them taking place on a side track and not involving passengers.
On June 9, 2008, the Orange Line train (series-2000) was derailed between Rosslyn and Court House stations.
On February 12, 2010, the Red Line train stopped at around 10:13 am when leaving Farragut North station in downtown Washington. After leaving the station, the train enters the pocket lane north of the station. As it continues, the automatic derailer at the end of the pocket line deliberately derails the train as a security measure. If the train keeps moving forward on the pocket track, it will enter the train line to come. Wheels of the first two cars in six cars, the White-Flint-bound train was forced out of the tracks, stopping the train. Almost all of the estimated 345 passengers were evacuated from damaged trains 11:50 am and NTSB arrived at the site during the day. Two minor injuries were reported, and a third passenger was taken to George Washington University Hospital. The NTSB ruled that the accident was caused by a failure of carriage operators to follow WMATA standard and management procedures due to failure to provide proper control of the train operator resulting in an incomplete configuration of train identification and destination code leading to carriage routing to the pocket lane.
On April 24, 2012, at around 7:15 pm, the Blue Line train to Franconia-Springfield crashed near Rosslyn. No injuries were reported. On July 6, 2012, at about 4:45 pm, the Green Line train headed for downtown Washington, D.C. and Branch Avenue stop near West Hyattsville. No injuries were reported. Heat tap, due to hot weather, is identified as a possible cause of the accident.
On August 6, 2015, non-passenger trains out of the Smithsonian station. The track conditions that caused the derailment were detected a month earlier but not fixed. On July 29, 2016, the Silver Line train headed toward Wiehle-Reston East station slipping outside East Falls Church station. Service suspended between Ballston and West Falls Church and McLean station at Orange and Silver Lines. On September 1, 2016, Metro announced the derailment of an empty six-car train at Alexandria Rail Yard. No service injuries or interruptions were reported and investigations are in progress.
On January 15, 2018, the Red Line train shifted between Farragut North station and Metro Center. No injuries were reported. This is the first derailment of the new 7000 series wagon.
Security measure
On July 13, 2009, WMATA adopted a "no-tolerance" policy for rail or bus operators that are known to send text messages or use other handheld devices while working. This new and rigorous policy comes after the investigation of several mass transit accidents in the US found that the operator sent an SMS at the time of the accident. A policy change was announced a day after Metro train passengers recorded an SMS operator while operating the train.
Incident smoke
On January 12, 2015, at the start of a busy night, the Yellow Line train stopped in the tunnel and filled with smoke after leaving L'Enfant Plaza for the Pentagon due to a "power surge" in front of the tunnel. Everyone inside was evacuated; 84 people were taken to the hospital and one person died.
On March 14, 2016, an electric train burned between McPherson Square and Farragut West, causing significant disruptions to the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. On March 15, a decision was made to cover the entire rail network the following day to inspect the entire rail network power grid.
Future expansion
WMATA expects an average of one million riders each day by 2030. The need to increase capacity has updated plans to add 220 cars to the system and change rail routes to reduce congestion at the busiest stations. Population growth in the region has also revived efforts to expand services, build new stations, and build additional lines.
Silver Line
The most prominent expansion is the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, dubbed Silver Line, a 23 mile (37 km) extension from Orange Line to Loudoun County, Virginia, via Tysons Corner and Washington Dulles International Airport. Rail to Dulles has been discussed since the system opened in 1976. The current Silver Line project was formally proposed in 2002 and initially approved by the Federal Transit Administration in 2004. After some delays, federal funding for Phase 1 was secured in December 2008 and construction starting in March 2009. The line is being built in two phases; the first phase to Wiehle-Reston East in Reston, Virginia opened July 26, 2014, and the second phase for Ashburn, outside Dulles Airport, is projected to be completed by 2020.
Blue Line Harming
The Blue Line train shares a single tunnel with the Orange Line and the Silver Line train to cross the Potomac River. The tunnel currently limits service in every direction, creating a choke point. A 2001 proposal would change the Blue Line between Rosslyn station and Stadium-Armory by building a bridge or tunnel from Virginia to a new station in Georgetown. The proposal was subsequently rejected for cost, but Metro again began to consider similar scenarios in 2011.
Orange Path Extension
The Virginia Transportation Department (VDOT) announced on January 18, 2008, that it and the Virginia Department of Public Railways and Transport (DRPT) have begun working on a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for corridor I-66 in Fairfax and Prince William districts. According to the VDOT, the EIS, officially named the I-66 Multimodal Transport and Environmental Study, will focus on improving mobility along I-66 from Capital Beltway (I-495) intersections in Fairfax County to the intersection with US Route 15 in Prince William County. The EIS also allegedly included the extension of four Orange Trail stations through Vienna. The extension will continue to run on the I-66 median and will have stations on Bridge Bridge Road, Fair Oaks, Stringfellow Road and Centerville near Virginia Route 28 and Route 29 AS. In a final report published June 8, 2012, the study and analysis revealed that "the expansion will have minimal impact on the driver and Metrorail volume on the highway study area within the Beltway and therefore will not reduce congestion in the study corridor."
Extensions of Fort Belvoir and Fort Meade
In 2005 the Department of Defense announced that it would shift 18,000 jobs to Fort Belvoir in Virginia and at least 5,000 jobs to Fort Meade in Maryland in 2012, as part of its Reorganization and Closing plan that year. To anticipate such a move, local and military officials proposed the extension of the Blue and Green Line to serve each base. The proposed extension of the Green Line could cost $ 100 million per mile ($ 60 million per kilometer), and the light rail extension to Fort Belvoir is estimated to cost up to $ 800 million. None of the proposals has set a schedule for planning or construction.
Potomac Yard Station
In 2008 officials began to investigate the possibility of adding an infill station called Potomac Yard in the Potomac Yard area of ​​Alexandria, on the Blue and Yellow Line between the National Airport and Braddock Road station. In 2010, the City Council of Alexandria approved a portion of the proposed $ 240 million project development. Construction will begin in 2017 and the station is expected to open in 2020.
Other new rails
In 2011 Metro began studying system requirements until 2040. The new Metro strip and expansions considered as part of this long-term plan include: new channels parallel to Beltway Capital; a new line from Friendship Heights station to White Oak, Maryland, which will pass through the District and Silver Spring; the extension of the Green Line to the National Port in Maryland; and re-routing the Blue Line in the District between the Orange Track and the Green Line. None of these lines have yet to be funded for planning or construction.
Unsaved extensions
The initial plan called for ten "future extensions" over the core system. The Red Line will be extended from the northwest Rockville station to Germantown, Maryland. The Green Line will be extended north from Greenbelt to Laurel, Maryland, and south from Branch Avenue station to Brandywine, Maryland. The Blue Line originally consisted of the southwestern branch to Backlick Road and Burke, Virginia, which was never built. The Orange line will extend west through Northern Virginia through Nutley Road station, and eastward through New Carrollton to Bowie, Maryland. Silver Line future is also included in this proposal.
Related non-WMATA projects
A number of light rail and city tram projects have been proposed to extend or complement the services provided by Metro. Like the Silver Line in Virginia, the proposed Purple Line has been in the planning since the 1980s. The project was originally planned as a circular heavy rail line connecting the outer stations in every branch of the Metrorail system, in a pattern that approximately reflects the Capital Beltway. The current proposal will create a light rail system in Maryland between Bethesda station and New Carrollton through Silver Spring and College Park. Such a plan would connect the two branches of the Red Line to the Green and Orange Line, and would reduce travel time between suburban Metro stations.
Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) is a 15-mile (24 km) fast bus transit line that will connect Clarksburg, Maryland, north of Montgomery County to Shady Grove station on the Red Line. Assuming that anticipated federal, state and local government funding is provided, the first 9-mile (14 km) development of the system will begin in 2018.
In 2005, a Maryland lawmaker proposed a light rail system to connect the Southern Maryland region, particularly the rapidly growing area around the city of Waldorf, to the offices of Branch Avenue on the Green Line.
District of Columbia Department of Transportation builds D.C. New Streetcar to improve transit connectivity in the District. The tram line to connect Bolling Air Force Base to Anacostia station and was originally expected to open in 2010. Tram routes have been proposed in the Atlas District, Capitol Hill, and K Street corridors. After seven years of development, the Atlas District route, known as the H/Benning Street route, opened on 27 February 2016.
In 2013, the Georgetown Business Development Center proposes a gondola lift between Georgetown and Rosslyn as an alternative to placing Metro stops in Georgetown in the 2013-2028 economic plan. Washington, D.C and Arlington County have been conducting feasibility studies for it since 2016.
See also
- List of metro systems
- List of United States transit system by user
- Transportation in Washington, D.C.
- Capitol Subway System of the United States
References
External links
- Washington Region Transit Authority Official Website
- Transit Metro Police Official Website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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