Secrets of the DC Metro Orange Line

Bunker-style architecture? Italian-sourced tiles? A roll-over train?
Join Andy on Track for a tour of the DC Metro Orange Line, uncovering its secrets, stories, and facts!
Inspired by Geoff Marshall's "Secrets of the Underground": • Secrets of the Undergr...
Beyond our on-the-ground reporting, various sources contributed to the content in this video. These include:
Greater Greater Washington (GGWash)
WAMU 88.5 (DCist)
The Washington Post
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
"The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro" by Zachary M. Schrag
nycsubway.org
Video Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - New Carrollton
3:25 - Carmen E. Turner Maintenance and Training Facility
4:05 - Landover
4:17 - Cheverly
5:00 - Deanwood
5:16 - Minnesota Avenue
5:35 - DC Core (Secrets of the Blue Line)
6:04 - Court House
6:55 - Clarendon
7:12 - Virginia Square-GMU
7:56 - Ballston-MU
8:05 - I-66 Median
8:23 - East Falls Church
8:37 - Silver Line Split
8:50 - West Falls Church
10:20 - Dunn Loring
10:26 - Vienna
10:45 - Outro
10:56 - Credits

[@zanzaben]

These videos are getting shorter as you have more and more overlap with already covered lines. Excited to see what you do for the 2 stops on the yellow line.

[@andyontrack]

True, Yellow Line will be next!

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@andyontrackYay! I can't wait! 💛💛💛

[@jetfan925]

​@@andyontrackafter Yellow and Silver, maybe you should cover on the DC Streetcar or MARC/VRE?

[@andyontrack]

Yes, definitely thinking of covering those!

[@theaveragejoe5781]

Haha, funny

[@Mergatroid]

I love how thorough and not rushed these videos are, your videos are improving with each one. Love to see it! I hope people make videos like this for more cities! Aside from this and Geoff Marshall’s series, I haven’t come across many others yet.

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. :)

[@atat67e]

Quick note about the AMC Courthouse entrance - the doors are usable, they’re just exit-only! So you have to go upstairs to enter the theater, but after the movie, you can indeed exit directly into the tunnel. So I suppose the entrance is only partially closed.

[@andyontrack]

Gotcha-Definitely gonna try to use it next time I go see a movie there!

[@ethanparker7900]

theres quite a few AMC's int eh region like at Court House, Eisenhower Ave, Tysons Corner and I want to say Largo Town Ctr as well

[@DCAdamB]

Lovely video! A new Andy on Track is always the highlight of my week. Very comprehensive, only one thing I can think to add - you mention how Virginia Sq and Ballston used to be called “Nelson St” and “Glebe Rd” respectively. But the history of those station’s names is even deeper than that. For several years prior to opening, Virginia Sq was actually planned to be called “Ballston”! Also, in the initial version of the ARS (ratified March 1, 1968), the station now known as Ballston was planned to be be named “Parkington” after the now defunct shopping mall. At a WMATA board meeting on March 3, 1977, the official names for these two stations were changed to Virginia Square and Ballston, respectively. In 1985, GMU sucessfully lobbied to append their name to the end of Virginia Square, and in 1995, MU did the same for Ballston. Looking forward to the Secrets of the the Silver Line and Yellow Line!

[@andyontrack]

Oh that's fascinating! And yes, we'll be chugging along to get those two out next!

[@JiangtaoHu]

You are so underrated. I love your videos and they feel so relaxing, instead of most modern-day videos' rushed feeling. You are one of my favorite small youtubers! I can't wait for the next video!

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much!!! You’re comment means a lot to us :)

[@SandBoxJohn]

Some other secrets of the Orange line; The New Carrollton station has a provision for a 3rd track that would extend the yard lead west to allow the dispatching of trains out of the New Carrollton yard on a future extension of the Orange line to the east without blocking the outbound mainline. The extended lead track would also allow the movement of trains in and out of the yard to and from the east to bypass the station. As previously mention in the secrets of the Blue line, There are service tunnels connecting the Blue line outbound and inbound Orange and Silver line tunnels to the base of shaft under the traction power substation and cooling tower at Fairfax and and Fort Myer Drives. Provision for the Silver line junction turnouts and foundation for elevated flyovers were built during the construction of the Orange line. The Silver Line Junction was originally planed to be under the Haycock Road overpass east of the West Falls Church pocket track interlocking. The third rail gaps west of the Haycock Road overpass on the Orange line is where the points of the junction turnout would have been located. Today that junction is located to the east under the Great Fall Street overpass adjacent to the to Osborn Street traction power substation and new infill train control room. West of the West Falls Church station there are yard lead tracks that connect the west end of pocket track interlocking to the Falls Church Yard. The yard lead track access the Falls Church Yard through tunnels under the westbound mainline track and lanes of VA I-66. West of the Vienna station there are line side signals that protect entry into the station from the tail tracks. This is the only location in the system where line side signals do not protect movements through an interlocking.

[@andyontrack]

Thank you for these great bonus secrets!

[@garyrobbins9197]

Well, I will be getting to work a little later than I expected today! I looked at another “Secrets” video a couple of days ago and noticed that the last two had come out three and six months ago, so we were due for a new “Secrets” video. What a lovely, lovely surprise! I agree that your videos are improving each time. After you do the rest of the Metro Lines, I would love to hear about the Purple Line, and then to see you go to other cities. I understand that the Blue/Orange/Silver lines tunnel under the Potomac is approaching the point that they can’t add more trains each hour. I would love to hear about that. You have made my day!

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much! Crazy that we're almost done with the six lines.

[@nickpsilvestri]

I love this series

[@andyontrack]

Thank you!

[@TheLiamster]

That’s a shame the clock tower was demolished at New Carrollton. It should have been rebuilt somewhere else or at different metro station

[@michaelmagnus9]

That clock hadn't worked for years and years. I regarded it a as a joke. Tastes vary but I'm not sorry to see it go - it was an in-your-face example of Metro not maintaining its infrastructure. There's some nice train stuff to see along the eastern Orange line - the NE Corridor, peeling west into Washington at Cheverly; and the CSX Landover and Alexandria Subdivisions. There's almost always some equipment moving or sitting along there. I get a kick out of the seeing the Tropicana train.

[@Mars-ev7qg]

The bus bay at the Falls Church Station is a stop on the Virginia Breeze Valley flyer bus from the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg to Union Station. This route has more metro connections than any other Virginia Breeze route. It also offers connections to the Washington metro at Dulles Airport and Union Station. Maybe someday you could ride the Virginia Breeze bus routes. Please note that these bases only run once a day and no other transit provider stops in any of the cities the Virginia Breeze bus routes end in so these will be overnight trips.

[@tomsmith5584]

My grandmother and my uncle used to live close to the Dunn Loring station. They lived just north of route 50 and east of the Beltway. The reason there are three tracks at West Falls Church is because the original plans had what is now the Silver Line branching off from the Orange Line there. As it is, the branch now heads to a maintenance yard.

[@ethanparker7900]

the silver also uses that same rail yard on a different entrance on a different branch

[@brycebundens6866]

Great work!!!! Finally, the first time ever that I have ever seen anyone mention the abandoned north West Falls Church Entrance!!!! Man, super high production quality. Keep them coming!!!

[@andyontrack]

Yes! It’s such an odd space. Thank you so much for your kind remarks! :)

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

YES! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! LET'S GO! 🧡🧡🧡

[@andyontrack]

:)

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@andyontrack😆❤️🧡💙💚💛🩶

[@naominelson4610]

Can’t wait to see the silver line video and yellow line!

[@dutchvanderlinde154]

I love these videos.

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much! :)

[@theautistictransitfan]

Sad part is the series is almost over, but hey, maybe you could do VRE or MARC next!

[@andyontrack]

Yes! All good ideas :)

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

Don't forget about Amtrak too!

[@andyontrack]

True!!!

[@eable_2]

Here's another weird fact about Cheverly station that I noticed: The platform edge lights are offset from their normal positions at most other stations. Usually, there are 72 pairs of lights. But at Cheverly, each end of the platform has a single light, with 71 pairs in between. Pretty hard to make it out at 4:17 but you can see it on Google Street View too if you zoom in. I believe there are only two other stations with platform edge lights arranged like this, both of which you've visited before: Pentagon and Braddock Rd.

[@brothersanza5443]

Fantastic find!, a one of a kind topic, i binged all the videos at once and now im sad there aren't more, even from other cities! Just in case I travel and find hidden gems!

[@michaelhill9007]

Great video - production value, B-roll, editing, and narration are amazing ! I especially like the trainspotting shot with the Acela passing by. Awesome work !

[@andyontrack]

Thanks so much! My heart almost stopped when that acela flew by haha

[@tyleralberico9340]

Such an incredible series! First trip I ever took was from Vienna station

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much!

[@thunderball6908]

I lived in the apartment complex just outside the Dunn Loring station for a couple years when I was working in NoVA after college. The Orange Line was a daily part of my life. Thanks for the memories!

[@andyontrack]

Glad you liked the video!

[@asiancanadian1584]

I love the new renovations for vienna it looks much cleaner and elegant

[@erby111]

This put a smile on my face, thanks!

[@andyontrack]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Jtkraemer201]

My home line! Love you videos so much

[@andyontrack]

Thank you! :)

[@iannewman6238]

Another terrific video, Andy and team!

[@andyontrack]

Thanks so much Ian!!!

[@BusEnjoyer]

wake up babe new andy on track video just dropped

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

I love this comment! 😂😂😂

[@navyyardbro]

Love this series, great work! Super informative!

[@BIoknight000]

What a pleasant surprise to see this vid in my sub box

[@sammymarrco2]

great video as always!

[@andyontrack]

Thanks so much Sammy!

[@kjrehberg]

The Orange Line east of DC is a roller coaster as it passes above and around the existing railroad tracks.

[@av8bud]

Great video series Andy, looking forward to the Silver line

[@andyontrack]

Thank you!

[@sebastianjoseph2828]

Great video as alway!

[@andyontrack]

Thank you!

[@ephlis01]

Superb work. Love this series!

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much!

[@tdotoh416]

Hi sir love your videos keep them coming.

[@CodeZaffre]

West Falls Church is my station but I have never ventured over to the north bus bays! Now only 4 bays in use: 28A north and south, Fairfax 703, and the Virginia Breeze bus line also stops at the station. Some of the inactive bays have old markings, one has "Fannie Mae shuttle" on it lol. The area around the station is gonna get a lot of development over the next decade, so it will look very different in the future.

[@a81517]

been waiting for this one

[@JoshuaHockom]

Another great video!! Excited to share this with my friends who's main line is the Orange!! Excited for the next one and keep up the fantastic work!!

[@andyontrack]

Thank you so much!

[@alexlederer7177]

Love these videos so much

[@andyontrack]

Thank you!

[@railsand]

for a new series, this seems cool can tell this channel has a long road ahead

[@warrennie]

Thanks! Very helpful!

[@andyontrack]

You're welcome! :)

[@illhaveawtrplz]

Also: East Falls Church and Vienna are two of the three stations in the whole system that have protected bicycle parking garages!

[@CaradhrasAiguo49]

the 3rd being Innovation Center?

[@illhaveawtrplz]

@@CaradhrasAiguo49 I was referencing College Park/UMD as the third but it sounds like my knowledge might be out of date! Does Innovation Center have a fully caged bicycle parking area with badged entry?

[@CaradhrasAiguo49]

@@illhaveawtrplz yes, on the south side in the parking garage at 2345 Carta Way

[@baahcusegamer4530]

I kid you not, last night I was watching another channel about the Baltimore metro system and wondered when you would make your next upload. I was even considering dropping a comment on a prior video to ask! Thank you for making my Friday that much more awesome! All the best to you!

[@andyontrack]

That's crazy!!! thank you so much for your kind words!

[@gideonfoxo9495]

On the second shot, I find it really interesting you can see which side is walk and stand based on the wear markings. Also kinda crazy how much stuff is on the other side of the station I didn't know about! Rip the clock tower though

[@jj6148]

I grew up in Lanham (right next to New Carrolton,) and I loved using the Orange line to go to see DC with my mom. I also used the Amtrak station to visit Baltimore or to see my aunt in Delaware.

[@commercialcritic4676]

Sweet!

[@50_States_of_USA]

Yes! It’s finally here! I like the video. Thanks Andy! and also do I have a chance of meeting you?

[@himbourbanist]

I love the DC Metro

[@ethanparker7900]

The Orange Line is surely an underrated line I'd say. One of the lines I ride a lot of being from Virginia and all.

[@ryansimethy2603]

Another fun fact about the orange line, the i-66 outside the beltway project left a gap in the road median for future extension of the orange line to Centreville despite no such plan being made by wmata as yet

[@kjrehberg]

It was so much not a plan that the widening of I-66 in the 1990s actually eliminated the median. The restoration of the median for possible transit was a huge part of the cost of the Transform I-66 project.

[@NytaliteTransit]

Another great video! However, I will add several things. 3:36 Last summer, I and another enthusiast got to visit Carmen Turner with a summer camp (and I may get to do it again, as this summer camp elected me as an intern for 2024). Additionally, New Carrollton’s waiting area was open at the time, and we waited there for Metro employees to meet us. 6:10 Court House, just like Union Station, only has 20 coffers versus the typical 22. It also appears to be the sole rock-bore station built under 100ft underground. 10:19 This logo can also be found at Van Dorn Street. However, I understand why you left Van Dorn out of your Blue Line video.

[@andyontrack]

These are great bonus secrets! Regarding the Carmen E. Turner facility--that's actually how Max got those photos (but 10 years ago haha)!

[@de-fault_de-fault]

3:53 the low-platform-only Comet 1 is so weird-looking even in its normal state that this might actually be an improvement.

[@kedwards4377]

When you are done with the DC Metro, what will you cover next?

[@andyontrack]

This is a great question-perhaps VRE, MARC, the DC Streetcars, or beyond!

[@captainkeyboard1007]

This show was short and "rapid." I wanted to see more of Maryland and Virginia. Anyway, I watched the other lines on your other shows. They are nice.

[@blondrussian9554]

What they should have done at West Falls Church was to launch a new bus service going to Dulles Airport, to better accommodate people transferring to the orange line.

[@kinkisharyocoasters]

I took a tour of the Carmen Turner facility!

[@metrazol]

The plastic newspaper rack in the CSX track is a staple of the Cheverly station!

[@andyontrack]

Yeah! I wonder how long it's been there...

[@Its_Maysin]

Imagine How short the Silver line video Will be 😅😅

[@tomadamowicz9047]

As a Metro enthusiast I really enjoy your videos! You present extremely well. Maybe consider a career in broadcasting?

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

Oh my Glenmont! I'm a DC Metro Enthusiast too! ❤️🧡💙💚💛🩶

[@ethanparker7900]

same!! Born in Alexandria @@S-CB-SL-Animations

[@history_leisure]

Unfortunately, I-66 has been widened west of Vienna-Fairfax, so a westward extension isn't likely. I know an extension to Bowie is always thrown around

[@UncommonElevators]

Actually they left space in the median when widening the highway so that the metro could be extended. Most of the HOV left exit ramps have gaps between them for the trains to run in between but a few older ones would need to be moved.

[@davidtsvetovat9419]

Andy you made a little mistake when you are at west falls church station. The south bus bay is used for special events such as the wolf trap concert

[@andyontrack]

Ah, I believe the Wolf Trap buses have been rerouted to McLean station!

[@pizzajona]

I really enjoyed this video. Can I ask you about your filming and editing process? Your Court House film (judging by the Spider-Man movie poster) and at least some of your New Carrollton film was filmed in early 2022. What is the editing process like for something like this?

[@andyontrack]

So glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, so we filmed a good bit of this video (and some of the other videos!) back in 2022, which thankfully let us capture the old New Carrollton features. But we’ve been going back over the past few months to get all the stations and any updates to stations we’d previously visited!

[@brandonwhite2193]

DID YOU KNOW THERE'S A TUNNEL OUTSIDE OF MCPHERSON SQUARE STATION THAT CONNECTS TO THE RED LINE OUTSIDE OF FARRAGUT NORTH STATION?

[@FreeRoamBaltimore]

Can you do NYC Metro Subway system one day?

[@dfw_railfanner]

Yeah with all of those station idk if he can pull that off

[@PhilipTamayo]

You got 2 more Lines to cover on secrets the Yellow Line and the Silver Line

[@kinkisharyocoasters]

If WFC doesn't have buses at that north side loop, what's the point of keeping the escalator and elevator running? Also you didn't mention there's a depot for trains by there. EFC doesn't have the flashing colored signs like other stations before route diversions. Also historically, the orange and blue line used to do this thing where they would change line colors on the return trip. More recently, just before the silver line opened there were a few rush hour trips rerouted to Largo under the "rush plus" program.

[@andyontrack]

Thanks for these great bonus secrets! I think they keep the escalator/elevator running for access to employee parking, which is the current use of those bus bays.

[@chickennuggetcentral576]

Hello!

[@andyontrack]

Hi!

[@KSUOwlNation]

Can you end it with the Secrets of DC Metro Yellow Line and Secrets of DC Metro Silver Line

[@andyontrack]

Yellow Line is coming soon!

[@50_States_of_USA]

Can you do the Yellow line nest and then the last one remaining, Silver

[@andyontrack]

Yes! Yellow line is next and Silver line will be right after that! :)

[@50_States_of_USA]

@@andyontrack Well after the dc metro, Can you try the New York Subway?

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@andyontrackI'M TOTALLY HYPED UP FOR THE FINAL TWO! 💛🩶🚇Ⓜ️🪩💃🏽

[@Sponge_Bobby2024]

The yellow line is gonna be like 5 minutes cuz it only has 2 unique stops and crosses the Potomac River

[@ethanparker7900]

and for now it only goes up to Mt Vernon square sadly not Greenbelt like from April 2019 to September 2022@@Sponge_Bobby2024

[@anthonynguyen2343]

Where are yellow line video ? Waiting for long time .

[@andyontrack]

It's coming! Very, very soon.

[@SamSitar]

replace the parking garages with bus routes,

[@Eli-Hokies]

Did you check the yellow line yet?

[@andyontrack]

Yellow Line video is just around the corner!

[@Eli-Hokies]

@@andyontrack cool.

[@spacepeanut]

this video wouldn't be all too out of place on the local pbs station lol

[@andyontrack]

Haha, I won't stop them if they want to air it!

[@tyrellwhite4621]

There's not much to the yellow line so you can't do that. In the purple line is not done yet. So you can only really talk about the silver line but that is a short video. Maybe if they do that loop on the blue line you have more to talk about.

[@tyrellwhite4621]

Also I would like to see proposals you think will work for the Metro like any extensions

[@MrJamieBattle]

My home line (Minnesota Ave🟠) even though i mainly ride the X2 bus instead to go to work.

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

Mine is the 🔴RD Line (Woodley Park/Adams Morgan Zoo), but usually I'd go to U st NW on the 🟢GR Line to start my Metrorail journey!