I used the Red Line this past Thursday to go to Union Station and it seems the quirks are steady improving, like the door opening delay. I can definitely feel the quick acceleration and stoppage. Can’t wait for other lines to have ATO!
Yes! I generally love the sounds of the 3000s, although they did sound slightly different with ATO. I assume it has to do with the slight differences in acceleration and braking when in automatic operation.
One thing I noticed when I visited DC in May/June this year was how inffiicent it was that the driver would get out from thier seat to check when the doors were ok to close... In Perth Western Australia each station has its on CCTV network that shows the drivers the people alighting and stepping on the train through a tv screen inside the cab.. although overall its a very good system.
once I move to RTC, I'll be riding all the time, but for now, this is one of the only times I've seen a 3000/6000 train on the silver line, nice surprise!
I see them quite a bit, actually! Not nearly as much as on other lines, but they definitely do run them regularly on the Silver Line! I feel like I usually see more 3’s than 6’s, but that might just be me. Thanks for watching!
I've noticed the Red line seems to be at least 60%-80% 3k cars. Most of the 7k's are on Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. Most of the 6k's are on Green and Yellow lines. Not sure why they don't have them more evenly spread out.
That sounds about right. Maybe it’s just operationally easier that way? (Though I will say, I don’t mind riding 3k’s on the Silver Line--the seats are comfier!)
@@29downtheline For me it's a trade off because the 3k and 6k cars have horrible leg room unless you're in a bench or door facing seat. 7k seats are too hard but have more back support and leg room. Can't win.
If I remember correctly, WMATA had some sort of RF interference issue with the Breda (2/3/4K) cars that caused automatic door operation to be inconsistent. And as for ATO’s role in the Fort Totten crash, WMATA’s “not caused by ATO” position is a little bit of revisionist history. While the system design did not cause the accident, WMATA’s atrocious maintenance practices did. They used replacement impedance bonds that didn’t meet design spec, and when the track circuit failures became so widespread WMATA just ignored alarms, the Fort Totten accident was inevitable. I wonder if the 7Ks use the same system or if they are using some sort of CBTC setup. I haven’t gotten the chance to ride a 7K on the red line but I’m looking forward to it!
I would assume so (for the later iterations of the design). The 7000s were being discussed as early as 2007, before ATO was disabled. So they probably wouldn’t have even thought about ordering railcars without ATO capabilities back then!
@@29downtheline I rode on the opening day of the Addison Rd Station. Got on at Benning Rd where i grew up with my cousin Kathy and rode the wrong way but turned around and out to Metro Center and went to Woolworths downtown. Then came back to Benning Rd the first day it opened. Those were the days.
@@29downtheline I think I was six or seven years old so that dates me if you know when it opened. LOL. I lived in New Carrolton for years and rode the orange line just for fun. The the green line started after I moved away. Greenbelt where I went to highschool at ERHS.
Yep! I use my charm cards quite a bit just for the fun of using a Baltimore card in DC. Haven’t had any problems with it! But they do keep separate “wallets” for passes, even if you use the same card. So if you purchase a pass in Baltimore, it will only be valid in Baltimore. If you load a pass in DC, it will only be valid on WMATA.
I actually have videos for both of them filmed already! They’ll be coming out once I edit them! (I have dozens of unedited videos, so they’re coming out about once a week.) Baltimore content will be coming soon!
Just on the Red Line for now. Usually they test out things on the Red Line since it’s the only one that doesn’t share tracks with any other line. If everything goes well, and they get approval, they’ll likely have ATO on other lines sometime next year!
They used to be really slow, but then they got better (mostly). Doors cycling for over a minute at one station is definitely odd (that’s the most obvious example), both before and after automatic doors were reimplemented on the system. The doors with ATO seemed fine for the most part, other than a couple noticeably long wait times. Somehow the automatic door operation is still slower than door opening times in Philadelphia and New York (not sure why--other than the fact that doors sometimes seem to open before the train completely stops in Philly).
@@29downtheline They're slower than they are in any other city I've been to except Portland, Oregon when there's a fire or a fight going on in the station (though usually there will be an announcement and sometimes the doors are released (the door open buttons light up but the doors don't open unless the button is pressed) if there's no immediate threat for those who really want to brave it anyway since most stations don't have an automatic signal after them and thus will always be red until called to deal with level crossings). And even then operators in Portland have it on such reflex to open the doors immediately that people walk into them when they don't
I apologize if anything was frustrating! If you mean I didn’t show the full door cycle, it’s because some door times (in true DC Metro fashion) were extremely long. I wanted to keep the video from being too slow-paced, but I often try to avoid cutting train arrivals/departures, which makes things a bit longer. I appreciate the feedback!
I used the Red Line this past Thursday to go to Union Station and it seems the quirks are steady improving, like the door opening delay.
I can definitely feel the quick acceleration and stoppage. Can’t wait for other lines to have ATO!
Awesome! Good to hear things are getting better!
What are some things you would suggest, as a rider?
@@WaveManMike Do you mean like how to improve upon ATO? If so, definitely trying to make express trains to Dulles airport a thing would be great!
WOO ATO VIDEO! Been waiting for this
It’s finally here! Hope you enjoyed!
6:14 love the arc reactor startup sounds of railcar 3124
Yes! I generally love the sounds of the 3000s, although they did sound slightly different with ATO. I assume it has to do with the slight differences in acceleration and braking when in automatic operation.
Thank You!
Thank you for watching!
One thing I noticed when I visited DC in May/June this year was how inffiicent it was that the driver would get out from thier seat to check when the doors were ok to close... In Perth Western Australia each station has its on CCTV network that shows the drivers the people alighting and stepping on the train through a tv screen inside the cab.. although overall its a very good system.
Some sort of CCTV monitoring system (or even a mirror) could speed things up a bit!
once I move to RTC, I'll be riding all the time, but for now, this is one of the only times I've seen a 3000/6000 train on the silver line, nice surprise!
I see them quite a bit, actually! Not nearly as much as on other lines, but they definitely do run them regularly on the Silver Line! I feel like I usually see more 3’s than 6’s, but that might just be me. Thanks for watching!
I've noticed the Red line seems to be at least 60%-80% 3k cars. Most of the 7k's are on Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. Most of the 6k's are on Green and Yellow lines. Not sure why they don't have them more evenly spread out.
That sounds about right. Maybe it’s just operationally easier that way? (Though I will say, I don’t mind riding 3k’s on the Silver Line--the seats are comfier!)
@@29downtheline For me it's a trade off because the 3k and 6k cars have horrible leg room unless you're in a bench or door facing seat. 7k seats are too hard but have more back support and leg room. Can't win.
@@PaulClipMaster True!
ATO is weather dependent too, I went up to Forest Glen & Wheaton on that first sunday it was running, but I only got 1-2 rides of ATO due to the rain
Interesting! Didn’t know that it depends on weather but I guess it makes sense!
@@29downthelinewheel sliding could be a factor. Adhesion is definitely affected by the weather.
@@dkeithtag Makes sense!
i like ato
If I remember correctly, WMATA had some sort of RF interference issue with the Breda (2/3/4K) cars that caused automatic door operation to be inconsistent.
And as for ATO’s role in the Fort Totten crash, WMATA’s “not caused by ATO” position is a little bit of revisionist history. While the system design did not cause the accident, WMATA’s atrocious maintenance practices did. They used replacement impedance bonds that didn’t meet design spec, and when the track circuit failures became so widespread WMATA just ignored alarms, the Fort Totten accident was inevitable.
I wonder if the 7Ks use the same system or if they are using some sort of CBTC setup. I haven’t gotten the chance to ride a 7K on the red line but I’m looking forward to it!
Ah Innovation Center Station. My home stop and named after a place that had closed by the time the station opened.
It’s a good station, although the pedestrian bridges are extremely long! Moving sidewalks or something like that would be nice!
Besides the door issue, the ride is faster and smoother than manual mode, to the point where time of then next arrival decreases rapidly.
ATO is definitely an improvement!
im guessing the designed the 7000s with ATO in mind in hopes it did one day return?
I would assume so (for the later iterations of the design). The 7000s were being discussed as early as 2007, before ATO was disabled. So they probably wouldn’t have even thought about ordering railcars without ATO capabilities back then!
I didn't even notice :O
It was quick; I can’t blame you lol
Catching Dan like he's a cryptid
These trains sound just like the R142 in New York City.
I can kinda hear the similarities with the different speeds of the motor as they start up!
The sevens are built are built in Lincoln Nebraska at Kawasaki. I deliver the steel and aluminum for them. I guess you were talking 7 series.
Oh nice! The 7’s are pretty nice! They and the 3’s are my favorite kind of rolling stock WMATA uses!
@@29downtheline I rode on the opening day of the Addison Rd Station. Got on at Benning Rd where i grew up with my cousin Kathy and rode the wrong way but turned around and out to Metro Center and went to Woolworths downtown. Then came back to Benning Rd the first day it opened. Those were the days.
@@robertmason7553 Wow! That’s really cool! I haven’t been able to go to any metro station openings, but I imagine it was great!
@@29downtheline I think I was six or seven years old so that dates me if you know when it opened. LOL. I lived in New Carrolton for years and rode the orange line just for fun. The the green line started after I moved away. Greenbelt where I went to highschool at ERHS.
runners rejoice!
Indeed (in theory)! Hopefully I’ll be able to try the speedrun again once ATO is extended to other parts of the system!
Charm card? Are the WMATA and MTAMD cards interchangeable?
Yes they are. One works on the other system and vice versa.
Yep! I use my charm cards quite a bit just for the fun of using a Baltimore card in DC. Haven’t had any problems with it! But they do keep separate “wallets” for passes, even if you use the same card. So if you purchase a pass in Baltimore, it will only be valid in Baltimore. If you load a pass in DC, it will only be valid on WMATA.
You should do Baltimore subway and light rail
I actually have videos for both of them filmed already! They’ll be coming out once I edit them! (I have dozens of unedited videos, so they’re coming out about once a week.) Baltimore content will be coming soon!
Is the automatic system on every line or only the red line?
Just on the Red Line for now. Usually they test out things on the Red Line since it’s the only one that doesn’t share tracks with any other line. If everything goes well, and they get approval, they’ll likely have ATO on other lines sometime next year!
Hello Passengers
Approaching
Not sure how you could tell that the doors are being weird considering that the doors systemwide in DC are ssssllllooooowwwww normally.
They used to be really slow, but then they got better (mostly). Doors cycling for over a minute at one station is definitely odd (that’s the most obvious example), both before and after automatic doors were reimplemented on the system. The doors with ATO seemed fine for the most part, other than a couple noticeably long wait times. Somehow the automatic door operation is still slower than door opening times in Philadelphia and New York (not sure why--other than the fact that doors sometimes seem to open before the train completely stops in Philly).
@@29downtheline They're slower than they are in any other city I've been to except Portland, Oregon when there's a fire or a fight going on in the station (though usually there will be an announcement and sometimes the doors are released (the door open buttons light up but the doors don't open unless the button is pressed) if there's no immediate threat for those who really want to brave it anyway since most stations don't have an automatic signal after them and thus will always be red until called to deal with level crossings).
And even then operators in Portland have it on such reflex to open the doors immediately that people walk into them when they don't
It would certainly be nice if doors opened faster here, that’s for sure! There’s definitely room for improvement!
You don’t show the full cycle, frustrating viewing.
I apologize if anything was frustrating! If you mean I didn’t show the full door cycle, it’s because some door times (in true DC Metro fashion) were extremely long. I wanted to keep the video from being too slow-paced, but I often try to avoid cutting train arrivals/departures, which makes things a bit longer. I appreciate the feedback!
Is this American because I m only riden the metro wrap train to go to DC
Are you talking about the special edition wraps? Or just the normal brown and white livery?
Shady Grove Yard
Randy Clarke and the current WMATA management need to stay forever, thanks
They’ve been doing a good job, especially given the circumstances!