Monday, October 19, 2009

Are 8-Car Red Line Trains an Endangered Species?


We've gotten several reports from people that 8-car trains are a rare sighting on the Red Line during rush hour these days. There were so many reports, we asked Metro, and they said they were running the same amount of 8-car trains as they were before the crash.

What are you seeing?

This photo was taken by BruinGirl2001 at 8:44 this morning at Dupont Circle.

15 comments:

julieann said...

Well, they're definitely not on the orange line, so they must be on the red, right?

Todd said...

I was actually just wondering that this morning. I can't remember the last time I saw an 8 car train on the red line.

David said...

I was on a Glenmont-bound 8-car train this morning, except the monitor had it listed as a two-car train. Frankly, I don't care whether they run 6- or 8-car trains as long as they run them frequently. More bothersome to me is that there have been dramatic shifts in the frequency of train service during rush hour. There was about a three-week period from mid-September to early October in which the Glenmont-bound trains at my station (Cleveland Park) were running every 6-8 minutes around 9:15, when I arrive at the station. They were all 6-car trains and you could barely find standing room -- it was like the week after the Fort Totten crash all over again. Last week they went back to running every 2-3 minutes, thankfully. Anyone know anything about this?

Anonymous said...

Haven't seen in weeks.

Tonei said...

I think I've seen one in the past month. Granted, I don't take Metro that often, but…

homertuck said...

Uh, I'm a daily rider from Rockville to Farragut North and I can't tell you the last time I saw an 8-car Train. I'm sure Metro is lying. Also, the station manager at Rockville was asleep, snoring this morning when I came into the station at 6:15. I should have taken a picture. It was priceless.

Anonymous said...

I see maybe one or two 8-car trains in a month riding the Orange Line at rush hour. They are a very rare occurance.

Steffers said...

I am an every day Red Line commuter, and I honestly can't remember the last time I saw an 8car train during rush hour either way. Metro's reply is poppycock.

Steve said...

I've caught maybe 2 Shady Grove-bound 8-car trains at Union Station on my way home in the past month. It's treat when I don't have to run halfway down the platform to catch the last door of a 6-car train when entering the station from the 1st St entrance.

bradlby said...

There is no way the frequency of 8 car trains is the same as before. Maybe 1 in 10 trains I see is 8 car these days. Like other people I'm more concerned with the time between trains though, so if they can keep it to 2-3 minutes I am fine with the shorter trains. Also people have finally caught on to where they stop on the platform so the final car is rarely super packed anymore.

Anonymous said...

I rarely saw an 8-car train before the crash, and then I saw often saw them (just once every 10 minutes). Now, I rarely see 8-car trains.

Anonymous said...

Nothing is as frequent as it was before on Metro. Why do they set themselves up for these pitiful laughs?

Anonymous said...

I'm a daily red-line rider and cannot remember the last 8 car train either going toward Glenmont from Gallery Place or the opposite direction. Metro just lies, like usual.

Anonymous said...

I see them about once a week, at Union station headed home around 5-5:15. If it's less than 5 minutes, I often wait for it, just to avoid the situation at Chinatown where they zip right past the access point to the Green/Yellow line below in 6 car trains for no rational reason whatsoever.

Anonymous said...

i've seen a lot of 8 car trains on the green lines at gallery - i take the yellow and usually have to watch as 2 or 3 greens pass by before my yellow comes. of course, i haven't seen an 8 car yellow in months, always cram onto the end of the 6 car or miss it altogether.

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