WMATA: Stay Tuned! Skip-Stop Service May Be on Horizon.Say whaa? Could some sort of express service be coming to metrorail? According to WMATA's "Straight Scoop" -- where the transit agency seeks to correct or clarify media accounts related to WMATA -- we learn that D.C. may be looking to New York's J and Z trains for inspiration to possibly introduce some sort of express service.

From WMATA:

While it may be a challenge to operate express rail service, we are looking into the possibility of implementing a skip-stop system, similar to the J and Z lines in New York City. Stay tuned, as we continue working on a way to develop such a service.

Consider the shared Yellow and Blue line tracks in Virginia between the Pentagon and King Street stations. If the train schedules would be manipulated correctly (and this seems more plausible for off-peak hours when trains aren't bunched up), certain Yellow Line trains (or Blue Line for that matter) could run between Alexandria and the District by skipping the Braddock Road, Crystal City and Pentagon City stations (It'd seem logical to keep the stop at Reagan National Airport). The trip between the District and Alexandria would be cut by 5-10 minutes, and considering an outing to Alexandria from D.C. can take up to 40 minutes, that'd be nice. WMATA could even advertise it as an express train. "A 'New' Way to 'Old' Town?" Get marketing on this, ASAP! ... Again, these are just ideas. We're sure we're overlooking some major flaws here.

Adding express tracks to underground rail segments would be next to impossible, but out in the suburbs the situation is slightly different. If WMATA could add just one reversible rail line to its current two-track set-up, rush-hour skip-stop service could be theoretically introduced to stretches of suburban track. In a sense, it would be bypass trackage, like the J and Z line set-up in Brooklyn, where certain pseudo-"express" trains could bypass "locals." Trips to places like Shady Grove, Silver Spring, Greenbelt or New Carrollton could be cut by 10-15 minutes. But the construction of any track is a major expense and a headache. Just think back to the track realignment at the New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet University metrorail station on the Red Line.

Stations to Be Cleaned, Get New Paint. During non-service hours, WMATA will be cleaning and re-painting the Van Ness and Cleveland Park stations on the Red Line, the Post reports.

WMATA's New Chummy Voice. We have to admit, we're annoyed by the public service announcements WMATA introduced late this past winter on metrorail to spout out directives about how elevator doors and train doors don't close the same way, how running in stations is bad and how to be patient because another train will follow (unless, of course, it's the last train of the night). These messages are important, but it seems like the voice talent WMATA chose may be more appropriate for an amusement park. Sure, the guy is fun and chummy, but he's almost cartoonish, more WedWay Peoplemover than "America's Subway."

Our friends at Londonist have noted strange announcements regarding the proper usage of Oyster farecards on the Underground, delivered in an "slightly weary and laconic Estuary drawl." (Their version of a southern Mer'lin accent?) We'd love to have different voices deliver announcements on D.C.'s metrorail, sort of like how pundit/strategists James Carville and Mary Matalin have been doing flight safety narrations on Independence Air. Wait ... maybe that'd be a bad idea. If WMATA would have a celebrity lend their voice to metorail announcements, who'd you like to hear?

And Briefly ... WMATA is hosting a town-hall meeting at George Mason High School in Falls Church on Tuesday. DCist went to one such meeting in November and another last month.