(Photo from the archives of Drew McDermott)

WMATA’s head honcho, Richard White, has had a tough and unenviable job: Trying to operate and maintain the nation’s second-busiest subway system, one that is critical to the daily operation of the federal bureaucracy and health of the metropolitan region. During the transit troubles of 2003-04, one that saw mounting delays, a train crash at the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan station, cracked rails and troublesome train malfunctions, White said that the system was in a “death spiral” unless something was done to fix its lack of funding.

The Post this weekend has published the results of a six-month investigation into WMATA’s death spiral for metrorail (but there’s nothing on our forgotten metrobus system, however, which in DCist’s opinion is important too). For years, WMATA officials considered the agency exempt from access to information standards. In part because of the Post’s pressure, WMATA shifted its policies. And now we have a good look into what’s been going on.

We suggest you read the Post’s report. But here’s are some quick highlights.