Washington

DC, USA (America)

Date of opening [d.m.y]	27.03.1976
Network length	171.2 km (106.40 mi)
Number of stations	90 (86*)
Number of lines	5
Stations per line	18.00
Avg. station distance*	1.99 km (1.24 mi)
Avg. line length	34.24 km (21.28 mi)
*with transfer stations counted once
World Metro List by J. Serradell, 1/2008.

System known as	Metrorail
Annual ridership	208 million (2007) [source]
Track orientation	Right
Air-conditioned trains	Yes
Walk-through trains	No
Rubber-tyred trains	No
Driverless lines	No
Platform screen doors	No
Metro Features List

Metro Arts and Architecture

Examples of good station design:

	Washington The Metrorail system of the US capital has been designed by Harry Weese & Associates to be America's grandest subway and was inaugurated in 1976. The Commission of Fine Arts, which had to approve the station design, favoured the coffered vaults [chnm.gmu.edu], [railwayage.com]. Photo: Capitol South station, built in 1977.
	Works of art can be found in many stations [wmata.com/about/]. All stations above ground in Washington, as well as the underground ones, have been constructed using the same selection of materials consistently throughout the system. A useful feature are the rows of lamps on all platform edges which start flashing when a train approaches. Photo: Arlington Cemetery station from 1977.

Departure Procedure and Sounds

An automated "Doors closing, [ding-dong]" (wav from orenstransitpage.com). A new type of announcement says: "Doors opening, step back to allow customers to exit. When boarding, please move to the center of the car. – [Ding-dong ding-dong] step back, doors closing!".

Handpicked Resources

Washington MATA 2001.	Metro at 25: Celebrating the Past, Building the Future.
orenstransitpage.com	Metros of Washington and some other US and world cities

Useful Links for Washington Metrorail

Search (Google) (will most likely bring up Washington Metrorail's official website)
System maps (Google Images)
City map (Google Maps) (might show metro stations when zoomed in)
Images (Google Images)
Search urbanrail.net
Wikipedia page
Washington city information (Wikipedia)

Other City Pages at Metro Bits

This page: http://mic-ro.com/metro/metrocity.html?city=282

Do you want to discuss this page or know of more facts that fit in here? Visit Metro Bits Forum. Thanks to those who have already contributed!

Home — City Pages — World Metro List — Metro Arts & Architecture — Metro Logos — Resources — About