@@stickynorth It is not the average age of senators that causes them to destroy public goods. It's their political ideology which is largely shared by the entire bunch.
As a guy who once overhauled the trucks (bogeys, or propulsion units) of the trains of the DC metro, and now maintains the electrical equipment that powers those same trains, this video was BEYOND cool, that small system was incredibly dope.
Like someone else said, it is very ironic for these lawmakers to use this fascinating system and then vote against funding for new transit systems in the US. It is a very nice touch to have paintings from a high school student representing every congressional district. In fact, those in the House once fought over one of those paintings back in 2017 because one student from Missouri decided to paint the Ferguson protests to highlight critical issues pertinent to conditions in African American communities. Yes, outrage...over a painting, instead of being motivated to solve what the painting is about. And I love how all the state flags are displayed at 11:26. My favorite US state flags are Arizona, Maryland, New Mexico, and Alaska. For the symbolism of Arizona's flag, the copper star on Arizona's flag symbolizes Arizona being the largest producer of copper in the US, it shows the rays of a setting Sun because Arizona is a western state, blue and gold are the colors of Arizona, while red and gold are the colors of the Spanish flags that were carried by Coronado’s Expedition of 1540 to find the Seven Cities of Gold. And New Mexico's flag has sun symbol of the Zia people. Their solar symbol has four lines radiating from the circle in four directions because four is the sacred number of the Zia.
>Ferguson "protests" >Fiery but peaceful >Intrinsic problem oh there's a problem all right... a genetic one... not one that could be solved without a civil rights act delete.
Yup, the 1994 system is just like Disney's! The 1994 version is what's called a WEDway PeopleMover, just like the attraction at Magic Kingdom! The deal was closed under Bombardier, but was sold under the WEDway brand. When Disney employees who worked for WEDway were transferred to Bombardier, they worked on the Capitol subway. This is also similar to the Subway at George Bush Intercontinental which is another WEDway, but that one was legitimately built under Disney. Disneyland was the first Disney park to get the WEDway PeopleMover, but that system closed in 1995, and it didn't use LIM but rather had Goodyear tires placed along the track for propulsion. Because the Magic Kingdom system did not utilize the rotating Goodyear tires, Goodyear had no part in the East Coast version. The Edison Electric Institute was the original institutional patron of the attraction. Instead of an open track with covered cars, as designed for Disneyland, the trains were designed were built as open-air cars that traveled under a permanent roof over the guideway.
... and that technology is now 50 years old. Disney was truly ahead of their time! I wonder how the electrical efficiency compares to a modern 3 phase traction system?
The Magic Kingdom PeopleMover connection is the weirdest thing about the Capitol subway. A few years ago this seemed to be something of a mystery in the theme-park-fan community, why the Capitol system *looked* so much like the Houston one but nobody could find records of it being a WEDway PeopleMover... but it all seems to be cleared up now.
This was really fun to see. Years ago I rode the capitol subway when I went to Washington as part of the Presidential Classroom program for high school students interested in government. While I ended up going into math rather than politics, I still remember riding that train to this day.
My dad works for the Federal Government right down the street from the US Capitol building. There are plenty of underground tunnels that lead from different federal buildings throughout DC. A lot of them are confidential. My dad works for the Government Printing Office (now Government Publishing Office), and he can confirm they have a tunnel that leads from his building on North capital street to the US capitol. It’s like a whole network of tunnels underneath DC. But cool video! Very well done!
8 people miss a train and they are all urgently cool with getting a cute new one for themselves. Millions have trouble getting around and they kill the ideas and funding for public transit improvements for decades upon decades.😂😭Anyway, first time Iv learned of or seen these. Its cool. But also something about it feels creepy and I don't know why lol.
Isn’t that super depressing to think about? All these politicians who don’t think this would work in their city? Surprised Elon Musk hasn’t tried to replace it with a “loop.”
I absolutely love your enthusiasm on these videos, Thom. I rode both the Senate and House subways during my only visit to the Capitol building, in 1982, before the Hart building and its subway extension opened and had no idea it had been modernized in 1993. In those days you were pretty much free to roam the halls and even have lunch in the Senate Dining Room (everybody said I had to have the famous Senate Bean Soup but I was underwhelmed) but I guess the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 changed all that.
Those linear induction motors make some of the strangest sounds that I've ever heard from a piece of rolling stock! Also, I definitely should contact my representatives to see if I could get a ride on the Capitol Subway
A Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins in a congressional office building...America truly runs on Dunkin! Even though I've only done the touristy tour in 2010, it's really cool to look at all the details of the Capitol! The underground city thing is just like Disney World's Magic Kingdom! At Magic Kingdom, they have the Utilidors which is a system that has some of the world's largest utility tunnels. This makes theme park operations possible. This system allows cast members like costumed characters to reach their destination out of sight from guests. The public can visit the Utilidors if you book the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. According to a legend, Walt was bothered by the sight of a cowboy walking through Disneyland's Tomorrowland en route to his post in Frontierland. He felt that such a sight was jarring and it detracted from the guest experience. Since Disneyland was small, such a tunnel system could not be built, so when Magic Kingdom was planned, the system was built. The Utilidors is not a basement, as due to the elevated water table of its Florida location, most of these tunnels were actually built at ground level, and the Magic Kingdom was built above that.
I had a chance to ride the Capitol subway in the early-mid 1970's with my brother and mom when touring the Capitol. When we were done looking at the Capitol, we went down to the basement to ride the subway which was open freely to everyone. Beside us in the subway car, we had two members of Congress riding with us, one of the was Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina.
Very cool. The newer system reminds me of airport people movers (such as those at Changi). I like how staff can walk next to the rail lines if they want to get their steps up. 🚶
I love how you geeked out over riding the capitol subway! I’d never heard of this system so it was interesting to learn about it. I’m glad you got to experience your dream to ride it!
I can't believe it! The Dirksen-Hart Subway is a WedWay People Mover. That's incredible. I thought the only ones would be in Magic Kingdom (Florida) and at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston (Texas). Very interesting video.
I have rode on that before with my aunt, she works in the government. They have children’s art from across the country on the walls, it was really cool.
My parents and I were able to get a tour booked around 1990 when we were living in either PA or NY and we got to ride that train. I remember also getting to stand on the balcony of the senate floor for a bit and watch them which I thought was neat. The tour was a fun experience!
This is one of the best, if not the very best video ever!!! I had no idea that these existed, or that they could be ridden on!!! Thank you for taking us all on this journey and thank you for all that you do!!!
Thank you for this fascinating video ! I was completely unaware of its existence, and so glad you were able to take a ride, and explain it all to us. I think it’s a superb idea, and long May it continue !
Thank you so much for sharing this Thom. As a non-American who will never get to see these IRL - they were absolutely fascinating. Especially the one with the musical linear motor!
11:26 There was also an airport which I believe was in Boston that had the same sort of subway system installed in the 1980s but it was very recently closed down and torn out leaving behind just wide hallways where it ran! Pretty much it was no longer needed because of a newer high capacity elevated train system. :)
Houston's airport is the one with the WEDway PeopleMover in its underground hallways. But I think it's still running--though probably not for long; they're thinking of tearing it out and possibly replacing it. (Though since they've already got a second people mover that runs *behind* security, and which most users probably find more useful, they might not replace it.)
@@MattMcIrvin Apparently for quite some time they’ve been wanting to demolish it because on the airport train above it that’s a lot more practical and past security.
Enjoyed the video. Haha he basically said the reason the trains exist is for all our geriatric senators, because for them “walking is not their strong suit”
It’s also helpful for people with disabilities. For example, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is a double amputee, having lost both of her legs serving as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Iraq War. It would certainly be difficult and time-consuming for her and her staff to push her wheelchair all the way from her office in the Hart Building to the Senate floor every time there’s a vote.
After college graduation in 1998 I went to the D.C. area to visit my sister. We went to our state senator's office to get passes (free) to access the viewing gallery. The (very attractive) page working his front desk told us how to access the subway system from the Senate office building to the Capitol. We weren't entirely sure we were supposed to be there, but we followed her directions and rode it. The hilarious thing was that it dumped us off in some back-office area of the Capitol, and we had to wander aimlessly to find out way back to the public areas.
I rode this subway my second week in the USA, a long time ago. It was fun, and it was part of our Washington Week experience as part of our MBA curriculum. I still remember it, more than 25 years later.
I've taken the Capitol Subway before! Waaaaaay back when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I helped lobby some members of Congress (I believe it was to do with strengthening parts of the ADA but it's been long enough that I don't remember all the details), and guess how we got to the Senate & House offices...yup the Capitol Subway System! I remember I asked the aides of one of the Senators before about this and they said they can't imagine life without them...if only politicians would realize that trains (like these) are very convenient and useful for moving masses of people at a time and would use that energy to improve our rail system...
Been quite a while since I had spare time to reconnect with your channel and chill with your excellent videography. This one came up automatically when I googled into the channel. I didn't realise that the Capitol and annex buildings had such a transit system and you have covered it excellently. Now I must grab some lunch before catching up on the backlog. Thanks for this clip. Most interesting.🙂
Hey Thom, I'll admit that the Dirksen-Hart Subway does make interesting noises while in transit with its magnetic linear motors, but I still prefer the sound of the NYCT R160B Siemens Propulsion, which btw I operated two at work today(one going southbound from Jamaica Queens to Coney Island and the other going northbound back to Queens from Coney Island Bklyn) although they can be a bit slippery on the Culver Elevated's wet rail in Brooklyn, NY... L8er
@@Thom-TRA It's a related weather system, Tropical storm Ophelia... We're expecting rain and windy conditions through the rest of the weekend to about Monday morning and that's the rest of my work week, so more "adjusted operation on the Culver El due to inclement weather, Jay Street Tower..." (if or when they ask about my lateness...Lol!) L8er
Thank you Thom for posting this. I’ve been on the Metro and was quite easy to use but that was in 1986 and was quite new then. Nice to see a young lad taking interest in our Capitol city and sharing it with us. Please travel the USA and post more, you do a good job and keep my attention on the video.
Dude I moved to MD recently and I've been verbally trying make my friends visualize how awesome the Metrorail system is. Your production style is the exact image I want them to see. Thank you for sharing!
Homie love your channel! Public transit is one of the best infrastructure marvels mankind has ever created,alongside with dogs! During the covid-19 lockdowns,both public and private transit workers kept working and grinding,selflessly putting their lives on the line getting people to their spots! Transit workers at any level are definitely heroes! Thanks! 🚇 Transit & Dogs 🐕 for life!
I remember riding these trains in high school when I visited DC for a class trip. Gosh that was almost 30 years ago now. I always thought they were so neat and I still have pictures (actual photographs, like we did back in the day) of them somewhere. This brought back memories for me! Thank you for the video
I enjoy your videos. A Philly native now living in suburban Maryland, I am VERT familiar as a patron and fan of the SEPTA, MARC, and WMATA rail networks.. I've ridden public rail transport in Philly, DC, Baltimore, NYC, Boston, Chicage, Atlanta, Miami, Denver,, Portland, Seattle, SF, LA, and San Diego. in the US and Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam in Europe. Toronto ON and Vancouver BC up north in Canada as well. Keep up the good work and keep ridin' the rails! By the way, I've ridden the politician's subway under the Capitol building in DC.
Thom, you must have reached the trains when it was slow and a great way to give us birds eye view. I can just imagine what it is like on a busy day!!! Thanks again you looked great all dressed up
Comprehensive. You and your "team" do a great job keeping this personal, and smoothly keeping us going with well thought out b roll. Your research and deep diving is invaluable to keeping the channel interesting. Thanks for all your hard work.
In 1981 when I was in high school I went to DC as part of Project Close Up. I rode the original congressional subway when chaperones were not required and you could go pretty much go anywhere; even eat in their cafeteria. I rode the train and sat next to senator alphonse d’amato from ny.
Prior to completion of the Capitol Visitors Center it was common for visitors to take the subway to and from the Congressional and Senate office buildings as part of the the guided tours. Sadly it seems to be more difficult to do these days.
Wow, having been to the capital many times, House of Representatives and senate chamber many times, this is actually crazy that I just found this out! Wow!
i got to ride that subway when i was on high school trip. me and the other winners of our vocational school competition. we first met our congressman in his office. then we rode that over to the capital, and got a tour of the captial. then had lunch afterwards with our congressman
These is a U.K. Post Office Royal Mail Train that runs underneath London alongside the existing Tube train, but these trains in DC look much cleaner, even more so than the New York subway - there is also talk about an underground system for Dublin, Ireland, but it’s anyone’s guess if this will ever get implemented
The London Post Office Railway was mothballed way back. Now the Rail Mail Museum has been created to bring this slice of history to life. Museum Visitors are able to take an exciting ride on a battery powered train over a section of the line. This trip starts and ends in the railway’s original maintenance base, which is beneath Mount Pleasant Mail Centre. The Postal Museum, which is just across the road from the Mail Rail entrance, operates explorer walks around the Post Office Railway including the permanent way. These walks are only operated during closure periods of both the Museum and Railway. They include walking along the tracks and tunnels guided by staff members.
5:12 the art they display on the walls is really cool, its from the Scholastic Art & Writing awards. I participated and (nearly) won to have a photo displayed on there as a senior in hs!
You looked like a kid in a candy shop when riding that Senate train! That must have been great fun - thank you for sharing with us!!! I visited the Capitol in 199, but did not know those trains existed. :-)))
I was 12 in 1997 studying US History and my grandmother took me to Washington DC. She knew a staffer that worked for Congressman Ron Dellums.. got to take that Capital Subway and check out the Supreme Court, Congress Building, saw all the sights. Great memories.
@@Thom-TRA Just be sure to do the PRT on a weekday between 6:30am and 10:15pm or Saturday between 9:30am and 5:30pm. It does not run on Sundays or university breaks. It truly is a unique system that I get the privilege of taking almost daily to and from class!
Used to ride these all the time back around 2000. Was easy to get to and anybody could ride. Loved hiking through the bowels of the capitol when crossing from one side to the other for work. You used to NOT need an escort to go through any parts of the Capitol grounds other than the members only elevators or the Senate and House chambers.
Now for my anecdote, Thom. In 1964, yes in the last millennium, my graduating high school class took a senior trip to DC and then on to NYC. By bus. One of our state’s two senators was then from our home town and he gave us a personal tour, including a ride on the Capitol subway. I recall open air cars, without the wind screens shown in this video. The cars, while comfortable, seemed like roller coaster cars. A photo from that year would confirm, or disprove, my memory. As a bonus I lucked into sitting in a car beside our Senator, John Sherman Cooper (1901-1999). Thanks, Thom, for an excellent video and a ride down memory lane…uh…subway.
In 1964, that would have been the open aired cars! I totally understand the roller coaster feel. Glad to bring up good memories! I still see senior trips in DC every time I commute on the metro 😂
i remember after watching the senate for like an hour when i was visiting dc 2 months ago it was so different to see the building with like no one else in it as they closed by then, i also saw bernie sanders in the senate chamber.
I road one of theses trains back in the middle 1960's as part of a 6th grade field trip. That was before the DC Metro was even started. My family moved to the DC area just about a month after the last DC street cars were discontinued.
Re finding your way around in the basement levels, you'd be surprised how quickly you get the hang of those if you work there. The Cannon & Russell building hallways took longer for me to get used to, because it's hard to know exactly which side of the building you're on. Fun video.
I never heard of this before, as somebody that's had to use a cane for a few years now and recently had a mild stroke, seeing this is so awesome, short easy to use systems like this show be everywhere.
The Dirksen-Hart one looks like the exact same model at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX. It's on the landside of the terminals, and first started in 1969.
Rode it back in the 1960’s! Yeah, I’m old. Rode with a junior Senator from West Virginia (at the time). Looks the same in the video as I remember, open roof, not enclosed cars. That “Disney Design” was the “WEDway People Mover” in Tomorrowland.
Never knew about this train. But seeing this, yes it is like the little train at Houston Intercontinental Airport. I rode on it a few months ago and for some reason it reminded me of a ferris wheel car... Btw this is a neat vid!
I rode the Capitol subway back in the innocent days of the 1980s. My sister and I were both in DC in college--two different universities--and we took a day to tour the Capitol building. In those days, you could just walk in and wander around. We went to the offices of our representative and senator and got passes to sit in the galleries in the House and Senate. It was kind of boring. There wasn't any voting going on, but it was still exciting just to be there. We also rode the House and Senate subways.
I’ve been able to ride the Russel line because my mom works for the CVC! I took it for a few years when I went with her during take your kid to work day. I never knew that the Russel line was the one restricted so it’s cool I was able to experience it when I could!
I did a tour through my Congressman's office and got to ride this thing from the Russell Senate Office Building over to the US Capitol back in April of 2022. Was a neat little ride that I enjoyed but I also just like riding trains period.
now I need to look into to the imperial "subway" in vienna (because I live in vienna). there is a tunnel from the "hofburg", the residency of the emperors of austria and todays office of the austrian president to schönbrunn, a palace in vienna. back then, when it was in use, there were horse carriages inside, not even a rail system.
Am I the only one how noticed that bro can't even spell Capital right?
Oh wait I just realized what he meant...
@@TheTransportGuy001 you are one not so smart mf
Capital is a city, Capitol is a location within the city where the government is located 😐
@@notmanciv5016 Bro I literally said that in the first reply 😭
Pin of shame
The irony of senators traveling in this thing on their way to kill another bill trying to improve public transport 💀
EXACTLY
That's was my first thought when watching... Damn Gerontocracy!
The two worse things the government ever did to allow this were the SZEA of 1916 and the Esch Cummins act of 1920😢.
+1
@@stickynorth It is not the average age of senators that causes them to destroy public goods. It's their political ideology which is largely shared by the entire bunch.
As a train enthusiast myself, I truly understand your interests in such an exclusive rail system.
I just find them so fascinating
@@Thom-TRAMe too, I feel the same for the London mail train.
As a guy who once overhauled the trucks (bogeys, or propulsion units) of the trains of the DC metro, and now maintains the electrical equipment that powers those same trains, this video was BEYOND cool, that small system was incredibly dope.
Your job sounds super cool!
Like someone else said, it is very ironic for these lawmakers to use this fascinating system and then vote against funding for new transit systems in the US. It is a very nice touch to have paintings from a high school student representing every congressional district. In fact, those in the House once fought over one of those paintings back in 2017 because one student from Missouri decided to paint the Ferguson protests to highlight critical issues pertinent to conditions in African American communities. Yes, outrage...over a painting, instead of being motivated to solve what the painting is about.
And I love how all the state flags are displayed at 11:26. My favorite US state flags are Arizona, Maryland, New Mexico, and Alaska. For the symbolism of Arizona's flag, the copper star on Arizona's flag symbolizes Arizona being the largest producer of copper in the US, it shows the rays of a setting Sun because Arizona is a western state, blue and gold are the colors of Arizona, while red and gold are the colors of the Spanish flags that were carried by Coronado’s Expedition of 1540 to find the Seven Cities of Gold. And New Mexico's flag has sun symbol of the Zia people. Their solar symbol has four lines radiating from the circle in four directions because four is the sacred number of the Zia.
Spending some time near the House has taught me all the ridiculous things people in that chamber can get upset about…
>Ferguson "protests"
>Fiery but peaceful
>Intrinsic problem
oh there's a problem all right... a genetic one... not one that could be solved without a civil rights act delete.
@@Thom-TRAMoskow metro vs Moskow metro 2
@@Thom-TRA the US congress really puts the “chamber” in “echo chamber” ☠️
The car- and oil industry are paying for not voting for better public transport.
Yup, the 1994 system is just like Disney's! The 1994 version is what's called a WEDway PeopleMover, just like the attraction at Magic Kingdom! The deal was closed under Bombardier, but was sold under the WEDway brand. When Disney employees who worked for WEDway were transferred to Bombardier, they worked on the Capitol subway. This is also similar to the Subway at George Bush Intercontinental which is another WEDway, but that one was legitimately built under Disney.
Disneyland was the first Disney park to get the WEDway PeopleMover, but that system closed in 1995, and it didn't use LIM but rather had Goodyear tires placed along the track for propulsion. Because the Magic Kingdom system did not utilize the rotating Goodyear tires, Goodyear had no part in the East Coast version. The Edison Electric Institute was the original institutional patron of the attraction. Instead of an open track with covered cars, as designed for Disneyland, the trains were designed were built as open-air cars that traveled under a permanent roof over the guideway.
Your comment is so much more detailed than mine…. Deleting mine.
... and that technology is now 50 years old. Disney was truly ahead of their time! I wonder how the electrical efficiency compares to a modern 3 phase traction system?
So it’s built by a Canadian company? 😂
The Magic Kingdom PeopleMover connection is the weirdest thing about the Capitol subway. A few years ago this seemed to be something of a mystery in the theme-park-fan community, why the Capitol system *looked* so much like the Houston one but nobody could find records of it being a WEDway PeopleMover... but it all seems to be cleared up now.
12:16 - Yeah, you're absolutely right - the sound of those trains is really quite unique (and absolutely great, of course)!
This was really fun to see. Years ago I rode the capitol subway when I went to Washington as part of the Presidential Classroom program for high school students interested in government. While I ended up going into math rather than politics, I still remember riding that train to this day.
The world needs math people because I am definitely not one of them
@@Thom-TRA respekt. I’m not n English pursun 🥴
My dad works for the Federal Government right down the street from the US Capitol building. There are plenty of underground tunnels that lead from different federal buildings throughout DC. A lot of them are confidential. My dad works for the Government Printing Office (now Government Publishing Office), and he can confirm they have a tunnel that leads from his building on North capital street to the US capitol. It’s like a whole network of tunnels underneath DC.
But cool video! Very well done!
8 people miss a train and they are all urgently cool with getting a cute new one for themselves. Millions have trouble getting around and they kill the ideas and funding for public transit improvements for decades upon decades.😂😭Anyway, first time Iv learned of or seen these. Its cool. But also something about it feels creepy and I don't know why lol.
Isn’t that super depressing to think about? All these politicians who don’t think this would work in their city? Surprised Elon Musk hasn’t tried to replace it with a “loop.”
@@Thom-TRA Don't even suggest that. please...
11:15
As a non-american, I don't have a congressperson I could ask for a tour. So thanks for sharing this elusive piece of transit infrastructure!
The senate subway uses the same technology and cars as the Houston Intercontinental airport subway in Houston, which was also built by Disney.
I absolutely love your enthusiasm on these videos, Thom.
I rode both the Senate and House subways during my only visit to the Capitol building, in 1982, before the Hart building and its subway extension opened and had no idea it had been modernized in 1993.
In those days you were pretty much free to roam the halls and even have lunch in the Senate Dining Room (everybody said I had to have the famous Senate Bean Soup but I was underwhelmed) but I guess the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 changed all that.
Senate Bean soup does sound underwhelming!
@Thom-TRA Actually I think the soup perfectly sums up the feelings to be an outsider, and then an insider of Congress.
This was a catch. I remember seeing a show from the 1960s and the actors looking at the cars as super modern, and state-of-the-art. Cool. Thanks.
Those linear induction motors make some of the strangest sounds that I've ever heard from a piece of rolling stock!
Also, I definitely should contact my representatives to see if I could get a ride on the Capitol Subway
I remember those sounds, in particular. Pretty unique.
Fascinating episode, thanks for sharing. From San Diego, CA, home of the Tijuana trolley.
Thank you for your generosity!
It's always a pleasure, Thom! Can't wait for DC part 2.
Come back soon!
A Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins in a congressional office building...America truly runs on Dunkin! Even though I've only done the touristy tour in 2010, it's really cool to look at all the details of the Capitol! The underground city thing is just like Disney World's Magic Kingdom! At Magic Kingdom, they have the Utilidors which is a system that has some of the world's largest utility tunnels. This makes theme park operations possible. This system allows cast members like costumed characters to reach their destination out of sight from guests. The public can visit the Utilidors if you book the Keys to the Kingdom Tour.
According to a legend, Walt was bothered by the sight of a cowboy walking through Disneyland's Tomorrowland en route to his post in Frontierland. He felt that such a sight was jarring and it detracted from the guest experience. Since Disneyland was small, such a tunnel system could not be built, so when Magic Kingdom was planned, the system was built. The Utilidors is not a basement, as due to the elevated water table of its Florida location, most of these tunnels were actually built at ground level, and the Magic Kingdom was built above that.
Are you a big theme park or Disney fan besides transit?
I had a chance to ride the Capitol subway in the early-mid 1970's with my brother and mom when touring the Capitol. When we were done looking at the Capitol, we went down to the basement to ride the subway which was open freely to everyone. Beside us in the subway car, we had two members of Congress riding with us, one of the was Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina.
Very cool. The newer system reminds me of airport people movers (such as those at Changi). I like how staff can walk next to the rail lines if they want to get their steps up. 🚶
It’s nice to have options!
It reminds me of the inter terminal train at Houston IAH, because it uses the exact same vehicles
I was thinking the same thing, very similar to the trains at Dulles Airport as well
I know Thom was so happy when he wrote 0:15 into the script. Didn't expect that much fire at the beginning of the video
I love how you geeked out over riding the capitol subway! I’d never heard of this system so it was interesting to learn about it. I’m glad you got to experience your dream to ride it!
It was so much fun!
I can't believe it! The Dirksen-Hart Subway is a WedWay People Mover. That's incredible. I thought the only ones would be in Magic Kingdom (Florida) and at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston (Texas). Very interesting video.
Another one to add to the list!
@@Thom-TRA True true ☺
Now I gotta go watch Technology Connections' video about the Disney People Movers again!
I have rode on that before with my aunt, she works in the government. They have children’s art from across the country on the walls, it was really cool.
My parents and I were able to get a tour booked around 1990 when we were living in either PA or NY and we got to ride that train. I remember also getting to stand on the balcony of the senate floor for a bit and watch them which I thought was neat. The tour was a fun experience!
The Galleries are really cool! I've done the House a few times but not the senate yet
This is one of the best, if not the very best video ever!!! I had no idea that these existed, or that they could be ridden on!!! Thank you for taking us all on this journey and thank you for all that you do!!!
I was really hoping this would be one of the best!
@@Thom-TRA it definitely is!!!!!! Awesome!!!!!!!
This is awesome. I never knew this. Another thing on my bucket list
Thank you for this fascinating video ! I was completely unaware of its existence, and so glad you were able to take a ride, and explain it all to us. I think it’s a superb idea, and long May it continue !
I’ve heard from a lot of people today who’ve said this is the first time they’ve heard of it!
I thought it only existed in fallout 3
Thank you so much for sharing this Thom. As a non-American who will never get to see these IRL - they were absolutely fascinating. Especially the one with the musical linear motor!
11:26
There was also an airport which I believe was in Boston that had the same sort of subway system installed in the 1980s but it was very recently closed down and torn out leaving behind just wide hallways where it ran! Pretty much it was no longer needed because of a newer high capacity elevated train system. :)
Houston's airport is the one with the WEDway PeopleMover in its underground hallways. But I think it's still running--though probably not for long; they're thinking of tearing it out and possibly replacing it. (Though since they've already got a second people mover that runs *behind* security, and which most users probably find more useful, they might not replace it.)
@@MattMcIrvin
Apparently for quite some time they’ve been wanting to demolish it because on the airport train above it that’s a lot more practical and past security.
Enjoyed the video. Haha he basically said the reason the trains exist is for all our geriatric senators, because for them “walking is not their strong suit”
Neither is thinking. Breathing sometimes seems a challenge as well 🤨
To be completely fair, while I agree age is a big issue in politics, it’s not exactly what I said there
It’s also helpful for people with disabilities. For example, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is a double amputee, having lost both of her legs serving as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Iraq War. It would certainly be difficult and time-consuming for her and her staff to push her wheelchair all the way from her office in the Hart Building to the Senate floor every time there’s a vote.
After college graduation in 1998 I went to the D.C. area to visit my sister. We went to our state senator's office to get passes (free) to access the viewing gallery. The (very attractive) page working his front desk told us how to access the subway system from the Senate office building to the Capitol. We weren't entirely sure we were supposed to be there, but we followed her directions and rode it. The hilarious thing was that it dumped us off in some back-office area of the Capitol, and we had to wander aimlessly to find out way back to the public areas.
Wooow. I'm impressed. A little metro system between buildings. Unbelievable ❤
I rode this subway my second week in the USA, a long time ago. It was fun, and it was part of our Washington Week experience as part of our MBA curriculum. I still remember it, more than 25 years later.
The new subway looks like the one you find in the Houston Airport. Very cool you got to ride the Capitol trains.
@@williamerazo3921 That is what I figured.
I did a tour with my congressmen’s interns it was really cool ❤❤
I've taken the Capitol Subway before! Waaaaaay back when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I helped lobby some members of Congress (I believe it was to do with strengthening parts of the ADA but it's been long enough that I don't remember all the details), and guess how we got to the Senate & House offices...yup the Capitol Subway System! I remember I asked the aides of one of the Senators before about this and they said they can't imagine life without them...if only politicians would realize that trains (like these) are very convenient and useful for moving masses of people at a time and would use that energy to improve our rail system...
That’s so cool you had that opportunity to make a difference so young!
Oh my! I love that!
The LIM one has a strong familiar look with VAL systems.
Great episode!
Been quite a while since I had spare time to reconnect with your channel and chill with your excellent videography. This one came up automatically when I googled into the channel. I didn't realise that the Capitol and annex buildings had such a transit system and you have covered it excellently.
Now I must grab some lunch before catching up on the backlog.
Thanks for this clip. Most interesting.🙂
It’s so good to hear from you again! Hope you’ve been well. Enjoy your lunch!
It looks so much like a fairground ride, even down to the "please keep hands and feet inside car" notice.
And they take souvenir photos at the drop too, lol
Hey Thom, I'll admit that the Dirksen-Hart Subway does make interesting noises while in transit with its magnetic linear motors, but I still prefer the sound of the NYCT R160B Siemens Propulsion, which btw I operated two at work today(one going southbound from Jamaica Queens to Coney Island and the other going northbound back to Queens from Coney Island Bklyn) although they can be a bit slippery on the Culver Elevated's wet rail in Brooklyn, NY...
L8er
Is the weather in NYC as rainy as DC today?
@@Thom-TRA It's a related weather system, Tropical storm Ophelia...
We're expecting rain and windy conditions through the rest of the weekend to about Monday morning and that's the rest of my work week, so more "adjusted operation on the Culver El due to inclement weather, Jay Street Tower..." (if or when they ask about my lateness...Lol!)
L8er
Thank you Thom for posting this. I’ve been on the Metro and was quite easy to use but that was in 1986 and was quite new then. Nice to see a young lad taking interest in our Capitol city and sharing it with us. Please travel the USA and post more, you do a good job and keep my attention on the video.
You should check out the rest of my channel…
Dude I moved to MD recently and I've been verbally trying make my friends visualize how awesome the Metrorail system is. Your production style is the exact image I want them to see. Thank you for sharing!
Good thing I have lots of metro rail content coming!!
Homie love your channel! Public transit is one of the best infrastructure marvels mankind has ever created,alongside with dogs! During the covid-19 lockdowns,both public and private transit workers kept working and grinding,selflessly putting their lives on the line getting people to their spots! Transit workers at any level are definitely heroes! Thanks! 🚇 Transit & Dogs 🐕 for life!
Transit & Dogs for life indeed
10:20 That monorail is just SOOOO Steampunk! I love it!
Fun fact Bush Airport in Houston uses the same automated system for their underground subway. It's super cool.
Is the Dirksen Hart a WedWay? It looks almost identical to the one at IAH
Another fantastic video. Full of information and great visuals. It shows that you put a lot of time and effort into your work.
Thank you, I appreciate it!
I remember riding these trains in high school when I visited DC for a class trip. Gosh that was almost 30 years ago now. I always thought they were so neat and I still have pictures (actual photographs, like we did back in the day) of them somewhere. This brought back memories for me! Thank you for the video
Thanks for sharing these memories! Come to DC again someday
I enjoy your videos. A Philly native now living in suburban Maryland, I am VERT familiar as a patron and fan of the SEPTA, MARC, and WMATA rail networks.. I've ridden public rail transport in Philly, DC, Baltimore, NYC, Boston, Chicage, Atlanta, Miami, Denver,, Portland, Seattle, SF, LA, and San Diego. in the US and Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam in Europe. Toronto ON and Vancouver BC up north in Canada as well. Keep up the good work and keep ridin' the rails! By the way, I've ridden the politician's subway under the Capitol building in DC.
Thom, you must have reached the trains when it was slow and a great way to give us birds eye view. I can just imagine what it is like on a busy day!!! Thanks again you looked great all dressed up
Thanks :)
I remember riding the house side one with my dad back in the 60’s and 70’s (he was a congressional staffer). Seemed so cool. Long before the Metro.
Comprehensive. You and your "team" do a great job keeping this personal, and smoothly keeping us going with well thought out b roll. Your research and deep diving is invaluable to keeping the channel interesting. Thanks for all your hard work.
I appreciate this feedback!
In 1981 when I was in high school I went to DC as part of Project Close Up. I rode the original congressional subway when chaperones were not required and you could go pretty much go anywhere; even eat in their cafeteria. I rode the train and sat next to senator alphonse d’amato from ny.
You can still eat in the cafeteria!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful.
Oh it looks like the same subway in Houston airport in Iah. but they have as well an elevated train.
I can't wait to see this video!
Prior to completion of the Capitol Visitors Center it was common for visitors to take the subway to and from the Congressional and Senate office buildings as part of the the guided tours. Sadly it seems to be more difficult to do these days.
The art on the wall at 5:10 looks like the MAX light rail in Portland, OR. I used to ride that thing all the time.
It is the MAX
I like your Metro montages please do more!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. I didn’t even realize the public could actually ride these. I might have to look into that.
It takes a few connections but it’s definitely a possibility! And very worth it
Thanks for sharing Thom, you have a great day!
I really like the old and new metros Wher right next to each other
Wow, having been to the capital many times, House of Representatives and senate chamber many times, this is actually crazy that I just found this out! Wow!
Saw this mentioned on British TV decades ago. Very interesting to get a better look.
i got to ride that subway when i was on high school trip. me and the other winners of our vocational school competition. we first met our congressman in his office. then we rode that over to the capital, and got a tour of the captial. then had lunch afterwards with our congressman
These is a U.K. Post Office Royal Mail Train that runs underneath London alongside the existing Tube train, but these trains in DC look much cleaner, even more so than the New York subway - there is also talk about an underground system for Dublin, Ireland, but it’s anyone’s guess if this will ever get implemented
The London Post Office Railway was mothballed way back. Now the Rail Mail Museum has been created to bring this slice of history to life. Museum Visitors are able to take an exciting ride on a battery powered train over a section of the line. This trip starts and ends in the railway’s original maintenance base, which is beneath Mount Pleasant Mail Centre. The Postal Museum, which is just across the road from the Mail Rail entrance, operates explorer walks around the Post Office Railway including the permanent way. These walks are only operated during closure periods of both the Museum and Railway. They include walking along the tracks and tunnels guided by staff members.
Thank you for the experience ❤ Trains are INDEED Awesome 🎉
Yes they are!
5:12 the art they display on the walls is really cool, its from the Scholastic Art & Writing awards. I participated and (nearly) won to have a photo displayed on there as a senior in hs!
What a wonderful metros systems there under the Capitol! Love it!
That is so cool that you got to ride that secret subway and I loved that you got all dressed up for the honor!
5:08 That’s a photo of the TriMet MAX! On the right is a Type 2 MAX Train, and the left is a Type 3 MAX Train. Really good drawing/art!
You looked like a kid in a candy shop when riding that Senate train! That must have been great fun - thank you for sharing with us!!! I visited the Capitol in 199, but did not know those trains existed. :-)))
That’s my “I get to ride a cool train face” 😂
Good morning I enjoyed the video👍👍
@@londonwhaley8690 good morning to you too!
991
Can’t wait to see this episode! 😄
YIKES! Imagine being on-board that thing on that fateful day in January 2021…..
Cool video!
I’m guessing there was a service suspension that day
Rail replacement bus?
QAnon Furry just causally asking the subway operator to take him to the Capitol ("Yeah, I'm a Senator")
I was 12 in 1997 studying US History and my grandmother took me to Washington DC.
She knew a staffer that worked for Congressman Ron Dellums..
got to take that Capital Subway and check out the Supreme Court, Congress Building, saw all the sights. Great memories.
Trips with grandparents are the best!
Do a video of the Morgantown WV PRT! It is about 3 hrs from DC and with that you can also do the Pittsburgh T and Incline Railways!
I’m hoping to hit them up on a road trip in the not too distant future
@@Thom-TRA Just be sure to do the PRT on a weekday between 6:30am and 10:15pm or Saturday between 9:30am and 5:30pm. It does not run on Sundays or university breaks. It truly is a unique system that I get the privilege of taking almost daily to and from class!
Used to ride these all the time back around 2000. Was easy to get to and anybody could ride. Loved hiking through the bowels of the capitol when crossing from one side to the other for work. You used to NOT need an escort to go through any parts of the Capitol grounds other than the members only elevators or the Senate and House chambers.
Anyone else notice that our bro dressed up for this? Also that third one sounds like a spaceship
Now for my anecdote, Thom. In 1964, yes in the last millennium, my graduating high school class took a senior trip to DC and then on to NYC. By bus. One of our state’s two senators was then from our home town and he gave us a personal tour, including a ride on the Capitol subway. I recall open air cars, without the wind screens shown in this video. The cars, while comfortable, seemed like roller coaster cars. A photo from that year would confirm, or disprove, my memory. As a bonus I lucked into sitting in a car beside our Senator, John Sherman Cooper (1901-1999). Thanks, Thom, for an excellent video and a ride down memory lane…uh…subway.
In 1964, that would have been the open aired cars! I totally understand the roller coaster feel. Glad to bring up good memories! I still see senior trips in DC every time I commute on the metro 😂
Great video !! Thanks for sharing it. James.
i remember after watching the senate for like an hour when i was visiting dc 2 months ago it was so different to see the building with like no one else in it as they closed by then, i also saw bernie sanders in the senate chamber.
Cool!
I road one of theses trains back in the middle 1960's as part of a 6th grade field trip. That was before the DC Metro was even started. My family moved to the DC area just about a month after the last DC street cars were discontinued.
And now we have a tiny little symbolic streetcar again that I pray will one day be part of a great network once again…
Looks like the Houston Bush airport subway train by Disney also. Great video!
Yes, it was based off the disney train
Re finding your way around in the basement levels, you'd be surprised how quickly you get the hang of those if you work there. The Cannon & Russell building hallways took longer for me to get used to, because it's hard to know exactly which side of the building you're on. Fun video.
Yeah my friends there were darting around like it was their own house, that's how well they knew the corridors!
I never heard of this before, as somebody that's had to use a cane for a few years now and recently had a mild stroke, seeing this is so awesome, short easy to use systems like this show be everywhere.
I went to dc 2 weeks ago. Video up. Suprised me how nice the city is. Went to senate hall and White House
The Dirksen-Hart one looks like the exact same model at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX. It's on the landside of the terminals, and first started in 1969.
It is!
Rode it back in the 1960’s! Yeah, I’m old. Rode with a junior Senator from West Virginia (at the time). Looks the same in the video as I remember, open roof, not enclosed cars.
That “Disney Design” was the “WEDway People Mover” in Tomorrowland.
Never knew about this train.
But seeing this, yes it is like the little train at Houston Intercontinental Airport. I rode on it a few months ago and for some reason it reminded me of a ferris wheel car...
Btw this is a neat vid!
I rode the Capitol subway back in the innocent days of the 1980s. My sister and I were both in DC in college--two different universities--and we took a day to tour the Capitol building. In those days, you could just walk in and wander around. We went to the offices of our representative and senator and got passes to sit in the galleries in the House and Senate. It was kind of boring. There wasn't any voting going on, but it was still exciting just to be there. We also rode the House and Senate subways.
Come visit Vancouver, BC's SkyTrain! I'd happily take you on a tour of our whole system. Most of it runs on linear induction as well.
I'd love that!
This is so cool!!! thank you for doing this video!!
Thank you for sharing.
@5:06 that may be RTD Denver light rail
Nope it’s the TriMet MAX
Ever been to the tram at Pittsburgh International? It is scheduled to be decommissioned soon. It's an interesting setup.
It looks kind of serene I never explore it before !
왠지 평온해 보이는데
I’ve been able to ride the Russel line because my mom works for the CVC! I took it for a few years when I went with her during take your kid to work day. I never knew that the Russel line was the one restricted so it’s cool I was able to experience it when I could!
That is awesome!
Wow amazing video! Who’d have thought this existed! Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome! It’s such a weird, exclusive little system
I did a tour through my Congressman's office and got to ride this thing from the Russell Senate Office Building over to the US Capitol back in April of 2022. Was a neat little ride that I enjoyed but I also just like riding trains period.
I just like riding trains too
now I need to look into to the imperial "subway" in vienna (because I live in vienna).
there is a tunnel from the "hofburg", the residency of the emperors of austria and todays office of the austrian president to schönbrunn, a palace in vienna.
back then, when it was in use, there were horse carriages inside, not even a rail system.