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  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

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 #1516122  by justalurker66
 
Sand Box John's reporting on the first day of service of Phase I:
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=60992&start=1230#p1285190
The 5 new stations opened their entrances a 11:30 AM, The faregates at Wiehle- Reston East were turned on before noon to allow passengers to board the first inbound train that was scheduled to depart at noon. The faregates at the 4 Tysons Corner station were turn on a noon to allow passengers to inspect the station before the first inbound passengers carrying train from Wiehle- Reston East arrived. No passengers were allowed to board trains until the first inbound train from Wiehle- Reston East arrived. No passengers were allowed to board outbound trains until the first outbound train departed the East Falls Church station. The first outbound train departed East Falls Church after the first inbound train arrived. Trains operating westbound displaying an Orange line East Falls Church destination sign simultaneously changed to Silver line trains with a Wiehle- Reston East destination sign on the fly after the first inbound Silver line train arrived at East Falls Church.
I see no reason for this pattern not to be used for Phase II. I expect trains will be running their full "after opening" pattern long before the first official train, with passengers forced off at Wiehle-Reston. People will not be able to board trains inbound trains west of Wiehl-Reston until the official "first train" inbound passes through each station. Outbound passengers will not be able to ride past Wiehle-Reston until the "first train" inbound passes through.

Simulated service began July 20th, 2014, the Sunday before opening. A full week of trains running the full service pattern, sans passengers. It is a coin flip whether Saturday 7/18/2020 or Saturday 7/25/2020 will be the celebratory "first day of service". It could be any Saturday after July 16th. 7/25 sounds reasonable.

Holding the party at Wiehle-Reston in 2014 (the end of the line) made sense. I expect that the first train will originate at the Ashburn Station, even though Dulles seems to be a better place to hold a party for a line serving Dulles. Perhaps a two party celebration?

When in service will all trains serve Ashburn or will some terminate at Dulles and go into the yard? Do all current Silver Line trains run to Wiehle-Reston or are some turned back early?
 #1516130  by Sand Box John
 
justalurker66

I see no reason for this pattern not to be used for Phase II. I expect trains will be running their full "after opening" pattern long before the first official train, with passengers forced off at Wiehle-Reston. People will not be able to board trains inbound trains west of Wiehl-Reston until the official "first train" inbound passes through each station. Outbound passengers will not be able to ride past Wiehle-Reston until the "first train" inbound passes through.


Phase I broke tradition, exception being 03 27 1976. Tradition is typically begin service at normal opening time with dedication ceremony and speechifying taking place in the late morning at the terminal station.

Simulated service began July 20th, 2014, the Sunday before opening. A full week of trains running the full service pattern, sans passengers. It is a coin flip whether Saturday 7/18/2020 or Saturday 7/25/2020 will be the celebratory "first day of service". It could be any Saturday after July 16th. 7/25 sounds reasonable.

Simulated service always commences 2 weeks prior to opening day.

Holding the party at Wiehle-Reston in 2014 (the end of the line) made sense. I expect that the first train will originate at the Ashburn Station, even though Dulles seems to be a better place to hold a party for a line serving Dulles. Perhaps a two party celebration?

A few openings had multiple dedication ceremony at other stations along the segment.

When in service will all trains serve Ashburn or will some terminate at Dulles and go into the yard? Do all current Silver Line trains run to Wiehle-Reston or are some turned back early?

Me thinks most if not all of the trains will run end to end, those that do terminate at Dulles will relay and return east using the double crossover on Autopilot Drive. In the future I think WMATA might terminate selected eastbound trains at McLean.
 #1516132  by JackRussell
 
justalurker66 wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:31 am People will not be able to board trains inbound trains west of Wiehl-Reston until the official "first train" inbound passes through each station. Outbound passengers will not be able to ride past Wiehle-Reston until the "first train" inbound passes through.
That's not how they opened phase 1. There was a train parked at Spring Hill that we boarded - it was nearly empty and we were able to board. We had to wait 10-15 minutes before it left - in advance of the "first train".
 #1516140  by Sand Box John
 
"JackRussell"
That's not how they opened phase 1. There was a train parked at Spring Hill that we boarded - it was nearly empty and we were able to board. We had to wait 10-15 minutes before it left - in advance of the "first train".


If it was westbound then that explains why the train west out of East Falls Church after the arrival first train east was held short of McLean. I boarded the first train east at Greensboro and transferred to the "first train west" at East Falls Church.
 #1516227  by JackRussell
 
Sand Box John wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:55 am "JackRussell"
That's not how they opened phase 1. There was a train parked at Spring Hill that we boarded - it was nearly empty and we were able to board. We had to wait 10-15 minutes before it left - in advance of the "first train".


If it was westbound then that explains why the train west out of East Falls Church after the arrival first train east was held short of McLean. I boarded the first train east at Greensboro and transferred to the "first train west" at East Falls Church.
No, eastbound. I think we rode in all the way to Clarendon and then got off to get some lunch. At Greensboro and McLean there were a few people that boarded, but not all that many. It wasn't crowded at all.

I was surprised that they did this - I had expected the first train through would be the "official" train. I don't remember the time - it wasn't until we got underway that I started seeing tweets from the people leaving Wiehle. It is possible that they did this in order to maintain a proper schedule for the rest of the line.
 #1516347  by Sand Box John
 
@ JackRussell
I entered the Greensboro Station when the faregates were opened to let passengers into the paid area of the station before noon. A couple of trains stopped in both directions without opening the doors. I boarded the first eastbound train out of Wiehle and got off at East Falls Church and boarded the first westbound train.
 #1516758  by Sand Box John
 
JDC
Metro is pumping the breaks on the opening date floated by WMAA. https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... e-opening/


More like WTOP giving WMATA, or more specifically Paul Wiedefeld a rebuttal to what WMAA was announcing. If memory serves MWAA announced an estimated opening date for phase I that resulted in no media interest.
 #1516991  by perfbill
 
As for going to Udvar Hazy from the Metro, I believe it would be most expedient to do so, and more likely to happen from, the CIT/Route 28 station. From the airport it would add over 2 miles and some five to six minutes (depending on traffic) to the trip. While I would suspect such a shuttle might be popular, most people from the airport want to get to hotels or downtown, not to a museum. My money is on CIT/28, likely the south side, but possibly both sides.
 #1518993  by JDC
 
I just noticed today that the standalone website http://silverlinemetro.com is gone and it automatically redirects to a WMATA page with all of the stations listed. I guess they've taken the page down and will refurbish it for Phase 2 opening?
 #1518996  by RailVet
 
Perfbill: I suspect the museum itself would not be in favor of a bus shuttle. If I recall correctly, the museum doesn't charge admission but it does charge for parking, and those arriving by bus wouldn't generate revenue for the museum.
 #1519049  by perfbill
 
RailVet wrote: Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:34 am Perfbill: I suspect the museum itself would not be in favor of a bus shuttle. If I recall correctly, the museum doesn't charge admission but it does charge for parking, and those arriving by bus wouldn't generate revenue for the museum.
They currently have shuttles from downtown to Udvar Hazy and back, and a page on the si.edu site that lists all of the shuttles from Fairfax, Wiehle-Reston, and L'Enfant to Udvar Hazy and back to downtown. So given this, I doubt there is much reticence. They still get money from iMax, vendors, and others. As for us, we park at the WaWa across 28 and walk in, but still spend the money. The Smithsonian probably profits more from inside vendors than from parking, but even at that, I know that charters have to pay to get their groups in, so buses and the dedicated section of the lot for them have been a staple there since it opened in 2003.

I personally would be a proponent of a monorail line running from Udvar Hazy to Dulles Town Center up 28 with perhaps 4 stops, and a branch to the airport with a connection at CIT stop. Small footprint, lower cost than metro, and another way to get from satellite park and rides to Metro stops, as well as the museum.

https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum ... -locations
 #1519050  by perfbill
 
farecard wrote: Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:54 am I doubt they profit on the parking lot. I suspect its owner gets all the money.
This article indicates otherwise, talking about the 400k theft a few years back, and noting that the vendor does not keep all of the proceeds.

https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2 ... story.html
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