Posts by Stephen Repetski — Editorial Board Alum
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Computer-driven trains are gradually coming back to Metro, but it’ll still take a while
Metro was originally built for computers to drive the trains, but humans have been doing it since 2009. The feature is back on for some Red Line trains. Restoring it to all trains on all lines will give riders a smoother ride and more frequent trains, but there’s still some work to be done. Keep reading…
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Metro had a rough summer, says Metro
Metro’s last quarterly report showed us the agency was struggling to have enough trains for service and that those running were frequently late and overcrowded. According to the latest one, customers faced even more single-tracking and delays in July, August, and September than they did last quarter, largely because Metro doesn’t have enough train cars. Keep reading…
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WMATA is rolling out a new program for collecting customer feedback
Want to give WMATA some feedback about your experience with Metrorail, Metrobus, or MetroAccess? Amplify, the agency’s new “customer community” that launched Monday, might help you (and 4,999 others) with that. Keep reading…
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Orange and Silver line trains are about to get slower
Earlier this week, a fire damaged a Metro power station near Stadium Armory Metro station. Orange and Silver Line trains are going to run less frequently for around the next six months so WMATA can make repairs. Keep reading…
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Metro says it will run more trains while the Pope is here, but that’d take a miracle
WMATA announced that it will have more train cars in service than usual for the pope’s trip to DC this week, and that peak-level service will last for longer. But adding cars in one part of the system means pulling them from elsewhere, which could mean more delays and breakdowns. Keep reading…
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Here’s what’s wrong with some of Metro’s train tracks
WMATA’s Board of Directors held a Safety and Security Committee meeting earlier this month. Among the things we learned: curved tracks are harder to maintain, broken parts may have led to August’s derailment, and the agency relies too much on some temporary fix measures. Keep reading…
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It was a rough spring for Metro, says Metro
During the spring and early summer, Metro struggled to have enough trains for rail service and trains frequently ran late and were overcrowded. This isn’t much of a shock, but it’s confirmed by WMATA’s second quarter 2015 Vital Signs Report, which comes out every three months. Keep reading…
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Some Metro trains are running more slowly than usual these days. Here’s why.
If you ride Metro, you’ve probably noticed or at least heard about trains being slower than usual lately. It’s happening because Metro has instituted “slow zones” in order to inspect and repair tracks. Keep reading…
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The Silver Line has been bringing Metro’s performance numbers down
If you’ve noticed Metro’s performance declining over the past several months, you’re not alone. In order to open the Silver Line last year, Metro has had to run more train cars longer, and the extra mileage put onto them has meant their breakdowns may affect your service more often. Keep reading…