Submitted by Yaratam t3_ybkhwc in washingtondc
Comments
Smarty-Pants65 t1_itguh11 wrote
thought metro was broke?
Gaijin_Monster t1_itgv4c6 wrote
how long before someone finds a way to ruin it for everyone?
LeoMarius t1_itgw57a wrote
LeoMarius t1_itgw95s wrote
Or trains that run more often than 8 times an hour during "Rush Hour". They are still charging Rush Hour fares for down period service.
LeoMarius t1_itgwk58 wrote
They probably signed long term contracts. They have to replace broken down trains because it's more expensive to repair them then replace them.
sumpdiddlyump_ t1_itgwp2w wrote
I don’t understand the purpose of either, especially the heated floors. Are people walking barefoot on Metro??
BPCGuy1845 t1_itgwst1 wrote
Maybe keep all of your lines running first before teasing new train cars.
chefr89 t1_itgxh9c wrote
i always appreciate good snark about metro, but I think studies have shown it's the most efficient way of heating homes. idk if that would be true of train cars though
summatophd t1_itgxrjg wrote
I bet people in the year 2030 will love that.
summatophd t1_itgxyap wrote
That's what the article said.
unique0130 t1_itgyqd7 wrote
Urine will ruin both very quickly
sumpdiddlyump_ t1_itgz87x wrote
Interesting! It just seems like needless complexity to me, but if it reduces costs, then that’s obviously a positive.
Phizle t1_itgzet9 wrote
If they're going ahead building the factory this was probably signed a while ago
CriticalStrawberry t1_itgzn9u wrote
It's replacing the forced air heating on current trains as it's more efficient. So it's actually a core function and not a gimmicky add-on.
ahmc84 t1_itgztg7 wrote
Don't worry, I'm sure it will be prone to failure.
CriticalStrawberry t1_itgzwp9 wrote
It may be counter intuitive, but it will actually reduce complexity. Wires or coils that get hot when you run power through them in the floor have a lot less that can go wrong than a full blown HVAC coolant loop system.
joofish t1_ith0hhh wrote
hmm that's an interesting position, but have you given thought instead to an on-board omelette station and more shag carpeting?
Phizle t1_ith0j1f wrote
Won't more trains that aren't constantly pulled for the wheels issue make service better?
Zennlee_ t1_ith0r47 wrote
pgm123 t1_ith1912 wrote
They were running more than 8 an hour during rush before the 7000 went offline, so I'd imagine the 8000 would allow them to resume that schedule. There was a report the other day that WMATA believed the trains were overcrowded for COVID conditions and tried to get the safety commission to clear the 7000s and were denied. I see no reason why the 8000s wouldn't get them back to that earlier schedule unless there's a driver shortfall.
Radtown t1_ith1dtb wrote
But you’ll still need the HVAC anyway so now you have two things that can break
WhtvrCms2Mnd t1_ith1ew5 wrote
All fun and games till the homeless use it as a bathroom and we’ve got cars that smell like hot piss… 🤢
pgm123 t1_ith1hww wrote
Charging outlets would be nice. But if having the 8000s means they'll have a full fleet, it seems it would solve a lot of needs.
Zennlee_ t1_ith2b4k wrote
Ehhh let's hope so. Hopefully it's not gonna be as problematic as the 7000s seems to be right now when these 8000s arrive in the future
bFallen t1_ith2k4r wrote
Bruh for real. It’s bad enough that the metro doesn’t take you everywhere you need to go, but the single biggest factor in me rarely using it is I could leave for the station and my commute time could shoot up by 15mins because I left 30 seconds later than I needed to. As is, if I want to use the metro, I have to leave 15mins earlier than the commute time just in case I am slightly late for the train, so I’m not late for the thing I’m going to. A reliable train system with trains running every ~5 mins would do wonders.
When I lived in Asia it was incredible. Go at any time, you’ll never wait longer than 6 mins for a train. You always knew how long it would take to get somewhere.
If the fundamentals of public transit aren’t even nailed down the extra stuff just doesn’t make a difference.
joe_sausage t1_ith38er wrote
Sure they will.
crepuscula t1_ith46jb wrote
Nah just bring your own induction cooktop, plug into the charging outlets, and make your own omelet.
Zennlee_ t1_ith4aab wrote
Exactly! I'd rather WMATA nail the basic things first like making the tracks and trains more reliable, and also putting more trains on the tracks before doing anything else. As more putting more trains, I would want them to fix the safety issues first for the 7000s before announcing this buying of the 8000s trains.
boredlawyer90 t1_ith4ft6 wrote
Yeah but will they fit on the goddamn tracks and not break? LOL
DemureCynosure t1_ith4mc2 wrote
Those charging outlets aren't going to last a month with the way people yank cables out by the cords.
DemureCynosure t1_ith4raf wrote
Heated floors means it's going to smell like warm piss.
Basically German beer.
ahmc84 t1_ith512a wrote
> Charging outlets would be nice.
I look forward to the fistfights over access to those.
bFallen t1_ith5dhg wrote
Yup yup, and I’d pay a higher fare if they made it more reliable too. Still a lot cheaper than an Uber.
Another thing I think could help is the Rail + Property model that the Hong Kong MTR uses. They are actually profitable because they develop the real estate around metro stations, and the developed real estate generates positive externalities since it makes metro stops more attractive places for people to go. Obviously it’s not a system that you can just implement easily but for a metro system with financial issues but a population that shows demand for better transit, it’s worth investigating how elements of the model might be applicable.
jofijk t1_ith5uhx wrote
It'll only function from may-september
NorseTikiBar t1_ith5zgn wrote
Literally never had the experience of DC Metro smelling like piss.
granulabargreen t1_ith77sv wrote
More trains would help these issues brother
swampoodler t1_ith7gib wrote
This is all for naught unless Metro enforces rules on the train; some will seek to ruin nice things, and those people should be removed from ridership pool.
pgm123 t1_ith7hsf wrote
Hopefully not. The 7000s seems to be a disaster. (Though I think they should be allowed to return more to service)
swampoodler t1_ith7ksy wrote
2030 isn’t far off?
pgm123 t1_ith7mhe wrote
Yeah. Also, I rarely have a charging cable.
Zennlee_ t1_ith7qke wrote
Oh I know. It's just that I think they should fix the 7000s first and put them back on the tracks so we have more trains every few minutes again, before announcing their intent to buy a new fleet of trains.
CatDiaspora t1_ith8351 wrote
> ...if having the 8000s means they'll have a full fleet, it seems it would solve a lot of needs.
That's what they said about the 7000 series though.
CatDiaspora t1_ith88j5 wrote
Yeah, 2035 is practically around the corner.
luvprstn t1_ith8ygi wrote
Continue avoiding the elevators and you’ll be good.
summatophd t1_ith9ebd wrote
The expected date is 2025.
Kitchen_Software t1_itha5zk wrote
Still wouldn’t qualify for top-5 strangest things I’ve witnessed on the Metro
west-egg t1_ithagnj wrote
Separate budgets, cap-ex vs op-ex.
Kitchen_Software t1_ithan1u wrote
Might be somewhat useful in a real pinch, but I’m a) not riding for more than 20 minutes (with rare exceptions) and b) not in possession of a cable without a battery.
oxtailplanning t1_ithaxsq wrote
Plus it's gentler than having a blast of hot air on you.
oxtailplanning t1_ithb4e8 wrote
Or you can now simplify the HVAC system to only need to perform one task instead of try to do two counter tasks.
oxtailplanning t1_ithb9y5 wrote
Good thing this is a post about trains not elevators.
oxtailplanning t1_ithbea2 wrote
That doesn't really happen. The train cars themselves have always been quite nice.
strangechicken t1_ithei0j wrote
So 2030.
luvprstn t1_itheq5d wrote
Well, some people can only access the trains via the elevators…
strangechicken t1_ithewki wrote
Yeah SEPTA is icky in all ways. But We're complaining because if you go to basically any peer industrialized country's capital city, their public transportation system is generally light years ahead of Metro. It's how wasted the potential is that gets people upset. Add on crime and general shenanigans and it leaves people less than satisfied despite being even better than most options in the states.
TyrantsInSpace t1_ithfcek wrote
OK now tell us what's going to break that takes them out of commission for 2 years.
oxtailplanning t1_ithfg7m wrote
Yeah, I use the elevators frequently, I smell the piss all the time.
But it's not really relevant to a post on the new trains.
oxtailplanning t1_ithfw6u wrote
Charging outlets are going to be very useful. Also noted is the new HD security cameras which is a nice addition.
turtyurt t1_ithg0o2 wrote
Woah now don’t get ahead of yourself, this isn’t the Jetsons
daveed4445 t1_ithg9g6 wrote
Hate to tell you this but we are all getting old here
BansheeLoveTriangle t1_ithgrs5 wrote
Make sure the pee in the floor is constantly warm
GrilledCyan t1_ithheco wrote
Depends on how long the 6000 series stay in use once these come online.
SGoogs1780 t1_ithiftn wrote
I don't mean to be a jerk, but the answer to your question is literally the next sentence in the article:
>The Hitachi Rail factory that will build the next generation of Metro rail cars in Hagerstown is set to open in 2024. The new trains are expected a year later
summatophd t1_ithih6b wrote
Am I in the twilight zone?
WMATAnerd t1_ithittg wrote
This article would've caused far less hubbub if the headline used the more technical term "electric radiant heating" instead of "heated floors".
"Heated floors" makes people think bathrooms in expensive homes, where heated floors are used in addition to another system to heat the whole home. With these railcars, the floor is taking over the entire job of heating the railcar in the winter. It's not some frivolous add-on.
Free_Dog_6837 t1_ithjh0t wrote
its so the piss doesnt get cold
DesertPilgrim t1_ithjpc8 wrote
There's always the people who always show up in WMATA threads and say "I simply plan my entire life around assiduously checking Metro timetables and apps so that I don't arrive at the station at the incorrect time" as if either option is sufficiently accurate to begin with, not to mention that the only way to get people to take transit rather than drive is to make it something you don't have to plan your plans around because the headways are short.
And yeah, before someone says that my sarcastic remark doesn't match their experience of using apps or whatever: you simply shouldn't have to know this, you should be able to walk into a metro station and get on a train in short order, not after a quarter of an hour of waiting in the dark caverns.
MindStalker t1_ithkdix wrote
Seems as though the design of the 7000 were broken from the start.
Everyone wants the trains to run more often, the only way to do that is to buy more trains. They can't buy any more old train models, they simply don't exist. The 7000s are too heavy and aren't the correct width.
dcux t1_ithkf7x wrote
Air source heat pumps can deliver 3x the energy they consume, can be reversed to do heating or cooling, and are growing in popularity in residential systems.
If they're going to have an AC system already, why not this?
oxtailplanning t1_ithks1t wrote
I assume there were numerous planning meetings, an analysis of alternatives, cost estimates, and many more things that we were not privy to here that factored into the decision.
dcux t1_ithl4gz wrote
Or someone installs some sort of malware device. I never use public USB charging stations.
totallyuneekname t1_ithljkf wrote
I do! But I'm the only person I know who does. Barefooters are tough we don't need heated floors
WhiteClawsNoLaws t1_ithmc9m wrote
I’ll trade you one heated floor for one train on time. The ball is in your court.
Xanny t1_ithodh7 wrote
we'd like to hope that it wasn't just someone getting an email and replying in 15 seconds with "SOLD"!
InsufficientFrosting t1_ithp11x wrote
Lol, I used to complain a lot about the DC metro. Then I took SEPTA when I went to Philly. I told my self that I will never complain about DC metro.
dkon4 t1_ithp9ll wrote
If you are a DMV resident of even 5+ years ago, you would know metro has gotten much worse despite their funding. When I was a kid living around here, I remember thinking how great the metro will be in 20 years… yeah that never happened lol but to be fair, I haven’t used public transportation in Philly. And when the metro does work, it’s great.
Spac3rV t1_ithpaoj wrote
Which is exactly what they are doing, right?
MsTravelista t1_ithpkfg wrote
Can we throw in reliable escalators and elevators too?
Nexis4Jersey t1_ithqupk wrote
Harrisburg gives the bare minimum of funding to SEPTA its working with shoestrings sadly.... Every time I visit SEPA and SNJ and see all those abandoned rail lines while sitting in traffic it makes my heart sink... They have expansion/restoration plans but nothing happens...
bubbameister33 t1_ithta2o wrote
A proper Metro Rail rush hour.
bubbameister33 t1_ithtir0 wrote
Someone finding a way to steal your data<<<<<<<
eatingpopcornwithmj t1_ithtvzh wrote
Yum heated pee smell
ruskiytroll t1_ithukqz wrote
okurr - we… we all understand that one of the core issues for the 7000 series was DRAWING POWER … right? Or am I misremembering?
bubbameister33 t1_ithurzf wrote
You know, I haven’t been on a train with sunflower seed shells everywhere and empty boxes of Chinese food in a while.
hey_dingus t1_ithxg4d wrote
The ventilation system on the trains is a major weight contributor and power draw. The 7000 series trains weigh way more than the 2, 3, or 6k series. Heated floors, and the lighter ventilation system, could save a lot on the overall weight of the rail cars. Being heavy is part of the operational problems of the 7ks; more wear and tear on the rails, draws a lot more power from the 3rd rail than the legacy trains for all its systems, etc.
NamareNA t1_ithy60p wrote
Heated floors and outlets don’t affect the reliability.. they’re just features.
ohdangherewego t1_iti0hwi wrote
I thought it was the wheels coming off
EitherProblem931 t1_iti1u5f wrote
It's like a mobile home but, for bums...
MintyLacroix t1_iti5x12 wrote
Features I guarantee won't be working for long. Also, heated floors? What purpose does that even serve? Lol.
MintyLacroix t1_iti6f5t wrote
Thank you. I was in disbelief that they would put heated floors on the metro, but now it all makes more sense.
MintyLacroix t1_iti6m12 wrote
I rarely see human waste these days, but waste of every other kind is a ubiquitous feature of every metro car.
MintyLacroix t1_iti6noe wrote
Sarcasm? Also, just who is the sunflower seed saboteur? I've never actually seen anyone eating sunflower seeds on the metro, but I see the aftermath almost every day.
NamareNA t1_iti7esj wrote
Even if they stop working it won’t affect the train’s reliability
Twisked t1_itidk8l wrote
Yep!!! 100% this. Those outlets are gonna be trashed and made unusable within a month. They somehow need to incorporate wireless charging, otherwise they are guaranteed to be jammed up with gum and paperclips.
TheBeardedAZN t1_itiev6j wrote
And doesn’t smell like piss. Amen
damnatio_memoriae t1_itigzow wrote
pleather recliners or gtfo
damnatio_memoriae t1_itih2xv wrote
how about just trains that run?
I_R_TEH_BOSS t1_itii6jp wrote
Can't wait for the heated floors to accidentally turn on during the summer and kill me.
Mecha_Jesus_03 t1_itijc7r wrote
The joke is that metro never completes projects on time, get it?
CandyCaneCrisp t1_itikeh3 wrote
The Metro is one of the reasons I moved here from Philly, back when the main cars were the 2000 series with the wider, padded seats and carpeted floors.
WorkSucks135 t1_itikzjv wrote
What, you've never entered a station in February only to realize you forgot your shoes?
pgm123 t1_itim120 wrote
It was great when they were running. Hopefully they won't have a gague issue.
WorkSucks135 t1_itimx3z wrote
It's WMATA. Meaning somebody high up is friends/family with someone who owns a company that installs/sells these systems and gave them the contact. Or just straight up took a bribe for it.
granulabargreen t1_itio1jp wrote
This is part of a long term contract that was already in the works to replace the even older trains, the two aren’t mutually exclusive and we should be happy about this news.
heels_n_skirt t1_itio6f5 wrote
I wish they would have a continuous connection between the trains instead of doors. It'll have more room for everyone.
Neversoft4long t1_itioz6e wrote
What do heated floors even help with? The outlets would be a welcome addition tho lol
summatophd t1_itiq14c wrote
I posted the first comment saying 2030... Okay now my own joke is being explained to me. Yes, this is the twilight zone.
Zennlee_ t1_itir3vi wrote
Ahh, thought this was just a newly-done contract they've made since they didn't say it the article, which was why I was a little upset lol. In that case, let's hope these new trains would have less problems than the 7000s
Role_Player_Real t1_itircj4 wrote
They’re just a different way to heat the car, not something to keep your tosies warm
strangechicken t1_itirsuq wrote
Yes, and you are sentenced to ride the Red Line for rush hour and the Green line at midnight for the rest of your life.
Zennlee_ t1_itisqx9 wrote
Yeah, that's one of the reasons I never trust any public charging stations. It's a neat feature to add to Metro trains, but I'll still not use one for cybersecurity reasons. There's a reason why I have my own power bank in my bag for charging
Mecha_Jesus_03 t1_itisr09 wrote
I should read usernames lmao
summatophd t1_itist3i wrote
benevolentwalrus t1_itiudvn wrote
Yeah the floors get hot when the car's on fjre
PlumbTheDerps t1_itiurx8 wrote
ah yes so when they light on fire it is a feature not a bug
zinzlow t1_itiwjp7 wrote
Happens to the best of us.
damnatio_memoriae t1_itixccm wrote
in terms of comfort (including cleanliness) it's definitely the best i've ever used in the US. (tokyo is 100x better though). in terms of convenience it's not even close. the stations are way too few and far between, trains don't come nearly often enough, and the variable pricing requiring the rider to swipe again on the way out is unnecessarily annoying.
damnatio_memoriae t1_itixoft wrote
im glad we dont have the dirty old carpets anymore, but i do miss them.
damnatio_memoriae t1_itixxv7 wrote
they've had them for several years on buses and on street corners and ny and they mostly still work. if those can survive i'm not worried about these.
regulate213 t1_itiyi3q wrote
They make "neutering" dongles that physically only have the power lines/pins attached.
CandyCaneCrisp t1_itj1vu6 wrote
I've had several rides on 2000 series cars this year, and the grubby carpets are still comfy to walk on and make the ride feel smoother.
Number1RankedHuman t1_itj40ke wrote
Not ready to get assaulted by someone over a stupid outlet.
Baaaakedbeans t1_itj5263 wrote
So we can smell toasted pee and poop? Nice.
ertri t1_itj6vx1 wrote
8000s aren’t a 7000 replacement, they’re a 2000/3000 replacement
CCOUNTYCCROOK t1_itj7hzz wrote
The solution to the housing crisis I guess
Praxlyn t1_itjbng5 wrote
IWasBornInThisPit t1_itjdjf1 wrote
Cue people sleeping on the floors in the winter.
g3n3ralcha0s t1_itjduc0 wrote
We need neither heated floors or charging ports. Why the hell would heated floors be on the upgrade list? How about improved status screens? How about bigger windows? How about a quieter ride? How about better metro “driver” speaker? How about an outages screen?
Mack21 t1_itjfirv wrote
The 7000s being heavy is also why they’re fortifying the redline pier caps on the elevated sections of the track!
moonbunnychan t1_itjfrj7 wrote
100% those outlets will be wrecked within a week.
[deleted] t1_itjggzj wrote
[deleted]
moonbunnychan t1_itjgkey wrote
2030 and probably still won't be able to ride one to Dulles.
pgm123 t1_itjhowd wrote
I know.
zuul99 t1_itji3cw wrote
Fuck man, even Kyiv has their trains running 6 minutes apart.
ckelley87 t1_itjpflv wrote
My first experience on a 7000-series train returning on the red line reeked of piss, if I didn’t have a mask on it would have been an awful ride.
kallie412 t1_itjs7qt wrote
heated floors sounds like the worst thing to happen to a metro train.
scenario 1: it's the hottest day of summer. the ac in the metro cars is obviously out and you're shoved into the car like a pack of sardines. but your feet feel like the first circle of hell because...heated floor.
scenario 2: all that food people leave on the metro just stanking and stay lukewarm on the hot floor allllll day.
charging units sound great though.
kallie412 t1_itjsgsj wrote
i have a recurring dream that i walk around barefoot. maybe it's my time to shine.
rectalhorror t1_itkpgmx wrote
Can you imagine the smell of hot bodily fluids, chicken bones, and garbage? The living will envy the dead.
Equal_Memory_661 t1_itktwmd wrote
Great. I’m sure the hobo’s will greatly enjoy those luxuries…
dcearthlover t1_itkve6s wrote
Yeah by then more people will be homeless and the heated floors would be better to sleep on than outside
ifonefox t1_itkzlmd wrote
They're going to be regular outlets, not USB
forrestpen t1_itkzp6q wrote
I’m not sure I trust heated floors on a Metro train.
Imagine getting cooked like a lobster because the redline train constantly stops!
flyerfanatic93 t1_itl914h wrote
This already exists in WMATA. Look up WMATA Transit Oriented Development.
LemmieAxeYouA t1_itlgila wrote
We're still waiting, but it should be finished in a couple months!
-2037 people
NaughtyGoddess t1_itlmisi wrote
Calm down WMATA, fix the rails first.
Get better overhead.
Fix fare evasion somehow....
You're not ready for an 8k. Lawd have mercy.
jednorog t1_itlq6a3 wrote
Potentially a silly question, but given that we know airborne pathogens are around and here to stay, wouldn't a strong ventilation system be something to prioritize?
jnuzzi08 t1_itgtqxj wrote
Sure Jan