u/DogSoggy40

Single tracking on the red line yesterday between Takoma was killing me and got me thinking there must be a better way to handle this and keep service FAST during single tracking sessions.

Check this out! How about having a dedicated "single track train" that operates as a shuttle between the single-tracking area?

The way it works is all trains would have normal service outside of single-tracking areas, and passengers who want to move through the single-tracking area would just board the "shuttle train" which exclusively moves back and forth on the same track between the single-tracking area.

Since the single-tracking area only covering two stations, the waits would be shorter and service could be almost normal.

Is this stupid? Am I missing something?

Like right now.

... for a Jurassic Park sequel.

I think it's easily the best Jurassic Park movie outside of the original. It's raw, gritty, and scary. The dinosaurs are more realistic than any other movie. I don't get the hate it gets at all.

I've been praying for the Jurassic Park movies to return to this look and feel with the later installments. I worry that only Steven Spielberg knows how to make these movies feel right.

I'm sure Christopher Nolan could bring back that gritty realism the franchise has been missing since the Lost World, but he would never do it because these movies aren't considered "serious" anymore and are almost in the "Marvel" category of flashy summer movie.

What are your thoughts on The Lost World and what directors would you like to see handle future movies?

It usually takes a lot to end a relationship. At least it should.

I'm grieving over my breakup with my girlfriend yesterday and even though I'm the one who ended it, it feels like the opposite. The truth is I love her and really want to be with her, but I can tell she doesn't feel the same even though she claims too.

When I ended things, my suspicions were confirmed with how indifferent she seemed towards the breakup. She just said "I understand" and that was it.

In the end, I feel like I'm the one who got dumped. I've heard its common for women to leave relationships emotionally long before they leave physically.

When it comes to WMATA rains and buses people seem to support adding more doors to make loading and unloading faster/easier. However, when it comes to seat reduction via less forward-facing seats, people are aggressively against it.

I think ease of movement within trains and buses is important and having more sideways seating supports this.

Adding doors reduces seating, so it seems to be a hypocritical position.

More sideway seating is coming to Metrorail in the 8000 series cars and I think the buses should match. WMATA buses are too cramped with their almost exclusive forward-facing seats.

We need more sideways seating to allow for easier movement, wheelchairs, and more standing room.

With the 60-foot buses that bend in the middle, the entire front portion before the middle rare axle should be sideways seating.

I've always been someone who is more factual/scientific vs. moralistic/ideological so I just try to get down to the truth of things and I worry less about team dynamics and groupthink. My position remains.. "is it TRUE or FALSE? Is it a fact or an opinion?" That's it.

I can't wrap my head around how Conservatives and Liberals both pretend to have moral superiority when neither side actually does. They behave as if the apposing side has no solid arguments.

Do you believe this is more about people being uninterested in reality when reality is not comforting, or is it more an issue of the narcissistic need for power?

I'm shocked they are still making this show. I watched it growing up in the 90's and stopped watching it around the late 2000's. Back then, I thought it was close to the end.

How the hell is this show still going in 2026 and who is watching it?

I'm surprised with the Purple Line station at college park opening so soon, there is almost no development around the College Park metro stop. Also, it seems like the Purple Line stop could easily be right next to the parking garage instead of around the corner from College Park metro.

Fort Totton is also absurd. A major heavy rail transfer stop with barely anything around it.

You would think Real Estate near metro stops would have been selling like hotcakes from the start with developers drooling over that land.

Does anyone know what is keeping the northern portion of the Greenline so underdeveloped?

I'd like to ride one of the new Nova Bus variants at least once. Given the size of the fleet, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack with only five individuals.

Which routes have you seen them or ridden them around the area so far?

Can anyone related to the immense relief and empowerment that comes from accepting things you cannot control and fully embracing your own free-will?

For example, when I was younger I would often blame myself for the behavior of others and stress myself out. Now, I see other people's behavior as a reflection of who they are and I take no blame unless I was intentionally manipulative towards them.

On the free-will front: I fully embrace my power to do, act and say as I please along with the possible consequences that might come with it. This frees me from feeling victimized or "stuck" in various situations.

This mindset has also destroyed my spirit of competition outside of a structured game such as Sports or Chess. In regular life, I don't feel like I'm in competition with anyone because I'm only focused on my own specific goals based on what makes my own life fulfilling.

It took years to get to this mental space, but its a nice place to be. The only downside is I find it a lot harder to related to others and, therefore, I can come off as a weirdo to a lot of people. I guess this comes with not walking in lockstep with every social norm. I don't like being seen this way and it gives me mild anxiety at times, but it's a small price to pay for being at peace with myself.

PROPOSAL:

A regional light rail system operated by WMATA.

The NYC subway originated as three different independent services that were later combined into one.

WHY:

Light rail has been a popular addition to many American cities lately. If the blue line loop is too expensive and heavy rail expansion too difficult, I think light rail could be great for the area.

Philadelphia has a good model for a light rail/subway mix. Light rail is cheaper and faster to build, and offers more agility in dense areas.

HOW:

Maryland can partner with Virginia to expand the purple Line into a regional loop connecting Virginia. Next, bring back DC streetcar in underserved areas of DC like Ivy City, Eastern Brookland, Maryland Avenue, Cathedral Heights, Georgetown, and Constitution Avenue.

Give the light rail 100% right-of-way without traffic mixing. How? - Completely remove car traffic from certain routes or convert those roads to one-way streets for traffic and two-way for the light rail.

CONSOLIDATION:

Give the Purple Line, DC Streetcar, and whatever Virginia builds to WMATA. The reason we do this last is because WMATA should focus on improving the current system as much as possible and not be spread too thin. Thus, let each jurisdiction build out it's own system upfront, then give it to WMATA in the end.

WHY GIVE TO WMATA?

To allow for vehicle and track sharing across the region (simplicity) along with better integration and easier route expansion in the future.

During the afternoon rush hour of June 22, 2009, a WMATA train going southbound on the Red Line between Takoma and Fort Totten collided with a train stopped ahead of it. The train operator along with eight passengers died, and 80 people were injured, making it the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington Metro.

Around this time, there was lots of talk about the "crashworthiness" of the 1000 series cars (the series that collided with a 5000 series train ahead of it) and there was a narrative that more crashworthy cars would have been safer in the crash.

Then the 7000 series comes online with a completely new design. stainless steal, more safety features, and end doors moved closer to the middle of the cars, changing the seating layout from what was standard in the past.

Sometimes I wonder what the 7000 series design would have looked like without this incident.

It's possible WMATA would have just stuck with the original design to this day without that crash and the 7000 series, as we know them today, would not exist.

I know this might be a decade or more away, but since the design for the 8000 series is basically complete and we know what we're getting.. what improvements would you like to see for the next design?

I walked through the 8000 series model on the mall a few weeks ago and took several pictures. Overall, I think it's an improvement on the 7000 series fleet.

One thing I'd like to see return is the ceiling mounted mid-car destination sign that only exists on the 6000 series. The open gangway area also needs more handles or grab bars. And finally, stainless steel for the body. I think it's just a better and more resilient material than aluminum.

Everyone has to wait hours at the hospital just to be seen. It's like every hospital is perpetually understaffed 24/7.

Is this why some people believe medicine should not have a profit motive or is this caused by something else?

Is there a metro stop you live near or frequent that you would like to see more urban development around? And if you could choose, what would you add?

For example, I think Fort Totten is missed opportunity. We have a transfer station serving three lines and very little urban development around it. Fort Totten should look like NoMa.

Is anyone else tired of the New Flyer Xcelsior design that has been around since 2008 with almost no changes? I wish they would redesign the buses already. WMATA could also consider some other manufacturers.

We only got 6 Novabuses and now NovaBus has left the U.S. making no future orders possible.

I liked that Circular used to mix things up, back when it was still running.

And before the bean counters enter the chat... I'm aware fleet redundancy offers cost savings and everything under the sun is about money so I just saved you the time.

It seems like introverts bother a lot of people, even though they mostly mind their own business and let everyone be.

Why do extroverts want everyone to be like them? Is it narcissism or is it insecurity?

Most people assume I'm an extrovert because I'm highly ambitious, but I'm actually an introvert and people will tell me how introvert behavior annoys or bothers them or how they are trying to change someone to be "more social" and "get out more". I never understood why being an introvert is a problem to some people.

For now I'm just focusing on the underground stations.

Just from an ease of use perspective and practical standpoint, having exists at both ends of each station would actually increase subway coverage across the metro area.

I know "every" station cannot have them because of blah blah "money" blah blah "location" etc. However, if we are not going to get the blue line loop, the next best thing is more exits.

I propose adding exits to the following undergrown stations:

• Columbia Heights (to the south)
• Adams Morgan (to the north)
• Van Ness
• Tenleytown
• North Bethesda (I think it's in the works)
• Wheaton (expensive, I know, I know)
• Bethesda (expensive, I know, I know)
• Archives (South near the National Mall)
• Waterfront (East)
• Mt Vernon Sq (being downtown it's kind of ridiculous there isn't a northern exit)
• Foggy Bottom (Needs it immediately)
• Rosslyn (expensive, I know, I know)
• Court House
• Pentagon City
• Clarendon
• Petworth
• Eastern Market
• Stadium Armory (will probably get one with the new stadium)

I'm aware some of these stations on the list have two or three surface level exits already, but I'm talking more about the location on the station platform where there is only an exit at one end.

Many surface level stations need additional exits too. Lots of them. I'll make that list later.

From what I know, WMATA has ordered 256 8k railcars (with options for up to 800?).

This is a return to form where WMATA orders a few hundred railcars at a time. The massive 7k order was a first.

Personally, I prefer smaller orders because it allows for more fleet variety. This has a lot of benefits, such as when there is a defect/recall such as the wheel issue with the 7k's it doesn't sideline 60% of the fleet at once!

I think the bus fleet (nationwide) needs more variety too. New Flyers are so boring and haven't been redesigned in probably over a decade.