metrorail lines

In which of the metro rail lines pass along paraell to the marc and other commuter/mainline railroad train line?

Red Line from Shady Grove to Twinbrook, and New York Avenue to Silver Spring
Orange Line from Cheverly to New Carrollton
Blue Line from south of National Airport to Franconia-Springfield
Yellow Line from south of National Airport to King Street, and also along the Fenwick Bridge
Green Line from Greenbelt to College Park

The Orange Line also parallels a freight line between Minnesota Avenue and Cheverly.

My favourite WMATA stretches along FRA-type lines are the Shady Grove to just South of Twinbrook, College Park-Greenbelt, WMATA goes really fast on both stratches including the Southern Blue Line from King Street to Franconia. All three of these stratches WMATA trains can go up to the maximun 74mph and even race passanger trains and outpace freight trains

Robert Paniagua wrote:All three of these stratches WMATA trains can go up to the maximun 74mph and even race passanger trains and outpace freight trains

Since I take the Brunswick Line, I've often seen our train "race" Metro trains, especially on the stretch between Rockville and Shady Grove. Since MARC trains also stop at Rockville, along with Metro, a race often ensues (Nbound), if the trains depart around the same time. The MARC train usually gets left in the dust at first, because of the acceleration of the Metro MUs, but half-way to Shady Grove MARC flies past the Metro train. This is also MARC's (CSX) fastest stretch of track between Germantown and WAS, but I remember last year around spring there were speed restrictions, and Metro trains beat MARC trains handily.

Coincidentally enough, I also take MARC on that other stretch (WAS-College Park and Greenbelt-WAS) on my commute to UMD. Between Greenbelt and C. Park MARC almost always beats Metro, and maintains speed all the way to the Ivy City Amtrak yard.

Here's a video I took with my cellphone along that stretch:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qbm7ZsKePVg

Same deal along the Orange Line/Penn Line between Cheverly and New Carrollton - the MARC usually blasts past a WMATA trin, then the metro takes the lead when the MARC starts slowing really early for New Carrollton, then it's a toss up as to who gets to the station first.

Great times.

Train races are awesome and its been so long since I've seen one. But I'd always remember those times, traveling from nyp to newark, that stretch with the path train, hoboken line and all. So many races. Many times my train would be racing a hoboken line train to newark. Mine to broad street, and the other to penn. Throw a lil' path train action in there, and it would be pure excitement. I haven't had any races on the metro yet though.

HokieNav wrote:...then the metro takes the lead when the MARC starts slowing really early for New Carrollton, then it's a toss up as to who gets to the station first.

Great times.

Its interesting that you say the Metro train overtakes the MARC train on approach, which makes perfect sense due to the type of equipment. This may sound crazy, but when I'm on my Brunswick Line train approaching Silver Spring (Nbound), the exact opposite happens--the MARC train always outbrakes the Metro train! Even more interesting is the fact that the MARC platform is placed slightly south of the Metro platform.

Part of the reason for this could be that since Silver Spring is such a busy station, Metro trains have to approach at a reduced speed (about half end up holding for good signals into the station anyway), but its still amazing to see that a heavy commuter rail train can brake so well compared to Metro's EMUs.

realtype wrote:

HokieNav wrote:...then the metro takes the lead when the MARC starts slowing really early for New Carrollton, then it's a toss up as to who gets to the station first.

Great times.

Its interesting that you say the Metro train overtakes the MARC train on approach, which makes perfect sense due to the type of equipment. This may sound crazy, but when I'm on my Brunswick Line train approaching Silver Spring (Nbound), the exact opposite happens--the MARC train always outbrakes the Metro train! Even more interesting is the fact that the MARC platform is placed slightly south of the Metro platform.

Part of the reason for this could be that since Silver Spring is such a busy station, Metro trains have to approach at a reduced speed (about half end up holding for good signals into the station anyway), but its still amazing to see that a heavy commuter rail train can brake so well compared to Metro's EMUs.

Trains may enter Silver Spring more slowly than other stations not because it is busy, but due to the switches and train movements in the area. A train being relayed will get a 28 MPH speed limit starting just inside the station limits. If a through train has to wait for a train to clear the switches at the other end of the station, it will get reduced speed signals, and may even need to stop or proceed in restricted mode (15 MPH max in manual mode) until the preceding train clears the switches and the switch is reset for a Glenmont train. The same also happens at Grosvenor.

realtype wrote:

HokieNav wrote:...then the metro takes the lead when the MARC starts slowing really early for New Carrollton, then it's a toss up as to who gets to the station first.

Great times.

Its interesting that you say the Metro train overtakes the MARC train on approach, which makes perfect sense due to the type of equipment. This may sound crazy, but when I'm on my Brunswick Line train approaching Silver Spring (Nbound), the exact opposite happens--the MARC train always outbrakes the Metro train! Even more interesting is the fact that the MARC platform is placed slightly south of the Metro platform.

Part of the reason for this could be that since Silver Spring is such a busy station, Metro trains have to approach at a reduced speed (about half end up holding for good signals into the station anyway), but its still amazing to see that a heavy commuter rail train can brake so well compared to Metro's EMUs.

That's not crazy at all, when we get lined up right, you can clearly see that the MARC brakes much later going from approach speed to "stop" and stops much more quickly than the metro slowly coasting into the station.

I like it even better going the other way when we both leave headed south at the same time - the metro comes off the line much more quickly. The MARC usually pulls alongside just about when the metro starts to slow for the Landover station. The difference between the metro going from ~45 to 0 and us gone from ~45 to 80 leaves us whipping past in impressive fashion (doubly so because you're also usually screaming past the gridlock on US 50 on the other side of the train).

Do you just love flying past all that gridlock on a train? Its the best feeling when my orange line train leaves all the I66 traffic in the dust. Its just so much faster.

WMATAGMOAGH wrote:Red Line from Shady Grove to Twinbrook, and New York Avenue to Silver Spring
Orange Line from Cheverly to New Carrollton
Blue Line from south of National Airport to Franconia-Springfield
Yellow Line from south of National Airport to King Street, and also along the Fenwick Bridge
Green Line from Greenbelt to College Park

The Orange Line also parallels a freight line between Minnesota Avenue and Cheverly.

It seems that all the above ground, at grade portions ot Metro lines parallel some form of freight/commuter rail. That was good planning on Metro's part (cheap land, easier rail construction).

Does anyone know which parts, if any, of the Metrorail system that are at-grade above ground do not parallel any other rail system?

The only portions I can think of are the a very short above ground portion between PG Plaza and W.Hyattsville on the Green Line, and before and after Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line.

"realtype"
Does anyone know which parts, if any, of the Metrorail system that are at-grade above ground do not parallel any other rail system?

The only portions I can think of are the a very short above ground portion between PG Plaza and W.Hyattsville on the Green Line, and before and after Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line.

The entire length of the southern Green Line F route. Most of the surface/elevated section of the route parallel The Suitland Parkway. The terminal station at Branch Avenue provides on direct access to the Suitland Parkway. The Naylor Road and Suitland stations are accessible to and from the Suitland Parkway, and both station are visible from the Suitland Parkway.

The three short surface/elevated segments on the G route Blue line east of Addison Road.

The elevated segment on the D Route Blue and Orange line east of Stadium-Armory to just east of D and G Junction.