WMATA Releases Preliminary Inauguration Day Service Plan

On a different note, Amtrak has an announcement on their website saying that in the afternoon on 1/20/09, access to Union Station will be limited to ticketed Amtrak, MARC, or VRE passengers. What that means for Metrorail Red Line passengers, I don't know.

Union Station is often the site of an Inaugural Ball, so it might be related to that.

On a different note, Amtrak has an announcement on their website saying that in the afternoon on 1/20/09, access to Union Station will be limited to ticketed Amtrak, MARC, or VRE passengers. What that means for Metrorail Red Line passengers, I don't know.

No restroom access for one thing.

One Metro entrance is fully outside the building; the other has an outside door.

Even with reduced estimates; I wonder what will happen at 2am if the platforms are still full of queued passengers.

Also, I wonder if wmata.com has any plans for *real time* station data; i.e. how long a wait at each...

"farecard"
Also, I wonder if wmata.com has any plans for *real time* station data; i.e. how long a wait at each...

Pick a station, any station: Real Time Arrivals

Sand Box John wrote:"farecard"
Also, I wonder if wmata.com has any plans for *real time* station data; i.e. how long a wait at each...

Pick a station, any station: Real Time Arrivals

This is the coolest feature of wmata's website by far - fantastic to know if things are running smoothly *before* I leave the office, so I can leave early/walk/take the bus.

HokieNav"
This is the coolest feature of wmata's website by far - fantastic to know if things are running smoothly *before* I leave the office, so I can leave early/walk/take the bus.

WMATA has had the Real Time Arrival function on their web site sense 2006.

I know, I had to reset all my bookmarks in my iPhone when they went to the new website.

Now they are saying that crowds could swell up to 3 million people for Inauguration Day

what metro stations have the best parking??

I am considering coming down tuesday and am thinking about parking in the new carrolton or landover metro stations.

any tips or suggestions.

I am aware they open the parking lots at 330am

"Pbolo714"
what metro stations have the best parking??

Stations

I am considering coming down tuesday and am thinking about parking in the new carrolton or landover metro stations.

any tips or suggestions.

I would hazard a guess that you will have a better chance finding parking on the east side of town then on the west side, because all of the bridges over the Potomac into DC will be closed on the 20th.

New Carrollton has a county owned garage next to the WMATA owned lot, total spaces 3,519 . Landover, 1,866 spaces. Greenbelt 2 lots 3,399 spaces.(one of the lots is only accessible from the Capitol Beltway) College Park, garage 1,870 spaces. Largo, 2 garages total 2,200 spaces. Morgan Boulevard, 635 spaces. Branch Avenue 2 lots total 3,072 spaces. Suitland, garage 1,890 spaces.

Don't know what Dan Snyder is doing with the lots a FedEx Field that will not be used for bus parking. the lots at RFK have been set aside for busses.

I've been getting texts and emails from friends and relatives in Washington describing Metrorail in one word today:

Meltdown.

My aunt reported taking 3 hours to get from West Falls Church to Metro Center station due to the crowds (and that was back at 6:30am). There was also a possible fatality today: a person was reported struck by an incoming Metro train at a station near the National Mall; no word on whether the person was indeed killed, and whether he slipped or fell off the platform due to the crush-crowd conditions at the stations. Another friend reported trains passing through without stopping at Takoma; he was there about 45 minutes before a train finally stopped.

Anybody got any other details on what's going on out there?

MY friends are saying today is not the day to take the Metro if you can avoid it, they didn't say it was a meltdown but they are saying its jammed to capacity and beyond at this point.

Just heard on ABC News: The woman that fell off a crowded platform and was hit by a Metro train this morning is alive and okay...just banged up and being treated. Lucky lady!!!

Here is a play-by-play of sorts, mostly compiled by me and John on Subchat: http://www.subchat.com/read.asp?Id=735172

WMATA posted a video of conditions on board Metro today (Inauguration Day) on their website, you can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t98MvwNkD-k.