Baltimore’s Subway SHOCKED Me

Baltimore has two main rail corridors: the Light Rail (Link) which runs north-south and the Metro Subway (Link) which runs east-northwest. Today, for the first time on the channel, we’re going to take the subway. While originally supposed to be a large region-wide system, today the line seems almost entirely neglected. But! New cars are on the way to replace the existing Budd cars from 1983.
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[@supermanifolds]

Fun fact they shot all the DC subway scenes for House of Cards on the Baltimore Subway because it was cheaper to shoot in Baltimore, pretty much only train enthusiasts would notice

[@Thom-TRA]

Better than what they did for night agent, with their terrible CGI metro train!

[@tylerkochman1007]

That, and Maryland offered really good tax incentives to film there. “House of Cards” primarily filmed in Maryland. Veep also filmed there in early seasons. It is why “The Wire” extensively filmed on-site jn Baltimore

[@richardwong5556]

The Metro chase scene in "No Way Out" was also shot in Baltimore!

[@startblock_YT]

the train looks like a 1-6 thousand series train from the lights on the outside and if they didn’t have that silver cutout and just the blue part it would have its “dorito” part that most other trains have

[@MattMcIrvin]

And architecture enthusiasts, and anyone who lives in either metro area. But the DC Metro's look is so striking and unusual that I'd think some other people might notice. ...Though based on online comments, it seems to me like the thing people most know the DC Metro station architecture from is Fallout 3. (That takes place in an alternate history and the architecture of DC's subway in it is not *quite* the same as in our world, but it's close, and there's an episode in which you can explore a ruined station.)

[@TheLiamster]

If the original 71 mile system was built then I bet ridership would be much higher

[@Thom-TRA]

It would be amazing

[@TheRailcarbusDUDE]

@@Thom-TRAYeah but sadly we can’t have nice things all the time 😔. Look at MARTA there more extensive then Baltimore but they can’t expand further. I hope you seen the unveiling of they’re new trains. They look sooo futuristic. One of the nicest subway cars in the U.S.

[@EdwardM-t8p]

Blame Reagan for the rest of the subway system being cancelled 😢☹️😞

[@KMonRails]

Baltimore has such great bones and so much potential but has been neglected for so long...

[@louisjohnson3755]

If you look through their bus system and how frequent their buses are, which I have, and I made a whole chart on frequencies of Baltimore buses, you’ll know that they are very infrequent. A couple are 15 minutes or 10 minutes, some others are 30 minutes, but a lot of them are between 40 minutes and an hour, or even worse, or only running during rush hour. Clearly Baltimore is neglected in terms of transit

[@briangasser973]

It needs a successful education system and turn around it's poverty with jobs. Otherwise it will continue to be a failed urban center.

[@dbolt6543]

In 2011 I was in Baltimore on the Memorial Day Weekend, temperature 98 F humidity 98% by the downtown harbour. The service was every 22 minute then. I could not help but think that Baltimore had a serious problem with problems about "environmental situations" with local areas. I was in the downtown. I was on a dock in the downtown near the local tourist authority. My boat was boarded at 2:00 am by 2 people who were white females who were obviously under the influence of drugs. I called 911 to get these two people off my boat and Baltimore police responded promptly. They were professional and very courteous to me and my wife. At no time was I worried about the action of any of the local black population. I was never in danger from any of the local inhabitants whom I had talked to earlier while asking where I could get milk. Several non locals with whom I talked to later said I should have been worried about the "locals." The locals that I saw were weeping the sidewalks in front of their residences. People cleaning the area in front of their abodes are not some one you need to worry about. Many people in the US are willing to place blame on people with no justification. Baltimore appears on the list of "UNSAFE" US cities but I never felt any danger in the downtown area around the dock area. Irene Ryan, if I have your name correct, I love Baltimore. A Canadian fan.

[@CreightonRabs]

I haven't been in Baltimore in about a decade and I haven't taken the Baltimore Metro in about 15 years. Baltimore's "metro" subway felt outdated 15 years ago, let alone by today's standard.

[@KobySamuel]

Hey I ride this line to work everyday! The trains being replaced is SUPER exciting and I (and other Baltimore-area transit enthusiasts) have been pleading with state legislators for months to fully fund the MTA to improve service, elevator/escalator function, and build out more TOD around stations versus the big empty parking lots seen in the suburban-area stations. The budget will also include replacement of the light rail cars and bus depot repairs. I had asked the state transit administrator about building more rail lines and last year I was told priority was on bus lines with the potential "in the next 50 years" to convert high-frequency bus lines (such as CityLink Red) to rail". This is barring the Red Line buildout but otherwise.... is plenty discouraging. I'm hopeful that within the next twenty years we can build a regional transit authority akin to WMATA with the counties that MTA services (and maybe combine with RTA and other services) to give the sector a fighting chance.

[@Thom-TRA]

50 years? 😬

[@KobySamuel]

@@Thom-TRA Yeah.... MDOT and the overall government (at least prior to the current administration) were leaning harder on SHA (highways) than they were MTA but I think with the hard realization on climate change we could very well see the transit funding ramp up (especially with federal grant money on the line), along with more expansive emissions testing on cars to include a VMT tax, among other things like an electric vehicle charging network buildout

[@super15tebow]

The yellow barriers are likely to help the visually impaired and blind. The 7000 series trains in DC had to announce themselves because of this issue until it was fixed with the current chains you see in-between the 7000 series trains.

[@Thom-TRA]

I heard about that

[@PiplupJames]

Oh god don’t bring me back “THIS IS A 7000 SERIES TRAIN”

[@jaimemckay1]

I worked on this project a few years back. Did you know that Baltimore has a significant population of Blind and low vision folks? This really helps them.

[@chrisboyle1421]

The headways are so bad because the Budd’s are breaking down. On paper they’re supposed to be 8-11 minutes on weekdays and 15 minutes late night and weekends.

[@Thom-TRA]

Oof. Not surprising.

[@saldol9862]

The part that messes with me and enrages me is that they’re already looking at finally replacing the Budds, BUT in their entire service life the system hasn’t grown. Meanwhile DC right downstairs gets the Silver and Purple lines. Even the baltimore red line got redlined.

[@richardwong5556]

​@@saldol9862- the Purple Line an MTA project serving MD riders. And MoCo's CCT will be BRT, and not rail.

[@SigmaRho2922]

@@Thom-TRA Not only that. Less than half of the old train cars are in service now.

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

Even then, that’s not super great.. missing a train and waiting upwards of 15 minutes sucks…

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

KZbin CommentLink....missed opportunity to call your map segment....the Metro MapLink! Great one....ThomLink! I love they have a radio station that their transit administration set up, WTTZ-LP 93.5 FM, which plays smooth jazz with transit and traffic information sprinkled in there. Smooth jazz and transit in one are the best of both worlds! You should've gotten off at Charles Center to see the awesome neon by Stephen Antonakos! An overbuilt 1980s station with incredible neon is a vibe. The Budd Company is iconic! Among the cars they built, they built the M1/M1As and M3/M3As aka the Metropolitans for the LIRR and Metro-North. The M1As and M3As were built for Metro-North as those lines use under-running third-rail unlike the LIRR's over-running third-rail. While the LIRR was taken over by the MTA in the 1960s and the state funded the M1s to replace pre-war cars, the M1As for what's now Metro-North were ordered when they were Penn Central commuter trains and were built between 1971 and 1973. The MTA gained ownership of the Hudson and Harlem Lines in 1972, but was still under contract to Penn Central, then Conrail in 1976, and finally MNR formed and took over in 1983. The LIRR M1s entered service in 1968, while the MNR M1As first entered service in 1971. The LIRR M3s and MNR M3As both first entered service in 1984. The M1/M1As were extremely modern for their time, as they were built to be fully air conditioned, accommodated only high-level boarding, used lightweight construction, and were designed for 100 mph, but they only achieved 80 mph in service due to track and signaling limitations. The LIRR M1s even included support for automatic train operation like PATCO, however, ATO was never used on those trains on the LIRR. Many of Budd's PATCO Car features were included in the M1s as they were both built in 1968. The M1/M1As were the catalyst of change for the LIRR and MNR systems as it required all stations in the electrified zone to be rebuilt for high-level boarding between 1966 and 1968 (stations in the LIRR's diesel zone wouldn't have high-level boarding until the 1990s for the C3s), and the increased power demand forced the LIRR to update its third rail power supply from 650 V DC to 750 V DC to take advantage of the car's performance. The NYC Subway's R44 and R46 series adopted many of their design elements. On the LIRR, the M1s retired in 2007. You can see two preserved LIRR M1s, the only ones preserved in public (there are two more kept at Nassau County's Fire Service Academy for training), at the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead, where they are on display right next to the platform of Riverhead station, and you are allowed to sit in the engineer's cab, and film a train coming into the station from inside an M1, which is quite the unique foaming view! The museum's M1 cars 9547 and 9548 are extra special in that they are the only known LIRR M1s to have ever traveled to Grand Central Terminal. In October 1998, those two cars were the LIRR’s Ambassador to the grand reopening ceremony of the restored terminal and were placed on view at track level to promote East Side Access.

[@TheGAMWolferz]

It sickens me seeing Between DC and Philadelphia… Baltimore is got the short end of the stick with Transit… I really hope the Red Line project can be that glimmer of hope to improve Baltimore’s system.

[@LoveStallion]

I've lived in DC for 15 years and just learned Baltimore has a heavy rail subway.

[@SigmaRho2922]

The reason for the 37 minute headways is because there are only less than half of the old train cars remaining and the trackwork that is being done to support the new railcars that are arriving.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s wild

[@Pugif]

finely someone covering these old lines

[@DoubleHCartoonFan57]

Harrison here! As someone who’s an absolute fanatic about local city history, I see your channel pivoting towards it as an absolute win!

[@Santiago-lb5md]

Baltimore seems pretty nice, sad that is soo neglected

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

The ceramic mosaic artwork above the platform at Lexington Market is called Geometro and was created by Baltimore artist Patricia Alexander. Alexander drew on the panoply of tile patterns that historic monuments, like the 13th-century Alhambra, have to offer, as well as examples of tilework she saw while traveling in North and West Africa in the 1970s. I just love the fact that Maryland plasters their flag on just about everything. I don't blame them! Whether you like the Maryland flag or not, there's no denying that the Maryland flag is unique. While other states put their shield/coat of arms in the middle of the flag, in the case of Maryland...it makes up the WHOLE flag! It's the 17th-century heraldic banner of arms of Cecil, 2nd Baron Baltimore. The black and gold is Lord Baltimore's banner (from his father, George Calvert 1st Baron Baltimore) and is also on the flag of Baltimore (though the Baltimore flag has the Battle Monument in the middle which commemorates the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812), while the red and white is called the Crossland banner and is from his grandmother. During the colonial period, only the gold and black Calvert arms were associated with Maryland During the Civil War, Marylanders who sided with the Confederacy affiliated with the Crossland banner while those who fought for the Union wore the Lord Baltimore banner. The flag in its present form was first flown in 1880 but wasn't officially adopted as the state flag until 1904. Baltimore fun facts: Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore in 1895! In 1774, the first post office in the US was inaugurated in Baltimore, and ten years later in 1884, Baltimore made history again by establishing the first telegraph line in the country, connecting to Washington DC. As briefly hinted in the intro regarding Baltimore's early American history, composer Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner while witnessing the flag flying over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, set to the tune of a British song called "To Anacreon in Heaven". To honor Fort McHenry's role, it has become national tradition that when a new flag is designed it first flies over Fort McHenry! Baltimore's Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first Catholic cathedral built in the United States after the nation's founding. It was constructed between 1806 and 1863 to a design of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the US's first professionally trained architect and Thomas Jefferson's Architect of the US Capitol. It was blessed and opened for use in 1821. The waterfront neighborhood of Fell’s Point was the second largest point of immigration to the US after New York’s Ellis Island. The Baltimore Museum of Art houses the world’s largest collection of works by French artist Henri Matisse, which can be viewed for free alongside the rest of its offerings. Baltimore is home to the USS Constellation, the last Civil War vessel afloat. Built in 1854, the Constellation is the last all-sail warship built by the US Navy. Another ship in the city is the WHEC-37 (formerly known as the Taney; named after the controversial Roger B. Taney who was Chief Justice under Andrew Jackson and thus ruled over the Dred Scott v. Sanford case), which during WWII, saw action in both theaters of combat, serving as a command ship at the Battle of Okinawa and as a fleet escort in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It's the last warship floating which fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The ship also took part in Operation Market Time during the Vietnam War. Baltimore is called "Charm City" because of a 1975 meeting of advertisers who created the slogan to improve the city's image. The slogan was the brainchild of Baltimore's then-mayor, William Donald Schaefer, who asked the city's advertising executives to come up with a new way to promote the city. The slogan refers to Baltimore's history, hidden charm, architecture, pop culture icons, and traditions.

[@Thom-TRA]

Geometro is a sweet name! And I had no idea the charm city moniker was so recent

[@htilden42]

Baltimore has a roughly similar population to Boston, MA, so it's really sad to imagine what might have been.

[@Nekomikuri]

I have good memories on this train. Everyone there doesnt pay the fair. Got yelled at for trying to "YOUNG MAN! THE GATES ARE OPEN THERE!" trains just come whenever they please. Crackheads approach me on the platform and started asking me how old i was. Inside the train, everyones rolling up cig papers. Always an adventure and one of my highlights in Baltimore

[@JuanWayTrips]

If Baltimore was anywhere else, we would say "They're trying" or that it's not bad all things considered. But for being on the NEC, it's so lackluster. And it's clear that classism and racism played a role in Baltimore not having the same investment compared to the parts of Maryland next to DC.

[@bigaspidistra]

My suggested name - Baltimore Underground Subway Train. Ride the BUST.

[@Thom-TRA]

BUST or bust

[@ChristopherMartin-e8r]

The timing of this video is perfect! I just took a free marc train up to Baltimore for transit equity day and found the MDOT MTA Baltimore Light Rail Link running train to BWI in 37 minutes. What are the odds! But seriously, before the red line gets built the MTA needs to fix their current system because no one is going to ride the red line if its run as badly as the rest of everything else

[@IndyGuy65]

When I moved to Baltimore I lived in Owings Mills, Thom you did not miss anything not traveling to the burb.

[@Thom-TRA]

Haha good to know. I’ve heard they’re a good restaurant there though.

[@wow1983]

I used to travel downtown from Owings Mills growing up, it's standard suburbia but there's a cool development of shops, restaurants and a movie theatre right out of the station. Neat for locals but nothing to write home if you're not from around.

[@JoeL-bg6em]

You know that there’s also an interchange at State Center? Lexington Market is not the only interchange, but it may be the shortest one. 2:20

[@DanHominem]

The name is even worse... Its often referred to as the Maryland MDOT MTA Baltimore Metro SubwayLink

[@Thom-TRA]

Why not just add USA before that? Or North America, or world, or Milky Way?

[@themovietheatre]

Worst metro service: Abuja in Niagara with only 4 trips a day.

[@Thom-TRA]

I need to look this up

[@alk61695]

I keep forgetting that Baltimore has a subway whenever I am there. I never rode it. I've ridden on the light rail before.

[@michaelmcenery7515]

Never knew Baltimore had a subway !

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re not the only one!

[@NonstopEurotrip]

Hello Thomas, I enjoyed the video, I subscribed ❤

[@Thom-TRA]

Hello Nonstop, I enjoyed your comment, I subscribed back ❤️

[@Blank00]

And their new rolling stock is also similar to Miami since both use AnsaldoBreda designs. Yes, there is a 3rd AnsaldoBreda/Hitachi user in Honolulu, but those trains are automated and are lighter than these. WMATA and SEPTA are question marks because we don’t know if Hitachi will use AnsaldoBreda designs for those or if they will use A-train architecture or other designs they had before acquiring AB

[@BrennanZeigler]

37 minute headways? Jesus! Not even the CTA blue line is that bad

[@Thom-TRA]

Except in the middle of the night

[@BrennanZeigler]

@ true

[@CrabMan2539]

Those signs are usually inaccurate. Light rail is the same way. I've seen the light rail display a 50-minute headway before but a train came around 15 minutes after the one before it.

[@BrennanZeigler]

@ ah ok. Makes sense

[@bapples]

Built one line and gave up. Reflects the sad state of affairs in inner city America, especially Baltimore.

[@saldol9862]

Not just gave up. The state went out of its way to stop any improvement like the red line

[@richardwong5556]

The MTA opted for light rail as a less expensive alternative.

[@JoshDoesTravel]

I guess you could say the Baltimore Metro SubwayLink really puts the *charm* in the city…

[@iammaxhailme]

i lived in bmore for 4 years and man. if they just built like 3 more lines and had 10 min headways, baltimore would be easily my favorite medium sized city in the USA

[@Hollowzzz]

Our new train cars are set to be revealed later this year

[@gregng25]

Ahhhhh! You were in Baltimore and I missed you! LOL. Tks for covering this … as dismal as it is hahaha

[@erichhouchens3711]

An interesting fact about the Baltimore metro is that it was built to be compatible with the DC metro. The plan was for the two systems to meet mid way at Laurel with provisions for through running. That of course will probably never happen. The Charles Center station supposedly has provisions for a lower level north/south line. Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer, who was mayor of Baltimore before being governor, was a huge supporter of mass transit. When he couldn't get the funds to build out the system cheaper light rail was chosen for the north/south line. I lived in Baltimore from 1980 through 1985.

[@ottersmeep25]

Hi Thom! Great video as always. I suggest you look into the cq400 trains coming to Atlanta

[@Thom-TRA]

Hi! I’m planning on it. Just a reminder my name is Thom :)

[@ottersmeep25]

@@Thom-TRA Sorry about that Have a great day, and hope you can find some great trains.

[@d8meister]

Thanks, Thom, for another informative report. I liked your playing around with the name(s) of the Baltimore system.

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad you liked it!

[@michaelb9629]

I’ve always wanted to go to Baltimore myself and ride as many of the trains I can there. That’s where my dad is originally from. I would try to ride those newer subway cars myself.

[@cjs83172]

In other words, Baltimore's lone heavy rail line is just like the rest of the public transit system in Baltimore. Outdated, unreliable, and doesn't have much of a reach. Buses frequently either break down, or depending on the line you intend to use, get stuck in downtown traffic, and there's only one light rail line, which only serves BWI on a branch line and Towson, the seat of Baltimore County, isn't served at all by rail. And there's only one bus line that regularly goes northeast of Baltimore City, and that only runs every 40 minutes on weekdays, and is one of the least reliable routes on the city's bus network.

[@shigemorif1066]

Wow, Baltimore looks really rough. That shot outside the light rail station was disheartening. Hope better days are ahead for the city!

[@wow1983]

Oh my goodness growing up I used to LOVE that EEEEEEEEEE sound the metro makes coming in and out of stations. Such a nostalgic sound, same tier as the sound of the mourning dove if not higher. They tickled my brain in the best way possible. I'm upset that DC doesn't have this sound. I don't really have an excuse to use the Baltimore metro anymore except go to the aquarium/port discovery when my nephews but I don't want to be responsible for such little kids on sketchy transport

[@Thom-TRA]

The little horn noise?

[@davidaldinger113]

Your talk about how dirty the subway cars were reminded me of when I was on Metrolink in St. Louis. I sat myself down next to a seat that had puke on it covered with some newspaper.

[@Thom-TRA]

I fortunately had a better experience in STL

[@marccreter9348]

Great video man, I actually just did a ride of the subway a few weeks ago. It’s a shame how neglected transit is in this city

[@peterfrey6062]

cool ride. and yes, I rode the Baltimore metrosubwaylink a few years ago. I thought the stations were kind of dreary looking with all the bare concrete, but the cars moved fast. Baltimore and Philly both have the same thing in common: grandiose schemes for a large network, but never built (Roosevelt blvd, anyone?)

[@Nerdy_dude]

Oh my Baltimore neighbors… I’m sorry you couldn’t get a network like us in D.C. 😢

[@Thom-TRA]

In a perfect world we would have had a unified network

[@Nerdy_dude]

True, except then MARC would no longer be needed unless the subway went east. But it would be perfect 😢

[@cornkopp2985]

@ The MARC services would still be great since a local subway service would take sooooo long to travel between the two cities. But a sort of BWMATA where it was all under one unified system would be very nice I bet.

[@paulcastillo1310]

Great video on Baltimore subway

[@chief1b]

Great Video. Your facts on the Baltimore Metro were spot on. You are correct on the Metro cars they were ordered with Miami metro which did piggy back on the order of the cars. I have ridden the Miami system cars and they are sisters. I did hear that they had to get more rail cars because of Miami climate and they were more frequent to rust more than in Baltimore. They lasted 45 years. They should have been replaced years ago but we live in a cheap state. The order was started in 1979-1980. So 45 year old technology. Washington Metro series 1000 cars were ordered in 1970. They cash them out 10 years ago. Wow!. I did not see your video on the Light Rail but will. I can't wait for the New and improved Baltimore Metro cars. Cheers!

[@ztl2505]

Feels like Cleveland RTA. Very nice overbuilt stations for a really mid service

[@TheRoadTripChannel]

Did you stop at convenience store chain Royal Farms? They're headquarters are located in Baltimore. BTW - Great video. 👍

[@Thom-TRA]

I did not sadly

[@DanTheCaptain]

Baltimore Express Underground Subway Metro Tube Rail Link Connector SkyRail People Mover Train has an excellent ring to it… This and the Miami Subway have got to have some of the most shocking services I’ve seen. I’d love to see for myself someday. 37 minute headways are insane!

[@Thom-TRA]

I like that name

[@brycebundens6866]

Such a tragic story for a metro- but it can still be redeemed! Even just a short Eastward expansion and lots of transit oriented development could really make it great!!!

[@fishingoutofwater]

Great vid!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@johndixon-l1c]

Have you considered to make a video about the B&O Museum that you briefly showed in this video? Yes. I agree. Central Maryland should extend both the Light Rail and the Metro In all directions. Just like I think Marc should extend into Virginia and Delaware. Keep up your great videos. Thank you.

[@Thom-TRA]

MARC extensions in both directions are in the works!

[@davidaldinger113]

@@Thom-TRAwhere are these extensions supposed to end.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@davidaldinger113 some MARC service will go to Alexandria, some to Newark DE. Some Penn line trains will also go to Camden using a connecting track.

[@pbatransit9487]

I rode the Baltimore MetroLink for the first time last June! The best section was the section you didn't ride on (Owings Mills). The trains run at 70 mph in a highway median and pass cars! Def ride that section if you ever go back.

[@Thom-TRA]

Always satisfying

[@charmersify]

Thom: Time to embrace the ‘chrome dome’🎶💃🏿😎🚂😁

[@PaulClipMaster]

Ridership seems extremely low. Both the trains and stations are almost deserted. Spooky.

[@digitalboy87]

Baltimore is getting new trains this summer FYI

[@Thom-TRA]

Yep, mentioned a few times in this video

[@maddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

10:15 they have the same flex posts between cars on the pittsburgh light rail! i've always been a bit confused about what the point is...

[@jstephens2758]

Been to Baltimore several times, saw the aquarium and the waterfront area including the filming site of Homicide - Life on the Street and the Shot Tower. Also flew into BWI and took Marc and AMTRAK trains, but never knew there was a light rail or a subway.

[@trainglen22]

The stations remind me a bit of Montreal's Metro. The headways are insane.

[@toonynelson3103]

NEW TRA VIDEO WHEN IM SICK TOO? THIS IS THE BEST FEELING EVER AAAAAAAAAAAA

[@Thom-TRA]

Get well soon!

[@toonynelson3103]

@ THANK YOU (have I told you I love your videos?)

[@peabody1976]

The (newish) KZbinr Phriendly Neighborhood Photographer (Phil) did a good explainer on why Baltimore's subway (and light rail) are so bad now. My home state really dropped the ball when it came to this, but there's one big "R" word that plays a lot into why the money for building out the system was never found. (Not to mention Annapolis's patrician attitude to Baltimore regardless of who's in the State House or Governor's Mansion.)

[@Thom-TRA]

Oh the R word…

[@Blank00]

@@peabody1976 i wonder if Miami had the same reasoning

[@tomo-tawa-linja]

CommentLink

[@Thom-TRA]

This comment wins

[@brianhenderson9124]

I thought the CTA 2600 cars were the very last cars built by Budd, even though they had reorganized as Transit America by then.

[@Thom-TRA]

Maybe. These are at least the last ones built by Budd proper.

[@DeronBailey]

NYC R32 is the best. Lasted 60 years

[@teraeshellington6985]

I wish they keep old trains too

[@johnallen8368]

When I made my first visit to the USA last year I stayed in Baltimore for two nights went to Camden yards to watch the Braves win away found the light rail useless from the amtrak station and as for the metro there was a station opposite the Lord Baltimore hotel when downstairs and the metro seemed to have no trains very quiet

[@justinstrickland5382]

Who is here watching because you had NO idea there was a subway in Baltimore?

[@haj8579]

I don't have a problem with old trains if there is no safety problem and if they are refurbished. Sometimes it is helpful to keep old ones to increase frequency. On the other hand, since you talked about the rambling name of the system, I hope someday you cover some railway related English nouns are unintuitive, such as train drivers become train engineers in US, etc.

[@Thom-TRA]

I still get engineers mixed up sometimes

[@im4udevco]

I work at Washington Metro and a couple of years ago, it costed the transit authority over $75 million just to run the traction power stations that supply power to the trains. The 30+ minutes headway could be attributed to reducing electricity bills given the low passenger volume. The electricity costs doesn't reduce whether you have 50 or 500 people. Metro is finally getting revenue due to the return to office policy from the federal government which is helping a lot as they require us to run 4-6 minutes headways for rush hour and double that for off peak.

[@Thom-TRA]

30+ minute headways cause low passenger volume…

[@blxvkpxndx]

Watching, it didn’t look that bad. But we got an edited version of your trip. You didn’t get the smells. The looks. lol. I really enjoyed this video. It reminds me of HBO the wire.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s definitely not horrible, but there are many better systems

[@modeltrainmaster0838]

I live in Baltimore and am a regular user of the metro and if you're riding on a weekend the delays might be due to the cbtc and new train testing. Also the very grey centric station design might be making them look dirty

[@cornkopp2985]

part of my understanding as to why the fare gates are open most of the time, is ostensibly for passengers using the MTA charmpass app, which shows off a nice qr code for your ticket which is totally incompatible with the entire fare system currently in place. I pay for my fares as well, and occasionally the fare gates will actually be closed, and there will be a ticket booth attendant that you have to show your phone ticket to, so they can hit a button and print a *paper ticket* to use on the subway line. I've also noticed that the subway can have very bad bunching, or at least extremely poor spacing. More than once I will be sitting in a station for 20-30 minutes waiting to go one direction, while 2 or more trains pass by me in the other direction. Part of it may be due to on and off track work thats being done to the line to try and keep it from falling apart... I week ago I was listening to some people chat about taking the subway while we were all waiting for a train to owings mills, and someone actually said that the shuttle bus (which covers the metro's route when the line is shut down for track work) was better than the train itself! All in all while I love Baltimore's singular subway line, actually using it to get around is sometimes a really miserable experience. It just goes to show how neglected and disinvested Baltimore is by the state of Maryland generally, in favor of suburban communities. (Especially those near DC).

[@Thom-TRA]

That thing about the fare gates is so hilarious. Really shows what happens when not all departments are looped in on a project.

[@kevinb8881]

Thom, the front ends of those new Hitachi trains should have been blue with white stripe instead of yellow like the Budd trains!!

[@Thom-TRA]

They should be covered in the Maryland flag!

[@kevinb8881]

@Thom-TRA True!!!

[@guyfaux3978]

Thom, have you ever watched the old 1990's TV cop show Homicide: Life On The Street, shot in Baltimore? One of the episodes had a story where someone was caught between two cars and the platform and was dying of internal bleeding. Somebody at the Baltimore Metro may have seen that episode and said, "We need a visual cue to show where's not a good place to stand near while waiting for the train..." and came up with the idea of the pylons.

[@Thom-TRA]

Oh interesting

[@chief1b]

That was a great episode. So sad in the end

[@guyfaux3978]

@@Thom-TRA It's a season six episode called "The Subway" and the guest star was Vincent D'Onofrio.

[@The4905]

Did not really notice this when I was in baltimore but why does the "next stop" announcements (like at 5:41) sound like they are being read by Heath Ledger's Joker? (Quite fitting for a city like Baltimore imo)

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s a very deep voice haha

[@genethebean7597]

Man everyone be claiming they got the Budd cars last. Chicago claims that the 2600-series was the last built, with the final unit shipping in 1987. Some have said Amtrak got the last Amfleet IIs last. Then Baltimore, etc etc.

[@Thom-TRA]

When the last CTA cars were built I believe it was already transit America

[@mikecarrington4297]

"It's not in the budget"

[@ciello___8307]

Thanks to ronald reagan

[@louisjohnson3755]

I went to Baltimore last year in October and rode their metro, and I also experienced major delays on it as there were problems with the tracks and they had to single track it which led to me waiting half an hour for a train and I was stuck on the train for a long time as well

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m sorry that happened

[@UnmadeBedProductions]

Was hoping you would keep at least a shortened version of the 10 years intro. Ah well. It was fun while it lasted.

[@gloomed8888]

Better you not think of what could have made the trains "sticky"

[@Thom-TRA]

Somebody bought a bunch of maple syrup and poured it, that’s what I’m telling myself

[@ryancaldwell9463]

Wrapping up the day on the Water TaxiLink. Nice.

[@Thom-TRA]

Boat-go-toot-toot-link

[@digitalboy87]

Also we are supposed to get all new light rail trains in the future. They haven’t announced who will build the new trains yet as they are probably still out for RFP.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s exciting!

[@teraeshellington6985]

No that not true only new Baltimore metro SubwayLink trains

[@gezag.hanniker1940]

I wish I knew you were coming to town.. could have met up… fun fact the Budd cars were a part of project UTC or UTV - Universal Transit Car or Vehicle.. also next time you come to Baltimore please visit the Baltimore Street Car Museum where you can ride vintage Baltimore trams. I rode the metro when it 1st opened… it was the subway to nowhere.. that line didn’t connect to nothing major.. it didn’t connect to any of Baltimore’s train stations and didn’t go to the airport. It’s too bad you did go farther north because the stations are more spread out. I have clocked those trains doing 70 mph. Anyway let me know next time you’re in town. Happy Railroading.

[@PrimeR10]

Baltimore: Has a train built by a company who conveniently, you got their last build of. Has a windup and deceleration sound similar to the Legacy Fleet C1/C2 cars. Has seats similar to the Legacy Fleet (the ones replaced with the old one's in early 2010's) San Francisco Bay Area: Also has a train built by a company who conveniently also got the last build of. Shares a similar windup to Baltimore's trains. Has seats similar to theirs as well. Coincidence? I THINK NOT-

[@richardb9419]

Thanks for the video! Have you visited the old bud manufacturing plant in Philadelphia? It’s abandoned and mostly empty, but has generally been accessible for a little walk around, just thought you might be interested.

[@Thom-TRA]

Interesting! I should take a look

[@londonwhaley8690]

I enjoyed that video👍👍

[@captainjoshuagleiberman2778]

In fairness, I lived in DC for three years and went to Baltimore at least once a month for Orioles Games, visits with my friends etc. I knew about the light rail, but did not know about the Subway. My friend who lived in Owings Mills, never mentioned it etc. So I don't think a lot of people in Baltimore know about it.

[@dave4863Real]

Yikes. I knew the Baltimore Metro wasn't that great, but I had no idea it was in such bad shape. The single-tracking was probably only due to an incident, though; the entire 15.4 mile line is double-tracked. (My dad has rode it numerous times, but the last was nearly a decade ago and I've never been on it myself). And...I can really see why. Those new subway cars will hopefully improve things.

[@edwardfine1922]

@Thom-tra Great video. Have you considered making a video about Baltimore's streetcar system (similar to the your video on the DC system). Baltimore used to have one of the most comprehensive streetcar systems in the country. The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is great resource and it's right next to Penn Station!

[@Thom-TRA]

Maybe! That would be kind of a long term project

[@Cerby1979]

The new Hitachi rail trains (which are similar to those in Miami other than cosmetic designs) are being tested and are gradually being integrated into the system. By 2026, the Budds will all be removed.

[@mistrotech8894]

I'm from Baltimore... didn't know we had a subway.

[@Thom-TRA]

Dang

[@deaventuraconkikomas4281]

This Metro looks more like the Los Angeles Metro to me than the Miami or Atlanta ones. It looks old, needs something more modern, and the benches without back rest, very common in Los Angeles too, people can sleep there... Jeh!

[@mmrw]

Baltimore always feels so weird to me urbanism wise. Like it’s super dense and walkable like the rest of the major east coast cities, but its public transit is just so lacking for how dense it is. Really hard to comprehend in a way

[@BirbarianHomeGuard]

How timely, I’m binging The Wire!

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad I could interrupt your binging!

[@louiszhang3050]

The Baltimore Metro trains kind of sound like old Berlin U-Bahn trains

[@davinp]

Those fare gates are worst then DC Metro's fare gates. People could jump over to enter without paying

[@Thom-TRA]

DC has improved their gates though

[@DarnellFernandes]

Can you do a video on London's buses and subways train in the near future please I would love to see video of exporting the system.

[@davinp]

DC's Metro new 8000 series car are also built by Hitachi

[@EElgar1857]

The train indicator boards are truly laughable, and it's been that way for a while. The only good thing about the system is that it's actually quite safe.

[@delphinejenkins374]

so about those headways. I live in Baltimore, and unfortunately these Budd trains are breaking down constantly, so we're dropping a lot of trips. weekdays it should be between 8-12 min headways, weekends are supposed to be 15. the new trains come into service this spring. come ride the new cars when they're in service!

[@Thom-TRA]

Is there an official date yet?

[@delphinejenkins374]

@Thom-TRA not yet, but they're saying early to mid spring. the MTA has been closing the system on weekends to test the new CBTC system, and people have gotten shots of the new trains. if you're on bluesky I can tag you when I find out a date!