Though we often sing the praises of public transit, there’s usually not anything fun about jumping on the Metro at rush hour to get to work. It’s crowded, people are surly, and you inevtitably engage in that awkward two-step dance to get around the one commuter that has decided they’re going to occupy the middle of the aisle, everyone else be damned. But now and then something breaks up the daily monotony of Metro commutes — a good conductor.

I got on the Orange Line in the direction of Vienna at 8:30 this morning, Train 3061. As we approached Eastern Market, the conductor came over the loudspeaker, announcing our impending arrival. In four years of riding the Orange Line I’d heard him many times — a raspy voice; a slow, almost purposeful way of enunciating each and every Metro station. But it was Friday, and he was particularly happy. As we approached L’Enfant Plaza, he let us know it was 8:40. “If you were looking to get to work at 8:30, folks, you’re 10 minutes late,” he joked. “But that’s okay, because it’s Friday,” he added. As we approached Metro Center, he politely yet jokingly asked that passengers standing near doors to step off the trains to let others off. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll wait for you.” Most everyone cracked at least a smile.

It’s not only Orange Line riders that get these conductors. Stories abound from every Metro line of conductors that are particularly funny or sound like they want everyone to enjoy their commutes just a little more. Just the opposite, there are conductors that bark orders over the loudspeakers, running their trains with quasi-dictatorial efficiency and spirit. Some conductors say a lot; others keep things short and to the point, respecting the Metro’s traditional reputation as a silent refuge from the clatter above.

Each conductor has a personality of his own, and many can make riding Metro seem pleasant, even at rush hour. So thanks, Mr. Awesome Metro Conductor Man on Train 3061, for making my ride a little bit better.

Photo by DottieboBottie.