While some of us can’t imagine living without Metro, at one point in time not all that long ago it was brand new. This 1976 promotional video, via PlanItMetro, shows the system’s earliest days:

Some areas have drastically changed since Metro arrived, like Rhode Island Avenue, which was surrpunded by parking lots and is now the site of mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

The video also features 2-car trains, which seems unimaginable in our era of 6- to 8-car trains.

What do you notice?

Steven Yates grew up in Indiana before moving to DC in 2002 to attend college at American University.  He currently lives in Southwest DC.