As a Red Line commuter, I’m used to the frequent mid-station stops and brake-riding drivers that characterize the one-train-a-minute rush hour between Brookland and Farragut North. What I only get to hear about from others is the Orange Line experience, a daily dance in which each rider is alloted one platform tile on which to stand, and everyone tries to avoid crushing, asphyxiation, shoving and subsequent incidents on the track. The tales may be embellished for my enjoyment, but Metro is nonetheless searching for solutions to the daily crunch.

Having debuted 8-car trains at sporting events and other high profile one-offs, and having discussed their introduction to regular service for most of 2005, Metro is now prepared to use the additional carriages on a daily basis. Beginning Monday, January 30, Metro will use some 8-car trains on the Orange Line between 6 and 9:30 a.m. WMATA’s website reports that through the morning there will actually be two fewer trains run, but the additional space should act to ease overall congestion.

This use of the longer trains is a test phase, one Metro hopes to assess in a spring customer survey, but with additional cars on order, the system is expected to adopt the longer, less-frequent rail service on a regular basis. Metro offers an important warning to its riders, however, noting that the extra cars will not help travel if customers congregate near the middle of the platform. So please, travelers, quit doorking and head to the ends of the train.

Picture taken by EXB-WDC.