“It was very upsetting to be taken hostage by metro, with no questions asked.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user James Jackson

“Dear PoPville,

I reported this to WMATA earlier today. Were any other readers on this train?

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing about my very unsettling experience on the Red Line metro on April 13, 2016. I am very disappointed by the train driver/operator/conductor and would appreciate his/her response to my inquiry below.

QUESTION: Why did the train operator not make an announcement on the train to ensure that all passengers were ABLE to disembark at Silver Spring prior to heading straight for Brookland with no interim stops? It was very upsetting to be taken hostage by metro today, with no questions asked.

In the afternoon I boarded a Red line train at Chinatown which stated that it was terminating at Glenmont station. It made it to an above ground stop between Silver Spring station and Forest Glen station. Then suddenly the train started moving BACKWARDS down to Silver Spring. There was a quick announcement about offloading and the train being placed out of service, BUT the doors on our train car #3205 NEVER OPENED. Then the train kept moving south without making stops. Finally, just north of Brookland station, a fellow passenger pressed the intercom button to inquire and the train conductor effectively told him that it was his fault that he did not off-load at Silver Spring.

Pray tell, how were the passengers of car #3205 supposed to disembark if the doors never opened? Thank you in advance for your reply.”