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Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail, often referred to by locals simply as "the Metro", is widely regarded as one of the best local rapid transit systems in the United States. Its iconic futuristic-looking stations are instantly recognizable, easily distinguishable from most other transit systems in the U.S., with their cramped ceilings and dingy platforms.
Many people take it for granted today, but the Washington Metrorail is a relatively new transit system. Although it boasts the second-highest annual ridership of any U.S. rapid transit system (predictably, behind the New York City Subway), it is the newest of the top seven systems by ridership. Opened in 1976, Metro will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.
While the story of the making of Metro is a fascinating one (The Great Subway Society: A History of the Washington Metro) is a book that transit enthusiasts will find worthwhile), the system is not without its critics, either. Having spent a good deal of time on many rail transit systems throughout the U.S. (including Amtrak, commuter rail, and rapid transit on both coasts and inbetween), I myself have also noticed some areas where the Washington Metrorail falls short compared to other systems in the U.S.
I should preface this by saying that, while I point out what I believe are major flaws with the Washington Metro, I am by no means making the argument that it is bad. Compared with many other developed countries, the U.S. is rather lacking in decent transit systems across the board, and compared to the lack of transit in most American cities, Washington's transit system is the envy of many in car country. Its space age architecture has captivated riders for decades, and some parts of the system, such as its long escalators, border on feeling like escalators to the heavens. That being said, it has some interesting pecularities that make it stand out.
Before continuing, it's worth acknowledging that Washington's Metro system is perhaps one of the most unique of any in the U.S. Architecture aside, Metro is somewhat infamous for its clean, air-conditioned stations, designed to provide comfortable atmosphere capable of luring commuters from their cars. And therein, perhaps, is both Metro's greatest strength and simultaneously one of its weaknesses as well.
Service Availability
Compared to other major U.S. transit systems, Washington's is quite limited. By this, I am referring to its reach, not geographically, but timewise. Currently, Metrorail's standard hours are 5am-12am Monday through Thursday, 5am-1am on Friday, 7am-1am on Saturday, and 7am-12am on Sunday. These hours, particularly the weekend hours, are among the most restrictive of all major rapid transit systems in the U.S. In particular, the 7am opening time on weekends means that it's generally not possible to get somewhere before 8am by Metro in Washington. Considering that Washington has two major airports (Reagan National - DCA and Dulles - IAD) and a major train station (Washington Union Station) within its subway system, weekend travelers with early morning travel planned are unlikely to use public transit to get there, even if they wanted to.
While Metro's closing times are also criticized by some, I find them to be less unreasonable, particularly if you consider the makeup of the patronage of the system late at night. People frequenting bars on Saturday night have both disposable time and income and, evidently, nothing better to do than get drunk. Paying for a cab home is unlikely to be a major inconvenience or impediment to such behavior. In contrast, people traveling earlier in the morning on weekends likely have a need to be going somewhere, whether due to personal travel or work obligations. Such travel is more likely to be characterized by productive goals and obligations. Of course, there are also travelers returning to Washington and workers ending their shifts late at night — still, one can't help but feel that Washington's public transit caters more to drunks than travelers.
Now, compare Washington's system with similar ones in the U.S. New York City's subway operates 24/7, so it hardly needs mentioning that New York's system has the best service availability of any system in the U.S. This is an exception, though — like Washington's, most rapid transit systems in the U.S. do not operate 24 hours a day. Philadelphia's, for example, generally operates 5am to 12am, seven days a week, with some streetcar services operating by 4am or even 24 hours a day. Additionally, between 12am and 5am, "night owl" buses operate along subway routes, making it possibly to travel most places most of the time. Philadelphia's transit is far from the cleanest (they don't call it Filthadelphia for nothing), but it is fairly effective at moving people around when they need to get somewhere.
Boston's transit, too, has superior service availability to Washington's. It is largely open 5am-1am seven days a week, with some lines opening at 6am on Sundays. Still, these one or two hour differences can be the difference between being able to use public transit and not.
Not only does Washington's system have restrictive hours, but it leaves travelers with no alternatives to Metrorail when the system is closed. Unlike in Philadelphia, where buses supplement rapid transit service overnight, Metrobus in Washington is largely inoperational during these hours as well, with only a few routes operating throughout the night. In the majority of cases, there is no way to complete a trip between destinations around the system when Metrorail is closed. Philadelphia's "night owl" buses and the earlier opening hours in most systems would certainly go a long way towards making Washington's Metro usable for more trips.
I would be remiss to not mention the elephant in the room when it comes to Washington's transit. Metrorail was built first and foremost as a commuter rail option for employees working in and around the District, which is why it often feels like everyone else is an afterthought in the system's design.
Of course, funding is always the pernicious issue, not just in Washington, but in virtually all transit systems. All American rapid transit systems lose money; nonetheless, such systems provide an important public resource and less environmentally impactful way to travel. While given infinite resources, all transit systems would operate 24 hours a day, in lieu of that, it seems worth exploring ways to optimize use of the resources available. A clean transit system is great, but it's of limited usefulness if it can't get you where you're going.
Rider Experience
When Washington's Metro system first opened, it was a system truly unprecedented in the U.S. Offering riders a clean and comfortable ride, Metrorail provided a stark contrast to other, often much older, systems in the country that were filthy and unpleasant at best. While Metrorail is still characterized by its cleanliness and architecture, it seems that rider experience has slowly become less important to WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the agency in charge of Metrorail and Metrobus).
A good indication of this is the new 7000-series cars that are now in service. In contrast to the older series cars, up through the 6000-series cars, some of which remain in services, these newer vars are arguably less inviting than their predecessors. Instead of the subdued daylight colors in older cars, the 7000-series cars have harsh, white lighting, making the ride feel cold and industrial. That pretty much sums up the feel, too — the cushioned seats of the trains of yore have given way to hard, plastic seats. Gone, too, is the pleasing disembodied voice announcing door openings and closings, which more than once I thought bore some resemblance to Pat Fleet's (it's actually the voice of Randi Miller, who has been the voice of the system since 2006). Now, riders are forced to listen to jarring, robotically synthesized voice. Metro has always embraced the future, but this new future looks rather bleak and dreary.
There are more practical differences as well — frequent riders have noted that the new 7000-series cars have longer station stops due to delays in opening doors. In other words, the newer train sets are actively reducing the throughput of the system.
Perhaps most telling is how the rider experience in the front car has changed. Up through 6000-car train sets, riders sitting in the front could see quite well out the front of the cab, into the subway tunnels or the outdoor track lying ahead. With the 7000-series cars, this view has been all but sealed off. Perhaps this is a sign of the times, Metro's response to a decline in the average person's interest in the world around them, replaced by whatever gadgets people stare mindlessly at now. The excitement and small pleasures of riding Metro have been eroded significantly, suggesting WMATA is focusing more on practicality and less on experience.
One does wonder where this will lead next. After all, an enjoyable transit system is great, but it's of limited usefulness if it can't get you where you're going.
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