Good morning Washington. This photo of the Dupont Circle fountain was taken by sideways and posted in DCist Photos. Before we get to the morning’s news, we should just say that some of the better reading is Congressionally related. So be sure to check out all the fun from the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and yesterday’s Jack Abramoff inquiry. Well, maybe not fun, just sort of fundamentally sad. (What we now wonder: was there funny…

Good morning. We start out this morning asking a question that Steven Pearlstein href=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51558-2005Feb24.html”>asks in his Post column: “Can someone explain to me why the capital of the richest and most powerful country in the world needs to be shut down by the mere threat of an eight-inch snowstorm?” Are we weather wimps? We think the answer is yes, but we grew up in a lake-effect snow belt, so we’re naturally critical when we see…

Sounds Lovely: While WMATA’s metrorail system is clearly more modern than the New York subway, it is still vulnerable to a complete control system meltdown as has been seen in New York this week. If control systems were paralyzed, like they have been on parts of the Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan (due to a homeless person starting a fire to stay warm adjacent to a systems relay room), metrorail would have to revert to…

WMATA wants to hear what you have to say about the possibility that bench seating may be introduced into new metrorail cars. The transit agency has posted a number of possible reconfigurations for the interior of rail cars. While monitoring commentary on the proposal, it seems that those in suburbs may view any railcar reconfiguration as an assault on their already long commutes. As one said on last week’s Metro LunchTalk Online: Good for…

In the second of his lunchtime online chats to talk about issues facing our transit system, WMATA chief Dick White will be interacting with transit riders this Friday. The first chat seemed to go very well, though some of the responses from White seemed to be lacking critical details but had at times plenty of passive public relations structural constructions. But that is natural for any public entity or private company that’s under fire…

Good morning, Washington. There may be some rain moving into the area, so don’t forget your umbrella. Temperatures will be in the 50s approaching 60 degrees. Owners Delay Expos Vote: In a vote that was to officially seal the deal that would bring the Montreal Expos to Washington, baseball owners in Chicago have delayed their vote, the AP, via WJLA, reports. The Post reports that the deal is not in any danger of faltering considering…