by Love Train
Today I took my grandmother sightseeing in downtown Washington, DC. We visited an exhibition about the US Presidents at the National Archives. Naturally, we took the Metro to get there. We took the Red Line from my home stop Grosvenor-Strathmore to Archives-Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station and back.
Today was even hotter than yesterday! I felt like I was going to burn to death. Luckily, we only had to wait two minutes for our train in the intense heat. Today is Saturday, so I was worried that we would have to wait a long time for our train. In two minutes the train arrived. It was a six-car mixed train of 3000 series original Bredas and Rohrs, and it was destined for Glenmont. The first two and last two cars were 3000 series original Bredas while the two cars in the middle were Rohrs. I was in original Breda #3229, the front car. The train had originated at Shady Grove (as all Red Line trains do during off-peak times), but there were only a few other passengers on the train. The ride to Gallery Place-Chinatown was uneventful.
At Gallery Place we headed down to the lower level platform for the Yellow & Green lines. I was pissed to see on the PIMS that our train to go one stop to Archives wouldn't arrive for seven minutes. At least we were underground so it wasn't terribly hot. Exactly seven minutes later, our Yellow Line train to Huntington arrived. It was a six-car train of Breda Rehabs. I was in rehabilitated Breda #2025, the front car. This train also only had a few passengers. The ride was expectedly uneventful as it was only one stop to Archives.
Coming back, we were paying our fares when a Greenbelt-bound Green Line train arrived. Since my grandmother is rather elderly and can't walk fast, we decided to miss this one and get the next one. To my dismay, this train was an Alstom train! All six cars were Alstoms. I have still never ridden an Alstom on the Metro yet. That being said, I think I'll survive. We only had to wait two minutes for the next train. It was a six-car Yellow Line train to Fort Totten. It was a mixed train of Breda Rehabs and CAFs, with the first two cars being Breda Rehabs and four CAFs bringing up the rear. I was in rehabilitated Breda #3044, the front car. The one stop ride to Gallery Place was uneventful.
We just missed a Shady Grove bound train, but another one arrived just three minutes later. This train was a six-car mixed train of rehabilitated and original Bredas, with the first two cars being Breda Rehabs and four original Bredas bringing up the rear. I was in original Breda #3281, the second car from the rear. The ride to Grosvenor was uneventful.
The only thing worth noting about this trip is the lack of Rohr cars on the Red Line. Every time I ride the Metro, the Red Line is loaded with Rohr trains, and yesterday was no different. But today, I saw minimal Rohr trains on the Red Line today; most of the trains I saw were Bredas or mixed trains with Bredas and CAFs. Where did all the Rohrs go?
Today was even hotter than yesterday! I felt like I was going to burn to death. Luckily, we only had to wait two minutes for our train in the intense heat. Today is Saturday, so I was worried that we would have to wait a long time for our train. In two minutes the train arrived. It was a six-car mixed train of 3000 series original Bredas and Rohrs, and it was destined for Glenmont. The first two and last two cars were 3000 series original Bredas while the two cars in the middle were Rohrs. I was in original Breda #3229, the front car. The train had originated at Shady Grove (as all Red Line trains do during off-peak times), but there were only a few other passengers on the train. The ride to Gallery Place-Chinatown was uneventful.
At Gallery Place we headed down to the lower level platform for the Yellow & Green lines. I was pissed to see on the PIMS that our train to go one stop to Archives wouldn't arrive for seven minutes. At least we were underground so it wasn't terribly hot. Exactly seven minutes later, our Yellow Line train to Huntington arrived. It was a six-car train of Breda Rehabs. I was in rehabilitated Breda #2025, the front car. This train also only had a few passengers. The ride was expectedly uneventful as it was only one stop to Archives.
Coming back, we were paying our fares when a Greenbelt-bound Green Line train arrived. Since my grandmother is rather elderly and can't walk fast, we decided to miss this one and get the next one. To my dismay, this train was an Alstom train! All six cars were Alstoms. I have still never ridden an Alstom on the Metro yet. That being said, I think I'll survive. We only had to wait two minutes for the next train. It was a six-car Yellow Line train to Fort Totten. It was a mixed train of Breda Rehabs and CAFs, with the first two cars being Breda Rehabs and four CAFs bringing up the rear. I was in rehabilitated Breda #3044, the front car. The one stop ride to Gallery Place was uneventful.
We just missed a Shady Grove bound train, but another one arrived just three minutes later. This train was a six-car mixed train of rehabilitated and original Bredas, with the first two cars being Breda Rehabs and four original Bredas bringing up the rear. I was in original Breda #3281, the second car from the rear. The ride to Grosvenor was uneventful.
The only thing worth noting about this trip is the lack of Rohr cars on the Red Line. Every time I ride the Metro, the Red Line is loaded with Rohr trains, and yesterday was no different. But today, I saw minimal Rohr trains on the Red Line today; most of the trains I saw were Bredas or mixed trains with Bredas and CAFs. Where did all the Rohrs go?
