metro

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin

From WMATA:

“With unanimous Board support, Paul Wiedefeld was named Metro’s new General Manager and Chief Executive Officer (GM/CEO) today. Mr. Wiedefeld will be formally appointed at WMATA’s next Board of Directors meeting on November 19.

“This Board is very pleased to have a senior executive of Mr. Wiedefeld’s caliber who will help us build a new standard of safety, reliability, and financial stability for our system,” said WMATA Board of Directors Chairman Mort Downey. “Paul brings to Metro a depth of transportation knowledge and regional experience and we are absolutely united in our support for him. The Board will continue in our governance and oversight role in a manner that helps Paul succeed in running the day-to-day operations of Metro to better serve our riders, rebuild faith in management, and restore credibility with stakeholders.”

Mr. Wiedefeld, age 60, brings to Metro 30 years of public and private sector transportation management experience, formerly serving as CEO of the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where he managed the operations of an airport that served a (then) record 22.7 million passengers in CY 2012. During his prior service as BWI CEO, Mr. Wiedefeld oversaw the largest expansion in the Airport’s history including the design and construction of a 26-gate terminal for Southwest airlines; as well as providing air service, customer service, and increasing airport revenues. He is credited with leading BWI’s growth as the busiest passenger airport in the Washington metropolitan region. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

“Dear PoPville,

As I wait here on the platforms to U st to go into the city, two northbound trains have passed me, and I’m sure a third will come before at least one southbound train comes. This is literally the norm now, not some delay, or construction, or anything else. This appears retaliated to intentional scheduling.

And I’m sure once I get on the train, it will stop for several minutes outside of Mt Vernon to allow several trains to switch tracks and get in front.

My question, is it accurate that this is intentional, and not part of some unforeseen delay? If intentional…..WHY??? Dear god why?”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jordan Barab

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 Nosy Neighbor this week:

I can see you there
Reading what I’m writing down
Hello seat neighbor

A reader reports:

“Smoke in tunnels, fare hikes, and now this? Metro- I’m done with you!!!”

Happy Halloween!!

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of October 30 – November 1 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 18 minutes.
Yellow Line trains will operate every 24 between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only.
Green Line trains will operate every 16 minutes on Saturday only, regular weekend intervals on Sunday.
Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 24 minutes.

Metrorail late-night service info for end of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time will end at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1. At that time, clocks will “fall back” to 1 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).

Metrorail will remain open until its normal closing time of 3 a.m. “new time” (Eastern Standard Time).”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Messay Shoakena

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 Unwanted DJ this week:
His headphones booming
Today we’re all listening
To this guy’s music

Photo by PoPville flickr user wolfpackWX

From WMATA:

“Two Metro employees are being called heroes this weekend after subduing a robbery suspect armed with a loaded semiautomatic handgun aboard a Green Line train.

The incident began shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday when the victim, an adult male, was approached by the suspect at Anacostia Station. The suspect flashed a gun in his waistband and demanded the victim’s money. The victim complied and handed over approximately $40.

The suspect then boarded a northbound Green Line train where he got into an altercation with other passengers. Two Metro Rail Operations employees–one male and one female–were riding aboard the train, noticed the altercation and attempted to intervene. After a struggle, the male employee was able to restrain the suspect by pinning him to the floor of the railcar while the female employee radioed the Rail Operations Control Center to dispatch Metro Transit Police.

During the physical altercation, the male employee noticed that the suspect was reaching in his jacket pocket. The employee asked the suspect, “Do you have a gun?” When the suspect responded “yes,” the employee grabbed the weapon and placed it out of the suspect’s reach on the floor of the train. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jim Havard

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of October 23-24 with service adjustments on five of six lines beginning at 10:00 p.m. Friday and continuing through system closing on Saturday.

Trains will operate as follows:

Yellow Line trains operate regular Saturday schedule between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only
Red Line trains will operate every 18 minutes.
Green Line trains will operate every 16 minutes.
Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 26 minutes.

There will be no track work on Sunday, trains operate at regular service frequencies.

5AM Opening Sunday for Marine Corps Marathon

Metrorail will open two hours early, at 5 a.m., on Sunday, October 25, for customers traveling to the Marine Corps Marathon. The closest Metro stop to the start of the race is Pentagon on the Blue and Yellow lines. Riders may want to consider using Pentagon City as an alternate station due to potential crowding at Pentagon.”

You can see a map of the route here.