"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.
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
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!
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.
@thom-TRA how did you get to ride in the Drivers cab? Long time ago like 8 to 10 years ago on the COASTER I got to make announcement on the train, change the toilet and paper toilet in the bathroom, count passengers on the train, and 1 other thing I will mention later if interested and did that 101 times before being caught and got suspended for it I was trained for it but not authorized to do it but I knew all the engineers and conductors back than on the Coaster.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Take it from a Montreal, having an open gangway metro is so useful. Among other things like safety, you can also move freely between busy and less busy cars.
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.
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)
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.
Was thinking about the 8000 series trains again today (I’m very excited for them!) and it was so nice to watch this again. Also now I’m dreaming of springtime again 🌸🥰 Also yes I love the metro wraps! They add so much personality! Excellent video ❤️
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
@@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!
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.
I like the new layout and LOVE the bike space. That said, I would give up all the features like the heated floor, padded chairs, and open gangway if they could just make the trains like 20% quieter. It's so loud and screechy!
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
(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?
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...
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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 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'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.
For the announcement voices on the new trains, I hope they bring back the real voice from the 2000-3000 series. The AI-generated voice on the newer trains are annoying as heck. Also, be sure to enjoy those older trains while ya can!
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.
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!
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. 😊
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 like your suggestion for a pumpkin patch wrap for the DC Metro trains for Fall. What do you think of the 7,000 series trains? I can’t wait to ride those next time I visit DC. And the upcoming 8,000 series documented on this video. I’ve enjoyed the Breda 3,000 and 6,000 series’s most of the time. I even grew accustomed to the siren like sound a Breda 3,000 series train makes approaching the station. I think that siren like sound might have been part of the breaking mechanism. I’ll kind of miss that sound. But it’s time to go out with the old. And in with the new. I hope to meet you and Lindsey if I ever take a trip to DC.
If I take a trip to Washington, I primarily ride the Blue Line. The hotel I’ve stayed at is in Alexandria VA on the Blue/Yellow Lines. I will let you know if I’m ever there. I plan to get to Alexandria via Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor. I don’t know when I’ll visit DC, but I’ll let you know if you want to meet me. I love the trains of Washington DC.
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.
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
