Though it certainly has it’s issues (just scroll one post down), it’d be downright silly to deny the influence that Metrorail has on all of our lives. Just like the Post and the Redskins, most every Washingtonian has an opinion about Metrorail. So as an entity that’s undeniably part of our regional identity, warts and all, we gladly wish Metrorail a happy 34th birthday today. On this day in 1976, WMATA opened the first segment of the Red Line, a 4.2-mile stretch that ran between Rhode Island Avenue and Farragut North stations. A poster on the railroad.net message boards has some most excellent vintage photography from the ribbon cutting and the first trip down the line. (It’s refreshing to see that the cars were just as crowded on the first day of operation as they are now.) Here’s to another 34 years of Metrorail.