metro

Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.

From Metro Alerts:

“Metrorail fare vendors are currently unable to process Credit/Debit card transactions. Customers are advised to use cash.”

Updated 4:00 p.m.

“Metro’s fare vendors in stations and online ordering have resumed processing credit and debit cards to add fare value to SmarTrip® cards.

Due to an equipment malfunction earlier today, most vending machines were unable to accept credit or debit cards. The outage also affected online fare purchases.

We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience while resolving this issue.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Julian Ortiz

A reader writes “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”:

“Thank you for contacting the Office of Customer Relations. We apologize
for the inconvenience that you experienced. A refund will be provided to you in the form of a complimentary free ride ticket. Please respond to this email with your mailing address and I will send the ticket immediately. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and thank you for using Metro.”

For those curious about the inconvenience experienced: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr.TinDC

“Dear PoPville,

This morning on the red line I sat beside a medium tall-ish, dark-haired, middle-aged man with a briefcase, who proceeded (while sitting) to continue holding either side of his case, which in turn made his left hand keep brushing against my upper thigh. I was against the window, so didn’t have much room, but I kept scooting away from him and giving him pointed looks that clearly indicated discomfort. If his hands were just sitting there, that may have been one thing, but I could feel his fingers wiggling against my thigh, which made me extremely uncomfortable.

I thought about saying something, but I didn’t. I really regret that. If the guy is innocently oblivious, he needs to know how uncomfortable his hands made me. If he’s not so innocent, people need to be made aware of this. This is actually the second time this has happened with this same man, but the first time I brushed it off as part of a crowded train environment or a random thing. However, after this morning I feel rather violated, and wish I had said something. I’ve never dealt with anything like this before, and I’m wondering if others have experienced the same thing?”

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of November 20-22 with service adjustments on three of six lines beginning at 10:00 p.m. Friday and continuing through system closing on Sunday.

This weekend, trains will operate as follows:

Orange, Silver and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals
Red Line trains will operate every 20 minutes.
Blue Line trains will operate every 24 minutes.
Yellow Line trains will operate every 24 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only.”

From WMATA:

“The Metro Transit Police Department continues to coordinate with its federal law-enforcement partners and monitor information regarding the tragic events in Paris.

MTPD has taken the following steps in response to the attacks:

• Increased patrols systemwide. Riders will likely notice an increased police presence throughout the transit system. The additional patrols began Friday evening and will continue for an unspecified period of time.
• Additional K9 sweeps. MTPD has more than 20 K9 teams in service conducting security sweeps in and around rail stations and other critical infrastructure.
• Expanded random explosives screening. MTPD has expanded random explosives screening at station entrances. Any bag or package carried onto the system may be subject to screening by MTPD officers.

In addition to these announced steps, MTPD and its local and federal law enforcement partners have implemented several other countermeasures that are not visible to the traveling public.

Customers reminded to remain vigilant
All Metro customers should immediately report any suspicious activity or unattended items to MTPD by calling (202) 962-2121 or texting “MyMTPD.” Riders are encouraged to program MTPD’s number into their cell phone. In an emergency, call 911.

Additional changes to Metro’s security posture are possible as information or events warrant.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jamelle Bouie

Metro Haikus by John Nicoll Vol. 4 – Paranoico. You can spot John on the Red Line commuting between Brookland and Bethesda. “MetroHaikuDC‘s daily transit musings are brightening DC’s metro tunnels, 17 syllables at a time. I started writing a haiku a day on my 40 minute daily train ride to and from work. It passes the time and keeps things lighthearted in some of the metro’s darkest times.”

Please enjoy Paranoico this week:

Talking about me
They think I don’t speak Spanish
They are right, I don’t

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of November 13-15 with service adjustments on all six lines beginning at 10:00 p.m. Friday and continuing through system closing on Sunday.

This weekend, trains will operate as follows:

Red Line trains will operate every 22 minutes.
Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 20 minutes.
Yellow Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only.
Green Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals except at Suitland and Branch Ave on Saturday.

Derek Douglas tweets us:

“More issues on Red Line-Dupont. Smoke seen and smell of electrical fire.”

WMATA tweeted:

“Silver Spring-bound Red Line train offloading at Dupont Circle, brake problem. Next train at Woodley Park. 8:42a”

“Disabled train at Dupont Circle moving off the line, expect delays as trains resume spacing. 8:46a”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Beau Finley

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of November 6-8 with service adjustments on five of six lines beginning at 10:00 p.m. Friday and continuing through system closing on Sunday.

This weekend, trains will operate as follows:

Red Line trains will operate every 18 minutes.
Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 20 minutes.
Yellow Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only.
Green Line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Brett Bowers

From WMATA:

“Metro Interim General Manager Jack Requa today announced that Orange and Silver line trains will resume normal service at Stadium-Armory Station starting Monday, Nov. 9, following power system upgrades.

Currently, only Blue Line trains stop at Stadium-Armory Station weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. During these times, Orange and Silver line trains pass through the station without stopping to reduce strain on the electrical system following a substation fire on Monday, Sept. 21. The fire severely damaged a 9-megawatt substation that supplies electricity to the third rail in the area. Since the incident, Metro has had to feed power to the area from smaller adjacent substations.

The restoration of normal service at Stadium-Armory is possible thanks to emergency upgrades at an adjacent power substation, located near Potomac Avenue Station. In response to the fire, crews identified a creative workaround by adding 3 megawatts of electrical output at the Potomac Avenue substation, in addition to its original capacity of 4 megawatts. As a result, the Potomac Avenue substation now has a capacity of 7 megawatts, enough to allow Orange, Silver and Blue line trains to stop normally at Stadium-Armory Station without overloading the system or disrupting service. (more…)