The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Rush+ Service, additional service, shortened station names (at least on THE map), the Silver Line makes an appearance...
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=654&sid=2792966
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=654&sid=2792966
Changes Coming to METRO & THE Map
- Thread starter The Davy Crockett
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 3,386
The Yellow Line changes seem to make a lot of sense, particularly for the Franconia-Springfield branch. I don't really see the need for some Orange Line trains to head to Largo Town Center. The only people that benefits is people traveling the entire way over to/from west of Rosslyn on the Vienna branch. Is there really that much demand for one-seat service? As it is, it's an easy same-platform transfer.
Also, interesting that the Silver Line makes an appearance, but without any reference to where it's going. Most people can probably figure out (or already know) that it's going to serve Dulles, but why not mark that on the map?
Also, interesting that the Silver Line makes an appearance, but without any reference to where it's going. Most people can probably figure out (or already know) that it's going to serve Dulles, but why not mark that on the map?
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
I'll surmise answers to both of these.
With the Orange line I suspect that it has to do with capacity. Additional trains are being added in an effort to relieve the 'Orange crush' that happens with trains going into DC from Virginia. At the same time, trains from Franconia/Springfield are being routed more directly downtown over the Yellow Line and proceeding up that line. This not only provides a more direct routing for many people into downtown, but it will also help relieve the current congestion in the tunnel under the river, which the Blue and Orange Lines share. This means there will be less Blue Line Trains east of downtown, so some Orange Line trains will be sent out the eastern end of the Blue line to provide the same level of service that that segment currently has.
With the Silver Line, station names have not been finalized and funding for the segment actually out to Dulles has not been secured. But I also think they left it vague on purpose. It helps to keep people who are unfamiliar with the system from thinking that trains are running on the Silver Line. When the original METRO was only partially complete, THE Map was not very clear about which lines and which stations were actually in service, and which ones were under construction or just planned. This caused a lot of confusion with new riders. When I commuted on METRO in a past life it seemed like I was forever trying to help people who thought they could ride to a station not yet open. And a lot of them seemed 'p.o.ed' when they realized their plans were not going to work. METRO caught a fair amount of flack for this.
My interpretation is that the rerouted Orange Line trains are extra service covering for the fact that some Blue Line trains are being turned into extended Yellow Line trains. Probably filling gaps where the Blue-turned-Yellow trains used to be.
Probably because it won't be open for a few more years, and they don't want to confuse people by having them think the service is available now when it isn't.
You are sort of correct here. The point isn't so much to relieve the "orange crush" as it is to deal with the coming of the Silver Line. Due to the orange crush, they cannot fit any more trains through the switch that merges the Blue & Orange lines on the Virginia side just west of the Rosslyn station. So in order to work in the new trains from the Silver line, they must reduce the number of Blue line trains coming that way.
So the plan is to send some Blue line trains over the Yellow line which still has the capacity for more trains. This frees up slots on the combined Blue/Orange line through DC. Now since the Silver line isn't yet ready to run, rather than reducing capacity on the combined line and to help with the Orange Crush, they are temporarily adding more Orange line trains. However, the normal end point for the Blue line in Maryland would see reduced service if all those extra Orange line trains went to the normal end of the line @ New Carrollton. Remember, they sent some Blues onto the Yellow line. So for that reason, as well as to practice what will happen with the Silver line trains eventually, those temporary extra Oranges go to the Blue line terminus @ Largo TC. Once the Silver line starts running,then you will once again only see Orange line trains running to New Carrollton. Largo will see both Blue & Silver trains in the future.
fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 3,386
Great comments, and the Orange/Blue rationale makes a lot of sense.
As far as the phantom Silver Line, I guess it could be confusing but why even put it on the map at all, then? It's a stealth marketing campaign, I guess! :giggle:
As far as the phantom Silver Line, I guess it could be confusing but why even put it on the map at all, then? It's a stealth marketing campaign, I guess! :giggle:
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Thanks Allen. I was wondering where the Silver Line was going to fit into the scheme of things. From the construction just east of the West Falls Church station, where the Silver Line joins the Orange, it sure looks like the Silvers will contiue downtown, but I'd not heard exactly what the plans were.
Ryan
Court Jester
Lines under construction have always been shown on Metro Maps.
Here's what the map looked like in 1982:
I've seen that map before, can't remember where (maybe in a book about transit maps).Here's what the map looked like in 1982:
When I looked at it more closely, one thing didn't quite make sense to me. If I'm reading that map correctly, it looks like westbound Blue Line trains ran from New Carrollton to National Airport, and eastbound Orange Line trains ran from National Airport to New Carrollton. Meanwhile, eastbound Blue Line trains ran from that one station whose name I can't quite make out on the map, to Addison Road, while westbound Oranges ran from Addison Road to that one station whose name I can't quite make out on the map.
Since apparently the routes were either National Airport-New Carrollton, or Addison Road-that one station whose name I can't quite make out on the map, why were the colors split in each direction? Anyone with enough actual historical knowledge of the system with insight on that? It seems they made it rather complicated, given that each O/D pair was its own captive route (if I'm interpreting that map correctly).
The only thing I can think of is that they knew they were going to swap the terminals of the trains once the extensions were built, and they wanted to get people used boarding the correct train for the correct destination (if you're going to National Airport, take the Blue Line, if you're going to Addison Road, take the Blue Line, if you're going to New Carrollton, take the Orange Line, if you're going to that one station...you get the idea...take the Orange Line). Maybe I've just answered my own question.
What's also interesting about the 1982 map is that it shows the Yellow Line running from Greenbelt to Franconia-Springifeld, and now, 30 years later, that's finally going to happen (albeit rush hours only).
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Trogdor,
The name of the station you can't quite make out is Ballston.
Having been primarily a Red Line rider until I moved across the river a few years ago, I had forgotten about the Orange & Blue lines running as shown on the map, let alone why they did...
The name of the station you can't quite make out is Ballston.
Having been primarily a Red Line rider until I moved across the river a few years ago, I had forgotten about the Orange & Blue lines running as shown on the map, let alone why they did...
Ryan
Court Jester
I found the map on Greater Greater Washington (but couldn't find the article where it was used), so you may have seen it there.
Here's a piece that they did on the evolution of the Metro service that's quite interesting:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/4835/the-evolution-of-metrorail-1976-2010/
In it, I found the article that contains that map, and it contains an explanation of those service patterns:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/1298/what-was-up-with-the-one-way-orange-blue/
You can also see on the 1982 map that the legs of the blue and yellow lines were swapped. That map shows the line to Franconia-Springfield as the Yellow line, but today that service is considered a part of the blue line.
Back on the topic of showing lines under construction, here is the WMATA map of my youth:
IMG_0507 by tracktwentynine, on Flickr
This map shows my favorite WMATA oddity, the "Green Line Commuter Shortcut":
IMG_0505 by tracktwentynine, on Flickr
Before the Green Line was completed, it ran in 2 sections that actually intersected at Gallery Place. The Greenbelt section took a switch between West Hyattsville and Fort Totten and "took a left" onto the Red Line to pass through the downtown core, going as far as Farragut North before turning back to run towards Greenbelt.
Many thanks to Tracktwentynine and the crew at GGW for documenting all of this.
Here's a piece that they did on the evolution of the Metro service that's quite interesting:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/4835/the-evolution-of-metrorail-1976-2010/
In it, I found the article that contains that map, and it contains an explanation of those service patterns:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/1298/what-was-up-with-the-one-way-orange-blue/
It's interesting that the split blue/orange line is coming back, but unlike the earlier iteration the "color" of the train will be driven by the origin, not the destination of the train. In 1982 a Ballston to Addison Road train would always be blue (because it had went to the end of the blue line). This summer, that same train will be an Orange train, because it's originating on the Orange side of the line.
You can also see on the 1982 map that the legs of the blue and yellow lines were swapped. That map shows the line to Franconia-Springfield as the Yellow line, but today that service is considered a part of the blue line.
Back on the topic of showing lines under construction, here is the WMATA map of my youth:
IMG_0507 by tracktwentynine, on Flickr
This map shows my favorite WMATA oddity, the "Green Line Commuter Shortcut":
IMG_0505 by tracktwentynine, on Flickr
Before the Green Line was completed, it ran in 2 sections that actually intersected at Gallery Place. The Greenbelt section took a switch between West Hyattsville and Fort Totten and "took a left" onto the Red Line to pass through the downtown core, going as far as Farragut North before turning back to run towards Greenbelt.
Many thanks to Tracktwentynine and the crew at GGW for documenting all of this.
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Thanks Ryan. Great post!
Could this 'new' practice be a projection of how METRO management looks at things? :unsure: :lol:
And, on a different note, let me add:
Somehow this just seems inherently backwards to me. I mean does one care more about where the train came from, or where it is going?
Could this 'new' practice be a projection of how METRO management looks at things? :unsure: :lol:
And, on a different note, let me add:
:hi:
Thanks for that link. It sounds like the explanation was close to what I had guessed.
Reading the comments further down that link, this explained it a bit better:
Reading the comments further down that link, this explained it a bit better:
The split route operation made it so they didn't have to change any destination signs in the stations or on the trains (which I guess had roll signs back then).
Ryan
Court Jester
Yep, before the LEDs were flip dots, and before that were the roll signs (some pictures can be found here)
Cameron Booth (designer of the Amtrak as a Subway map) has a site where he critiques transit maps from around the world. Here's his take on WMATA's map:
http://transitmaps.tumblr.com/post/19748100302/washington-rush-plus
Cameron Booth (designer of the Amtrak as a Subway map) has a site where he critiques transit maps from around the world. Here's his take on WMATA's map:
http://transitmaps.tumblr.com/post/19748100302/washington-rush-plus
It's right there at the top:
Some clarification on the Silver Line stub on the new map. The new map shows the five stations and 11.6 miles of Phase 1 which is under construction. The service over the Phase 1 section was supposed to start in late 2013, but probably will be early 2014. The new map will only be in use for less than 2 years, when a new one with the operational Phase 1 of the Silver Line will be issued.
The Silver Line will join the Orange Line between West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations. The Silver Line trains will run on the Orange Line, and the Orange/Blue Line starting at Rosslyn, through downtown DC to Stadium Armory where they will stop and come back on the other track.
Phase 2 of the Silver Line is supposed to start construction early next year. Phase 2 will add 6 more stations, running from Reston Town Center to Dulles Airport and 2 stations west of Dulles. The maintenance yard for the Silver Line will be located on the grounds of Dulles. Phase 2 is pretty much funded, but there are some questions about Fairfax and Loudoun Counties paying for the parking garages at the stations. I would not be totally surprised if the last 2 stations in Loudoun County west of Dulles Airport were "postponed" or "delayed" because of the politics in Loudoun county, but odds are they will be included with Phase 2.
The Silver Line will extend so far west of the current DC Metro system, it is an interesting challenge to squeeze the 11 stations in on the map without totally distorting the map. The station names for Silver Line Phase 1 are not on the map because they have not been finalized. Which is good because the initial names the Fairfax County Board came up with were awful. DullesMetro.com website has info and newsletter on the project.
Ryan
Court Jester
Nope, we haven't seen the first one yet. The plan was for delivery of the first quad set at the end of this year for testing, but word is that they are running about 6 months behind.
Here's a video that WMATA just released from Japan:
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=5178
Sarles says that the strip maps are something that WMATA hasn't had before - if you look at the roll maps I linked upthread, you can see that they provided "analog" strip maps back at the very beginning.
They also posted some pictures - they appear to be good looking cars (with the exception of the hideous new graphics on the side):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/metroforward/sets/72157629547185295/with/6820933206/
Here's a video that WMATA just released from Japan:
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=5178
Sarles says that the strip maps are something that WMATA hasn't had before - if you look at the roll maps I linked upthread, you can see that they provided "analog" strip maps back at the very beginning.
They also posted some pictures - they appear to be good looking cars (with the exception of the hideous new graphics on the side):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/metroforward/sets/72157629547185295/with/6820933206/
I see from the photos that they were smart and incorporated the digital variable message signs that the MTA here in NY has been putting into all new cars now for several years now. These displays show the next 10 station stops all the time and then scroll through the remaining stops in groups of 10. As the train moves along they constantly update, making it much easier for a casual rider or visitor to keep track of where they are and where they need to get off the train.
fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 3,386
True enough. To be honest, I had missed that. Still, it seems that previous maps showing "future service" also indicated on the map the specific stations that would be served in the future. This new map does not.
Ryan
Court Jester
Because those stations don't yet have names.
There was a survey taken by WMATA that closed on March 21 for input on the proposed Silver Line station names in Fairfax County. The Greater Greater Washington blog had a recent discussion on the survey and suggested names which lists the name the Fairfax County Board came up with, with no apparent thought given to the importance of having names that are descriptive, short, and not muddled. All we can do is hope that the staff and WMATA board settle on clear names for the Silver Line and not fall victim to the whims of politics that resulted in station names like U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo. If the Silver Line is to open by November/December of 2013 - which is optimistic given the slip in delivery of the 7000 series cars, the station names will likely have to be finalized this year.
Aloha
Doesn't seem strange to me. In NYC, that is exactly how they Identify their trains. Remember the movie Pelham 123, that name is because the train starts at Pelham at 1:23. I laugh because it is funny that someone in Hollywood used a real naming convention :giggle:
NY Penn
OBS Chief
Just curious - what's the point of putting lines under construction on the map? Aside from that, I like how they shortened the ridiculous station names.
For example, to the public a train is known as a (7), for example.
Between the train operator, dispatcher, etc. the train is known as the 4:14 7 Times Square, if it started at Times Square at 4:14.
Not to take this thread OT.
Interestingly, that's how they're identified internally, not to the public.
For example, to the public a train is known as a (7), for example.
Between the train operator, dispatcher, etc. the train is known as the 4:14 7 Times Square, if it started at Times Square at 4:14.
Not to take this thread OT.
But will the extra service not be operating in both directions? If it is, then it would only be identifying where the train came from in one direction, but will be showing its (more or less) destination line in the other. I say "more or less" because the Yellow Line will be extended to Greenbelt, which isn't its normal terminal, but it makes more sense showing it as a yellow line than as a Green Line.
