Graham Takes the Train@SS_DCTransit

Transit information and news for the greater Washington, DC area and beyond.

 Silver Spring, MD
Joined July 2022
565 Photos and videos
Exciting progress this week on the @PurpleLineMD @wmata Red Line interchange at Silver Spring! The escalators and canopy have been moved into position! This will look very cool when completed! 🚊🚇👷🏗️
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50th Anniversary Metro trains are still looking great!
50th anniversary metro trains, door open at the Silver Spring platform

ALT 50th anniversary metro trains, door open at the Silver Spring platform

Interior of metro trains with 50 years of metro posters

ALT Interior of metro trains with 50 years of metro posters
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Bottleworks Lane Park recently opened in Silver Spring! Looks like a really nice addition to the southeastern side of town. This spot was some kind of car business before if I remember correctly.
Bottleworks lane park sign in front of grassy area with covered tables

ALT Bottleworks lane park sign in front of grassy area with covered tables

Path with landscaping to the left and grassy area to the right

ALT Path with landscaping to the left and grassy area to the right
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16th St/Woodside Purple Line station is taking shape on the west side of Silver Spring! It looks like the station itself is mostly done.
16th st woodside station with downtown Silver Spring buildings in the background.

ALT 16th st woodside station with downtown Silver Spring buildings in the background.

16th St woodside station showing the rail approach from the right.

ALT 16th St woodside station showing the rail approach from the right.

Station platform viewed from the side with trees in the background.

ALT Station platform viewed from the side with trees in the background.

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New Metro 50th anniversary smart trip card!
Smart trip card showing workers setting up a metro pylon in a station

ALT Smart trip card showing workers setting up a metro pylon in a station

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Really unfortunate that MTA doesn’t run better service on game days… Camden Yards could be a great transit stadium, but this is bad.
claire@floppatakes
Sep 19
Replying to @mtamaryland
@mtamaryland light rail situation today is EMBARRASSING. 2 car trains on 30 minute headways right before an orioles game?? tons of people had to get left behind at north linthicum and patapsco. this is the kind of thing that makes people stop taking the train to games
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Some recent progress on the new entrance at the Silver Spring metro. This will be the connection with the Purple Line. The roof looks nearly done and the walls are taking shape.
Silver Spring metro (left) with new entrance walkway under construction.

ALT Silver Spring metro (left) with new entrance walkway under construction.

New metro walkway showing glass roof panels and columns at the location of the walls.

ALT New metro walkway showing glass roof panels and columns at the location of the walls.

New walkway viewed from below showing steel columns in the walls.

ALT New walkway viewed from below showing steel columns in the walls.

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Interesting view of modern construction methods: brick facade on wooden frame. New construction on 16th St NW, Washington.
Left, finished townhouse with brick facade, right: unfinished building with wood frame visible.

ALT Left, finished townhouse with brick facade, right: unfinished building with wood frame visible.

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Sunset over Rosslyn
Rosslyn high rise buildings viewed from a plane with orange glow in the background

ALT Rosslyn high rise buildings viewed from a plane with orange glow in the background

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Raleigh Union station is a really nice, and it’s great to see this kind of investment in a modern station. But the urban design is kind of a work in progress.
Raleigh Union Station viewed from the platform.

ALT Raleigh Union Station viewed from the platform.

Raleigh Union Station exterior.

ALT Raleigh Union Station exterior.

Raleigh Union station entrance from W Martin St.

ALT Raleigh Union station entrance from W Martin St.

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The available bus service is pretty good, but the infrastructure is a bit lacking the way funding is just a cheap plastic sign outside; I didn’t see any wayfinding inside the station.
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Worth noting that the current NC service will be greatly improved by S line project, with a more direct alignment and 90-110 MPH track speeds.
Graham Takes the Train@SS_DCTransit
Sep 14
Scenes from the Amtrak Carolinian, DC to Raleigh! Not the fastest route, but a useful and scenic one!
Locomotive on platform, Raleigh Union Station

ALT Locomotive on platform, Raleigh Union Station

Rocks in the James River near Richmond

ALT Rocks in the James River near Richmond

Row of buildings with railroad mural, Selma NC.

ALT Row of buildings with railroad mural, Selma NC.

Route map and elevation graph

ALT Route map and elevation graph

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Scenes from the Amtrak Carolinian, DC to Raleigh! Not the fastest route, but a useful and scenic one!
Locomotive on platform, Raleigh Union Station

ALT Locomotive on platform, Raleigh Union Station

Rocks in the James River near Richmond

ALT Rocks in the James River near Richmond

Row of buildings with railroad mural, Selma NC.

ALT Row of buildings with railroad mural, Selma NC.

Route map and elevation graph

ALT Route map and elevation graph

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Speed recording: mostly 79 mph with some slower sections. Average is around 55 mph including stops. I noticed a lot of padding (made up 15 minutes of delay leaving Washington and arrived early to multiple stations, totaling about 20 minutes).
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Graham Takes the Train retweeted
Wash Cycle@Wash_cycle
Sep 13
The new section of the CCT at Elm Street Park
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My first look at Bethesda Station after the summer Red Line closure. The new mezzanine is a work in progress, but it looks like the structure is all in place!
Bethesda Red Line station with second mezzanine in the rear.

ALT Bethesda Red Line station with second mezzanine in the rear.

New mezzanine construction.

ALT New mezzanine construction.

Connecting bridge between the new mezzanine and the new subway entrance.

ALT Connecting bridge between the new mezzanine and the new subway entrance.
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Maryland/DC urbanists: is anyone planning to check out the new Flash service to Howard county?
Montgomery County (MD) DOT – Ride On@RideOnMCT
Sep 8
The wait is officially over! 🎉 Starting TODAY riders can catch a one-seat ride 🚍 between Silver Spring and Downtown Columbia on Flash Blue! Catch it for weekday, rush-hour service from 5-9 am and 3-8 pm. Where are you going first? Let us know in the comments! #RidetheFlash
A colorful Flash bus shown against a blue background. Text reads: The wait is over. Flash extension to Howard County is now in service! Howard County seal, MCDOT logo, Ride On logo, and Montgomery County logo along bottom.

ALT A colorful Flash bus shown against a blue background. Text reads: The wait is over. Flash extension to Howard County is now in service! Howard County seal, MCDOT logo, Ride On logo, and Montgomery County logo along bottom.

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The Silver Spring Green Trail along Wayne Ave is basically done. Mostly an enhanced sidewalk, it nonetheless provides a connects between the Silver Spring metro/downtown and the MBT and Sligo Creek.
Trail along Wayne Ave with walk signal.

ALT Trail along Wayne Ave with walk signal.

Trail along Wayne Ave

ALT Trail along Wayne Ave

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The path is generally pretty nice, but has a few intersections that really don’t work on a bike, so it feels more like riding on a sidewalk
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Riverdale Park is always good for a weekend bike visit! Manifest Bread is the perfect half way stop!
Bike path parallel to Rhode Island Ave.

ALT Bike path parallel to Rhode Island Ave.

Four bikes locked next to Queensbury Rd with a bus in the background.

ALT Four bikes locked next to Queensbury Rd with a bus in the background.
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What a nice gesture! I’m sure affected riders appreciated the token (I know I would have after the Silver Spring shutdown in 2024).
Metro Forward
@wmata
Sep 4
We had a blast surprising Red Line customers with cookies, mini bagels, and coupons during rush hour yesterday afternoon and this morning outside of Friendship Heights station. Big thanks to our partners at @Maggianos and @BethesdaBagels for helping us share our gratitude! We appreciate our customers, local businesses, and others who stuck it out with us through this summer's major construction project. Our team has also been onsite sharing everything you need to know for normal service this Monday. We look forward to welcoming you back!
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