Metro’s Newest Express Train Works For Me, Not For Others

On Monday, I took the red line from Farrugut North up into Montgomery County’s nether regions. It started off like a typical workday with sardines fitting into spaces that are too small, and a few people (foreign tourists) who lack that one thing Americans enjoy…deodorant. Really nothing new, but worth mentioning. According to Metro, the ride from Farragut North to Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan takes four minutes and covers 1.7 miles. I guess it was my lucky day because our train’s operator tried to take at least a minute off the commute by skipping Dupont Circle. No, she didn’t take a secret express rail, she (and the train) just skipped Dupont Circle entirely!

The train stopped a few cars past the platform and went dark except for the lights over the doors. A minute later we were told that we wouldn’t be stopping at Dupont Circle (really?!) and that (to Metro’s credit) a train was being held at Woodley Park to take passengers back to Dupont Circle. In the end, my ride wasn’t all that express, even with one less stop, but an express route to the MD or VA suburbs would be appreciated as long as it’s planned and we’re made aware of it before boarding.