Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC | Metro Fleet of the Future Expo
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
- Are you excited for spring? Curious why Washington DC has so many cherry blossoms? Or do you want to know what the future trains on the Metro will look like? Then this is the video for you!
Trains Are Awesome!
Buy Trains Are Awesome Merch: my-store-f0aafe.creator-sprin...
Support us on Patreon: / trainsareawesome
Our Instagram: / tra_channel
Email us: trainsareawesomechannel@gmail.com
My second channel: youtube.com/@Thom_Extra?si=x-...
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:19 Anticipation
2:28 The Special Wraps of 2023
3:51 Cherry Blossom Wrap
5:29 Getting the Limited Edition SmarTrip card
6:39 Cherry Blossom Circulator
6:58 Setting up for the Fleet of the Future Expo
7:46 Peak Bloom
8:39 History of Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC
10:19 RIP Stumpy
11:06 Other places to see Blossoms
11:50 Fleet of the Future Expo
15:36 Interior of the 8000 series
18:33 Sitting in the Driver's Cab
19:21 Heated floors, screens, and seats
20:12 Lindsey's Thoughts
21:16 Electric Buses
21:56 Final Thoughts - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
![ภาพนี้ก็ฮาเหมือนกันนะเนี้ย #2 SS8 [ พากย์นรก MEME.EXE ] | easy boy](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RMhUgxxD49Q/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Watch Party] APL 2024 บุรีรัมย์ทั้งใจ Go Go](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cKwcPFsawN4/mqdefault.jpg)
"With liberty and transportation for all" is a great motto. Also, not only are those wraps great, they don't block the windows! Take notes, literally every other metro system.
Sadly when the buses here have ads on them they’re still covering the windows
(cough)BRIGHTLINE(cough)
every other metro system? No Japanese metro trains are allowed to have window wrappings though, not to mention singapore or Jakarta among many others
Tyler Mac who is this train
Those views of the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin are awe-inspiring! A fun fact, DC doesn't have the biggest collection of cherry blossoms in the US! That title goes to Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ! Branch Brook Park has over 5,300 of them in 18 varieties! Branch Brook is the oldest county park in the US, and the cherry blossoms have been there since 1927 when Caroline Bamberger Fuld (co-founder of Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study) donated about 2,000 of them to the park after falling in love with them during a Japan trip. The park is served by the Newark Light Rail's Newark City Subway line, and Branch Brook Park (formerly Franklin Ave) was once the terminus of the Newark City Subway until it was extended to Grove Street in Bloomfield in 2002
Definitely have to check that out!
them allergies would have killed me
1:08 For more cherry blossom trees than Tidal Basin, go to Kenwood, a neighborhood near Bethesda.
@@295g295 I’ve been to that neighborhood and while there were a lot they were not nearly as impressive as the tidal basin ones
The new trains look more "European" on the inside. The wraps on the existing trains are looking very cool.
I agree
Very cool. Can't wait for the 8000 trains & the open gangways.
Me neither!
So much better than running from car to car between stops.
So cool they let you sit up front in the driver's cab! You'd make a great operator for the DC Metro! Love the 8000 Series! Besides the open gangways, it's incredibly important for trains to have space for not just cyclists but also strollers for parents who don't have a car! Having open gangways on a train is very much safer, as open gangway trains provide a continuous line of sight throughout the entire train, it deters criminal activity and allows for better monitoring and faster response to incidents or emergencies. It also prevents subway surfing by eliminating the ability to ride between cars! They're not only great for accommodating more passengers, safety, and improving crowd flow, but also promoting accessibility by making it easier for passengers with disabilities or mobility challenges to move freely within the train!
I always feel for parents who have to roll a stroller onto a busy train. The train is for everyone!
But also remember it’s between the two cars that make up a set.
There won't be a continuous open gangway. DC Metro cars are always in two-car pairs. The build a train from either 3 or 4 pairs (6 or 8 cars). There won't be an open gangway at the connections between two-car pairs. Only at the connection between cars within a pair.
More cities should use fun wraps like this
Agreed
Absolutely!
The cherry blossoms are beautiful, and we experienced them ten years ago when our son was a student at University of Maryland. It was always convenient to take Metro into DC from College Park. Maybe we'll make another trip there in 2027 when, let's hope, the Purple Line is finally in operation.
Fingers crossed 🟣🟣
I'm so glad The Metro doesn't cover their windows with their wraps!
I hope to get there during cherry blossom season some.
Takamine's a pioneer of biotechnology! His most notable achievement was the isolation of the chemical adrenalin, also known as epinephrine. This was the first pure hormone to be isolated from natural sources! The 1912 cherry blossoms were shipped from Yokohama on board the SS Awa Maru, bound for Seattle (the Awa Maru was an 1899 ship built by Mitsubishi that regularly sailed between Yokohama and Seattle). Upon arrival, they were transferred to insulated freight cars for the shipment to DC! On March 27, 1912, Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin, about 125 feet south of what is now Independence Avenue SW.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the first lady presented a bouquet of "American Beauty" roses to Viscountess Chinda. These two original trees still stand several hundred yards west of the John Paul Jones Memorial, located at the terminus of 17th Street SW! From 1913 to 1920, trees of the Somei-Yoshino variety, which comprised 1800 of the gift, were planted around the Tidal Basin. Trees of the other 11 cultivars, and the remaining Yoshinos, were planted in East Potomac Park. In 1927, a group of American school children re-enacted the initial planting. This event is recognized as the first DC cherry blossom festival, but as you mentioned, DC officially sponsored a three-day celebration of the flowering cherry trees in 1934.
I can’t believe the trees are still just chilling there after all those years!
TRA, best letters of the day.
Saving up for a skywriter
Lindsey has a new backpack! Speaking of train wraps, the Metro wraps seemed to leave the windows clear, unlike the wraps Brightline used for the inaugural Orlando route. I need to learn more about the wrap design, production, and installation of train wraps.
A very new backpack, she just got it last week!
Sooooooo beautiful, I can't wait to see a Cherry Blossom display like that, although it'll probably be in Japan! And those train wraps are cool, just a nice touch to make the journey more fun!
The Japanese ones are the best! Definitely try all the Sakura snacks, it’s a whole new class of food.
I would also recommend seeing these in the fall when the leaves themselves turn bright red. It's just as pretty in a different way.
thanks for sharing, and i think more cities should wrap there fleet
Agreed!
That headlight design actually reminds me of Oslo metro trains
NGL, the front of the 8000 series trains kinda reminds me of the NYC Subway's R211s.
Same
The cherry blossoms are so beautiful.
I agree!
Nice
When I went to DC last year, I arrived at the very tail end of the cherry blossom season
So you still got to see some?
@@Thom-TRA Yes, but they were quite faded and near-dead as well as few and far between
Despite almost getting robbed at Gallery Place on the green line, I had a great experience with Metro when I went to Washington last year on spring break. I like how the employees treat the customers and some of the trains even had cushioned seats, (I think the older ones) great experience I would love to do it again, great vid as always Thom!
Gallery place was the worst station that I went to as well, so dirty and I could tell it wasn’t very safe
When ever approached by these "folks", try to change the topic by asking, "have you heard the latest joke?...." It's an attempt at a distraction and buying time until you can get to a safer place.
"Almost getting robbed?"
Wraps also give buzz to the system for almost no cost to WMATA (depending if only one vehicle gets a specific wrap, how many concurrent wraps there are-since Pride runs straight into July 4 and Christmas has basically fully invaded November)
Do you remember, cherry blossom in the market square.
I was lucky enough to get to ride on the pride wrapped train when I went to DC last June.
It's so cool that DC celebrates their cherry blossoms with transit wraps. Are the Cherry Blossom FestivalSmarTrip cards reloadable?
Yes, they’re just like every other SmarTrip card! Just with a cuter design
@@Thom-TRA I would use it forever!
Those seats look like the seats on the 7000 series
Notice the windows are bigger then on the 7000 series cars. Instead of 3 small windows they have 2 large windows
We went today. It was awesome
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thom, Metrorail should do a St. Patrick's Day wrap for the Irish, lol!!
I agree! Though it might be a little close to cherry blossom season
@@Thom-TRA True!!
@@Thom-TRA
Tis tru, but got to watch costs and length of time it can be displayed. In this case, it may crowd the cherry blossoms festivities. The idea of a fall banner wrap with pumpkins, fall leaves, etc would be intriguing.
Nice suggestion but I think the CTA should try that first lol
I have the Hue lights in my living room set to a Sakura Blooming dynamic theme. The lights slowly change their colors between pink and blue and shades from very saturated to nearly white.
Wow that’s really cool!
They should retrofit the 7000 series so that seats match the 8000 series, as should the display UI, chimes, and automated announcements if different
That's so cool! If you need another excuse to ride the Amtrak San Joaquins, it goes through miles and miles of almond orchards that blossom this time of year as well.
That and the new venture cars!
I love those special passes! More agencies need to get on that so I can add to my transit pass collection!
I keep all my passes in a clear file with those pockets, like baseball cards. Ever expanding of course!
That camera drop transition was very creative. As for the cherry blossoms, I like them too. Down in my corner of the world, they flower in October.
And as for the 8000 series EMU, she looks like the D / E series units over on BART. The mock-up reminds of one that Auckland Transport set-up in around 2011. It was for their 'AM' class units that first entered service in 2014.
Bro the Wmata got a whole giant I-Phone 13 for the new screen. 🤯 19:29
THAT'S WAS I WAS THINKING, LOL! I did a short skit in that Mockup train and pretended that the giant phones were ringing and I was like, "Hello?" 🤣🤣🤣
Literally, the iPad kids will become iPad commuters
@@Thom-TRA LOL 🤣🤣🤣
Points for the wraps, and the screens, and the wheelchair and bicycle spaces. But the big 😁👍? WMATA with the walk through trains for the WIN!
Lots of points going around!
the DC metro is probably one of the coolest US subways out there
Absolutely
Great video again, Thom and Lindsey! Loved your "Cherry Blossom Special" allusion to the famous "Orange Blossom Special" train and song. 🤩
Gotta respect the heritage!
Interesting video as usual. I hope the LED destination screens have higher resolution so that they do not look like the blocky displays from 30 years ago.
I enjoyed the video👍👍
I'm glad!
Are you able to take us to the place where they take off the old wraps and new ones put on????
Looks like quite a delicate procedure ...it would be interesting to see.......Blossoms are beautiful...thanks.
I’d love to see them do that. I’m sure it takes a long time!
Great shots of the Cherry Blossoms and the wraps. I initially thought the 8000 Series open gangway design would have them in four car pairs like the 7000 Series but from a maintenance POV, it make sense. I look forward to seeing them in service.
DC is my favorite metro system. It feels safe at any time (except for gallery/chinatown which always has some craziness going on)it is very well cleaned and it seems like they are doing everything they can to stop fare invasions. The stations art is beautiful also. And when I went back in June, I never wanted more than 4 minutes for a train. The downside is that it is expensive for city transit but worth it.
You get something for what you pay! And yeah, gallery place is normally fine but sometimes I’m like y’all need to calm down.
The one thing I wouldn't like about the new train cars is the same issue I have with The CTA 5000 and that is the asile facing seats. I prefer the forward and backward facing seats because I like looking out the window and seeing the scenery go by so the asle facing seats would be a disadvantage for me personally.
Well, guess what? You have every freedom to sit in one of the forward facing seats! How nice is that, that they thought of your personal preference AND capacity?
Although, having the seat face the opposite windows gives a different vantage/view that may be easier to see. Sort of panoramic viewing through multiple windows (of course, if crowded never mind.)
This was a beautiful blossom video!!! Thank you for sharing this special time with all of us out here. Those new Metro cars are going to be awesome!!!
You’re welcome! I’m so excited!
spring is my least favorite season, but this video has made it better!
Allergies?
100% allergies and I like the coziness of winter too@@Thom-TRA
Looks very similar to the R211T subway car down here in new york city.
It does!
Hoping our channel finds a portion of the success yours sees. Love the idea of seeing the cherry blossoms someday. Have a great weekend!
It’s not about the success, it’s about enjoying what you do! The rest will follow
@Thom-TRA yes very true! We love touring the Amtrak stations and of course traveling.
@@PrimeTimeTravelersThat's awesome!
So excited I got my first DC metro cherry blossom card and I can’t wait to collect em every year. Missed last years though :(
Another great video! I love the look of the new metro cars. The newest trains in the Montreal metro have the open gangways. I think they are wider (more open) than the ones in this mock up and have bars for passengers to hold on to. It’s amazing to be able to look right down the train. Oh, and yes, the cherry blossoms and spring flowers in DC are beautiful. Montreal had a heavy snowstorm today so no sign of spring here yet.
Hope the winter is over soon for you!
i like trains
Nice E353 on your profile pic
preaching to the choir lol
@@BenriBea hahaha
FYI - Another city famous for its beautiful cherry blossom 🌸 trees is Branch Brook Park, located in Newark, New Jersey that was a gift from the Japanese. 😊
I’ve heard of that!
On the current fleet, you are not supposed to go through the doors connecting the car. There is a sign on the door that says STOP. It's used only for emergencies.
Exactly.
Well done ! Patrick Henry (if he was alive today) might say : Give me passenger trains or death! I like your suggestion of pumpkin wraps for October. Why not design it anyway and post it for us to enjoy? Add a jacko lantern,bats and cats, a witch? Scarecrow? Good video.
Already working on it!
@@Thom-TRA Ooh, awesome! Can't wait!
Nice! I actually checked this out today! Thanks for the commentary on the new open gangway layout!
Did you get some of the fun handouts?
@@Thom-TRAI got both the foldable paper train and paper buses! I'm more of a Railfan than I am with the buses, although I'm excited to see the real deal happen in either 2025 or 2026!
Amazing job with this video. Wow those 8000s look amazing and love the open gangways, passenger info screens by the doors and th seating layout makes a lot of sense. Also love the cherry blossom wrap and that special Smartrip card. I still have a special Smartrip from when Nationals Park opened. I really need to get back to DC!! Glad the wraps don't block the windows. It's great to see what Randy Clarke is doing with WMATA.
Wow, a Nationals Smartrip! That's so cool. I have one from when Potomac Yard opened.
The orange display is a high-contrast/high-visibility display for visually impaired people.
But using white LEDs provide even higher contrast so it’s better
The amber light has a longer wavelength that is more readily perceived by people with low-vision. White appears brighter, but amber "penetrates" a little more.@@Thom-TRA
@@mymoustache whether it makes that much of a difference or not, given all the other improvements in accessibility, I still maintain that they should go with a design choice that doesn’t immediately date the train by 20-30 years.
I wish they had the new Nova Bus LFSe+ Series on display but they probably haven't received them yet.
Been in 2000, 3000 , 6000 & 7000 series metro trains in 2019! 8000 series trains probably replacing 2000&3000 series. 8000 series looked great!
Thank you so much for filming this video! I’m away at college right now and I’m sad because I can’t come see this in person.
Hope your studies are going well!
Thanks for the heads-up, I went for a visit today 👍
Hope you enjoyed!
LOLZZZ secret agent covers'
Thrains are awesome
Yes they are
Great video, as always. Which metro has faster acceleration, BaRT or WMATA? They both seem pretty fast off the blocks.
I’m sure they’re very similar
When we went there was a helicopter that landed on the national mall
That’s so cool
The length of the gangway would implie one bogie for each car. The place with the vinal wrap for decoration furthermore implies an emergency control panel which can be removed from the wall in the case the cars are separated at the gangway.
I'm curious why they didn't go for a, shared bogie underneath the gangway. It would've allow for a,few more seats or standing room.
I was on the 8000 Series model on March 20th 2024 as well where I gave the attending Metro members the idea about having both Metro and IMAX film a coming-of-age biographical documentary movie, Entitled: "IMAX: Metro", with reenactments of everything that Metro did to create history from the very beginning all the way towards today with Keanu Reeves narrating.
#IMAXMetro
#KeanuReeves
I saw the 8000s during the kite festival, only took 50 years to add open gangways
Open gangways are much better in my opinion because you can walk through the cars until you find a seat versus needing to make a decision immediately and being stuck with it for the rest of the trip.
True
I heard that the 8000 series is design by the same design firm that designed the R142 to the R211.
I’ll have to research if that is true or not
Wait, is that true?
In Berlin, the Subway has markings of notable landmarks in it. Most common the Brandenburg Gate. Automatic screens don't bother me too because I am used to it when in Singapore.
Yes, the Berlin markings even cover the windows to deter graffiti!
I like how Metro brought the iconic stripe back. Color and design add character like you said, and exterior paint makes the trains more inviting. Amtrak is also reintroducing exterior paint on its new train sets. The stripe also makes the windows appear larger than they are, like a long ribbon window, and not small punched openings. Regarding the windows themselves, they are a bit on the smaller side than the original series' and I hope the engineers figure out a way to safely make them larger. I also hope they tone down the coldness of the LED lights. The older cars have fluorescents with much warmer tones. LED's can be of any color, but for some reason a lot of people like the "daylight" color setting which is a whopping 5000 degree Kelvin (on the color temperature scale). I prefer the old-school "soft white" setting myself.
I agree on the point of painting the outside, I hate the all silver look that so many trains in the US have
Are you going to Nyc to ride the R211T soon
Maybe
I'M GOING THERE AGAIN WITH MY FRIENDS! Day 1 was out of this world at the _Fleet of the Future Expo!_ 👩🏽🚀🌌🚇🤍🖤💙🩵🩶
I didn’t even know heart emojis came in all those colors
@@Thom-TRA Now ya know! I put those colors in order via the 8000-Series Train's inspiration!
Since you asked me if I was excited for spring, I'd say a little bit.
But more importantly, I am very excited for the 8000-series trains!
5:30 - I have used this Metro very little lately; since these Smartcards are required to use the car-parking at New Carolton Station. Only frequent/locals with this commuter card are welcome. .. Not tourists from farther away wanting to pay with cash.
Love the cherry blossoms. I’m lucky to have cherry blossoms right next to me in Fairfax, VA. Planning to take the orange line downtown this week to check out the 8000 series mockup.
You definitely should!
@@Thom-TRA made it there on Thursday. Love the new 8000 series trains. Checked out the cherry blossoms. They were still hanging strong on Thursday, but days were definitely numbered. Even saw a cherry blossom metro bus.
would be great for you two to come up to beautiful Toronto Canada and see our transit system. Modern streetcars and 6 car subway trains with open gangways all the way thru. The Toronto Transit Commision (TTC) has a long and storied history in city transit...
another great video Thom...
I’d love to go to Toronto. It’s been many years since I last went!
Do you think the 8000 series will have the same chimes and automated announcements as on the 7000 series?
(TL;DR) Here's my new *_train_* of thought: I'm gonna say that the 8000's door chime will sound a little different (and futuristic) when it comes to seeing the real deal in 2025 or 2026. However, there should be a fun easter egg where a passenger blocks the door for a second and you hear a similar chime that references back to the iconic "Ding dong ding dong" sound from the "Step Back, Doors Closing" announcement. Just like when you block the 7000-Series's Train doors, it makes the "Ding Dong Ding Dong" sound effect that follows up with 7000 saying "Step back to allow the doors to close!". What do you think?
Marine 1 flys over
Thom: and a Helecopter
For it to be marine 1, there are usually 2 other helicopters hovering nearby. A helicopter is only considered Marine 1 when POTUS is on board.
Randy Clark and WMATA are doing great with all the improvements but i with there get the signaling working properly so we can get back to automatic trains. The system was originally set up to run automatically.
They’re working on that. Step 1 is automatic doors, which they’re almost done with.
Very informative.
Thank you
That’s cool how the trains have wraps that indicate a certain holiday or season. I never knew they did that there. And I like how you and many other guests were able to get a tour of the inside of the rail cars and the electric bus. That really looks like fun even though I’ll still have to miss it and I’m going to be in town like 8 days after it ends.
CPKC released the 2816 Display Time and Location for Franklin Park yesterday she'll be on Display at 9748 Franklin Avenue from 3:00 to 8:00 PM on May 8th they also confirmed there will be a Tracker
Cool!
the 8000 series looks the new trains for Baltimore but it the WMATA colors
Oh yeah they’re the spitting image
Other than the reduction in seats, I like everything about these cars.
I don’t think there’s a significant reduction in seats. Not enough to be a problem.
2 things I would like to change on this and the NYC subways:
- plug doors instead of pocket doors that take away space and make windows smaller
- electronic ads are ok, but they should be e-paper/digital ink, which is not so bright and they should also have a minimum time before changing ads and no flashy graphics, as it is really owerwhealming when you are tired and non harmonic in general
Plus - what are the mega cabinets before and after the gangways?
I hope they ditxh them, they take up valuable space.
Pocket doors are much faster and I don’t really see how they take up space. You can put a seat right next to them.
@@Thom-TRA Pocket doors make walls unnecessary thick plus the windows are squeezed inbetween them. Just look at the rediculously narrow windows of the new NYC subway trains. Plug doors don't have to be slower, there are many systema where they open and close really quickly.
And pocket doors are quite drafty and much louder both due to sounds coming into the car and the whining around the door jambs.
Plus of course less aerodynamic.
@@oskarsrode2167 aerodynamics don’t matter for a subway, especially since the front is already flat.
The extra inch of wall space won’t magically create extra capacity either, most of the time that space is used anyways.
And you can have windows with pocket doors. Just look at Japanese trains. And they’re not the reason why the New York trains have narrow windows. Practically all rapid transit vehicles in the US have pocket doors, and most have much larger windows.
In short, I see no advantages to plug doors to convince me that we should switch from this perfectly fine solution we already have.
😍
I'm very hoppy and proud that American people like cherry tree which was gifted from Tokyo and celebrate cherry blossom season. Cherry blossom wrapping train is very nice!. I notice that seats are not face to face position like commuter train in Japan. I guess Americans are not used to face to face and comfortable in that position.
東京の桜はもう今年出ていますか？
@@Thom-TRA と思います。私はロサンゼルスに住んでいるので確かではではないですけどもう咲いているはずです。トムさんは日本語お上手ですけど幾つから幾つまで日本に居たのですか。
When I was at the Expo, one of the employees said the interior destination board LEDs will be in the color of the line you’re on. Hopefully it stays in for the final design!
That would be AWESOME
I think DC should take a Frankfurt U5-50 or Hannover TW2000 approach: 1 end of the pair has an open gangway designed to be coupled to another pair. That way, up to 4 cars are connected by gangways but can be split in half for maintenance.
I like that idea!
Perhaps you should do a video about how they actually apply wraps to trains!!
I’d love to be invited and watch the process someday
@@Thom-TRA Your videos are so informative and well-researched. I have become slightly addicted to them!!'
@@d8meister a healthy addiction if I’ve ever seen one! Haha
Woah sooo excited for this….these look amazing. So glad you’re enjoying DC Thom
Love it here
Does DC do anything special with the cherries from its cherry trees in the late summer and fall? It seems like there should be a festival for the fall when the cherries are ready to eat. Rich people would be willing to spend crazy amounts of money for homemade desserts with the DC cherries as an ingredient.
I’m not 100% sure they even bear fruit tbh… I’d have to look it up
Really lovely, thanks for sharing.
DC has many great attractions.... all over the DMV.
For beautiful flowers, check out the National Arberitum in NE DC; especially when the dogwoods and azalia are in bloom. Not sure if Metro as a nearby station, but its easy to get to from the major roads in the area.
Keep up your good work.
bart tried some weird seating layouts on 20 legacy cars and on 1 FOF car.
Interesting
While its cool riding in Open Gangway trains, the fact Madrid's 2000 series are not almost adds character to them (especially the 2000b's with their unique op cabin design and not just a blue box). The 5000's, while just larger 2000's, feel like a joke when they show up as you expect an 8000/8400 to show up instead since like 95% of them were sent to Buenos Aires ages ago
You mention that there won’t be through walking the entire length of the train but when they are making such an incredible investment in the trains it is a shame that the maintenance facilities couldn’t be upgraded to see the full length walk through like we have on some London Underground and on Thameslink services.
Yeah I agree
How do you feel about the whitish cold lighting? There are very few modern subway cars that offer warmer lighting schemes and some recessed spot lights, such as Montreal's Star-Trek looking MPM-10 Azur cars.
I don’t really mind them. I’m never on the metro for super long, and I really don’t like fluorescent lights, so I’ll take it.
You should make a logo that has a large & sign in the middle, with a small travel on one side and a small transit on the other side of the &, and in the middle on the & image you could place different types of transit vehicles (trains, buses, ferries, cabs, planes, ect. ect.) Then at the top of your logo above (trains) and below (awesome) with an R on top/middle of the &, and seperating the different modes of transit. Within the top portion of the R could be (in small minercase letters) the 2 words "and so," so it reads in the middle - Trains R Awesome and so are (images of all the other modes of transit) if read sepratally/right.
Interesting suggestion!
In general I like colourful trains, and hate the utilitarian bare metal look. Even a little colour make a world of a difference like on Stockholm’s metro trains. Non-commercial wraps like those shown in this video are even better! They’re all very inviting and fun to see!
Glad I’m not the only one who liked a little color!