Metro Shows Off New Rail Cars
posted 4:26 pm Tue December 04, 2007 - Arlington, Va.
In the reconfigured car - shown to the media Tuesday before going into service at Reagan National Airport - a few rows of seats have been replaced by seats that line the walls, leaving more standing room in the middle. The benches can be folded up to make room for a wheelchair, a stroller or luggage.
Another section of seats has been removed at the end of the car. In its place are cushions along the wall for leaning against, and more room for standing in the middle. At the car's other end, poles for gripping have extensions on either side so that more people can hang on. Dave Kubicek, Metro's assistant general manager for rail, said the redesigned car could probably fit about 200 people - 20 more than the current design can fit.
The experimental car has been running in the system for several months, Kubicek said. It is outfitted with cameras so Metro officials can evaluate how customers use the new features. He said a decision on which of the features, if any, to use likely would come in mid-2008.
"This is definitely an experiment," Kubicek said. "We're looking for feedback."
Metro will use the information as it develops specifications for future rail cars. But officials also want to see which features can be added to existing cars.
Metro, the nation's second-largest urban rail system after the New York City subway, has seen its rush-hour ridership skyrocket, and riders at some stations are often forced to let trains pass because they can't manage to squeeze inside. The problem is exacerbated by rows of seating, which make it difficult to quickly get on and off the cars.
It's unclear how riders will respond to the new design.
David Saywell boarded the experimental rail car at the airport after arriving with colleagues from Cleveland for a conference. He said the folding seats and broad aisle would be helpful for maneuvering luggage. But Saywell did not like the idea of fewer seats.
"We have a 17-minute ride to the hotel - I wouldn't want to be standing the whole time," he said.
Metro is somewhat limited in the changes it can implement by the basic design of its cars. For example, Kubicek said the agency cannot replace all the rows of seats with perimeter seating because some seats have spaces underneath where equipment is stored.
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"I like the idea of them because I'm short, and I can never reach the rail at the top," said Carol Gilmore, who got on a car with the handles at Pentagon.
He said the agency would install the handles in its newest rail cars, but was still trying to determine whether they would work well in older cars, too.
Two other experimental cars shown Tuesday feature another big change for Metro: non-slip, resilient flooring instead of carpet. General manager John Catoe has said he wants to get rid of the carpet, which is difficult to keep clean and expensive to maintain.
Kubicek said the new floors would need to be replaced about every 10 years, while carpet needs to be replaced every two to three years.
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On the Net:
Metro: http://www.wmata.com/
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Latest Comment on Metro Shows Off New Rail Cars
SpareMe
3:27 pm on 12/04/07
Pachacutec: If you notice there arenot poles at each row of seats. This may help the vertically changelled. The walk way is also wider. What I disagree with is the lack of carpet. This on rainy days may be a slipping hazard.
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