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[KevinKorell]

Michael and I got back this afternoon from a nice quick round trip to Washington.

We used Metroliner 203 southbound from Metropark to Washington Union Station on Saturday morning, and Metroliner 208 northbound from Washington Union Station to Metropark.

Both trains operated exactly on time, although 203 slipped just a couple of minutes behind through Philly and Willy. We also stopped for a few moments at K Tower awaiting entry to our assigned track at Washington Union Station.

Both trains were terribly under-utilized. Good news for us, as we had plenty of elbow room and no worries about noise or our neighbor's smelly armpits. Bad news for AMTRAK, with seven almost empty coaches running back and forth between New York and Washington.

On my walk through the train between Baltimore and Wilmington, there were no more than 8-10 people in each coach, and I observed one totally empty. A case in point is that this morning, we watched them loading Train 164, a Regional that departs Washington for New York and Boston 35 minutes before our train. The line for 164 snaked out of the waiting area and along the Claytor Concourse. A few stragglers ran for the train even after the attendant had closed up the gate. Before we left, people were also already beginning to assemble for the next Regional, 154 to New York, due out 20 minutes after our Metroliner.

While in the area, we rode about 3/4 of the Metro system, in advance of some future Fest in the area, so I can provide guides like I have done so diligently for the other Fests. On Saturday we did the following:

• Red Line Union Station to Glenmont
• Red Line Glenmont to Fort Totten
• Green Line Fort Totten to Greenbelt
• Green Line Greenbelt to Branch Avenue
• Green Line Branch Avenue to L'Enfant Plaza
• Yellow Line L'Enfant Plaza to Huntington
• Yellow Line Huntington to King Street
• Blue Line King Street to Franconia-Springfield
• Blue Line Franconia-Springfield to King Street
• Short "time-out" in Alexandria
• Blue Line King Street to Crystal City
• Dinner at Crystal City Underground
• Blue Line Crystal City to Rosslyn
• Orange Line Rosslyn to Vienna-Fairfax
• Orange Line Vienna-Fairfax to Foggy Bottom
• Stayed at Doubletree Hotel in Foggy Bottom area

This morning we made our way back to Union Station via:

• Orange Line Foggy Bottom to Metro Center
• Red Line Metro Center to Union Station

That only leaves the Orange Line to New Carrollton, Blue Line to Addison Road-Seat Pleasant, and the Shady Grove leg of the Red Line to do on a future visit.

During our time off the Metro in Alexandria, we observed Train 195, a Regional headed from Boston to Richmond, running precisely on time. Then in the other direction, Train 90, the PALMETTO, was running about 1-1/2 hours late. So much for a perfect weekend!!

[KevinKorell]

By the way, I also noticed the construction of the New York Avenue/Florida Avenue/Galludet University station on the Red Line. This is the first station being built along an existing line instead of as part of an extension. What they are doing is putting the station on an entirely new alignment just west of the current one. An island platform is very evident, as is part of the future roadbed. Once the new station facilities are built, they will swing the tracks over to the new alignment, probably requiring a weekend closure between Rhode Island Avenue and Union Station. Then they will demolish the old route.

You can see this construction from, of course, the Red Line, and also any AMTRAK or MARC train running past K Tower just outside the throat of Union Station.