First Time Riding MARTA in Atlanta

[@Thom-TRA]

To those complaining that I used the population of the city instead of the metro area: you’re getting so hung up on a technicality that you’re missing the point. I used the population simply to show that Atlanta is not that large from a global perspective. Had I used the metro area, that wouldn’t change. There are still dozens and dozens of metro areas worldwide much bigger than Atlanta. In fact, New York doesn’t even make the top 10. Those who got that point were able to offer helpful explanations about why despite Atlanta’s low global ranking in terms of population, it still has the busiest airport. Things like it being a hub, having only one airport, etc. But to those of you who never made it past the city proper / metro area debate: I understand that this is KZbin, but stop immediately jumping to comment on a perceived mistake.

[@HIDLad001]

The seats on MARTA might be hard plastic now, but when the system first opened, they were padded, just like BART and the Washington Metro. The floors were also carpeted too.

[@johnchastain5657]

Yeah, the DC Metro carpeting was cheaper than the typical subway flooring. It just looked terrible after a few months!

[@Thom-TRA]

So they replaced the seats during a midlife overhaul? Or are the comfier seats on the trains they already reefed?

[@HIDLad001]

@@Thom-TRA I would assume it would’ve been during a midlife overhaul of some kind.

[@jm-bv1wh]

Wow, thanks for the memory flashback. I lived In Atlanta at that time, and completely forgot that they had padded seats and carpeted floors.

[@derekmobley77]

​@Thom-TRA I'm not 100% sure but I think the harder seats were also due to the increased number of homeless who would camp out on the trains in cold weather so they were easier to clean and deter the all day camping.

[@PaulCashman]

That escalator at Peachtree Center is one of the longest in-service escalators in the world, and if it seemed to be running slower than normal, that is by design: it runs slower so people's ears have longer to adjust to the pressure gradient. Really love that station, too. There used to be signage on the platform explaining the challenges of the station's construction, but they were removed in advance of the Olympics, probably for space reasons. The system was heavily used and VERY crowded during the Games, hence the slogan "I made 17 million new friends on MARTA."

[@Thom-TRA]

Well, normally I walk on escalators, but this time I’m very glad I didn’t!

[@PaulCashman]

@@Thom-TRA "Why are your ears bleeding?" "I ran up the escalator at Peachtree Center Station!"

[@Leonard_Wilson]

Wheaton on the DC Metro is pretty long

[@virginiamoss7045]

Secondarily, it was also because the wall brick pattern is perpendicular to the angle of the escalator which is somewhat disorienting, causing some to lose balance. The Peachtree Center station was used as a backdrop to an action movie, I think it was a Star Wars production.

[@johnchastain5657]

@@Leonard_Wilson en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheaton_station_(Washington_Metro)#:~:text=Wheaton%20station%20features%20the%20longest,115%20feet%20(35%20m).

[@kayleebeare]

Welcome to Atlanta! Thanks for covering my city! Marta may have its flaws, but we love it regardless.

[@Thom-TRA]

I enjoyed my brief stay!

[@wflinner]

MARTA was one of the reasons I ended up moving to Atlanta last summer! On top of getting a job and going to school downtown, it gave me the perfect opportunity to rarely have to drive anymore (and deal with Atlanta traffic) by taking the train to and from work/school everyday! It definitely has its faults, but seeing the “rush hour” traffic of 75/85 beneath me going home in the evenings reminds me how much I appreciate getting to take the train every day.

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow, this is so cool to hear!

[@rexy31rb]

As an Atlanta native and one who rode MARTA rail when it opened in 1979. I love it. Truth, MARTA trains doesn't travel outside Fulton and DeKalb counties because of racism. The citizens of the largest five counties were given a choice of voting for MARTA in the early 1970s. Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton declined, thus no MARTA or rail services. Clayton joined MARTA in 2017. Gwinnett declined again in 2020. Cobb and Gwinnett are among the most traffic choked in the metro area. Only one interstate runs through Gwinnett with nearly 1 million residents!! It's not MARTA fault at all with the traffic problems in Atlanta!

[@gacaptain]

True. The ridiculous amount of traffic coming in and out of Cobb and Gwinnett County choke our roads beyond capacity. A huge number of cars could be taken off the roads if there were park and ride rail stations up in those counties. This was MARTAs intention from the start. And they already have independent bus systems that could funnel people to and from those stations.For decades now both counties have refused participation in it.

[@LarryDennis-ln4cl]

Amazingly similar situation with The Tide light rail system between Norfolk and Virginia Beach... (er... city limits).

[@Zhiperser]

Cobb County especially, with Truist Park and both KSU campuses. Six Flags is SO close but a little too far out. Imagine how much that could be used. Truist is just outside the perimeter. It's all very frustrating. I don't believe it will ever happen. It's a waste of your time to even think about it.

[@DunceCapSyndrome]

It's not racism, because the homeless people we don't want in the burbs come in all shapes, sizes, orientations, and skin colors. That being said, I want trains to come further out. But the view of people who DON'T want it, isn't racism.

[@papahemmy8587]

Gwinnett is in dire need of public transport in general. Easily the worse part of my commute.

[@nellvellXIV]

The unfortunate thing for MARTA is that it's so anemic. Atlanta is a very large sprawl and a lot of the more populous suburbs aren't served by the rail system. I hope one day it's allowed to expand and really grow into a system that can serve Atlanta. Everyone knows the traffic is god awful there.

[@charlieboozer82]

Conservative politics and policies are why marta hasn't gone to the suburbs in the past. There's a racist element to it to. Check the history

[@PaulCashman]

The problem is, many Atlantans don't work downtown, which is where the system was originally designed to bring folks. Many work in Buckhead, or in the "Platinum Triangle" (Sandy Springs/Dunwoody), and of course nowadays many telework and don't commute. While traffic can be a bear, its still small potatoes compared to, say, New York or Chicago.

[@brayg488]

Marta can’t expand because our suburbs think it will “bring Atlanta crime” to the suburbs

[@milliedragon4418]

I kind of like the idea of ATL trains Caleb Stubbs better because it uses existing infrastructure. A lot of the suburban towns already have rail connections. It's just that they will need a little bit updating. And would connect to every (metro) county except for one. People forget that Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs used to have extensive rail. It's just still tied up to freight. Personally, I would love it.The downtown suburban areas, are beautiful, lot shops, restaurants, parks. I could care less about the strip mall areas anyways. Outside of a few restaurants. If you didn't have a *reliable car you couldn't enjoy them. 🙁

[@FlyiDCG]

Ive in Atlanta metro 18 years, I dont see it happening. My guess is more TODs on the current line. They need to build housing above dead stations.

[@BrandyArts]

Even as a metro Atlanta native it took me 20 years to finally get around to using MARTA. After a while, it got on my nerves having everyone tell me it's dangerous and crime infested (as if this only affects transit systems), so I went sorta out of spite. Overall I was pleasantly surprised! Paying $5 for a round trip definitely beats the traffic crunch and exorbitant $20 downtown parking.

[@Thom-TRA]

I just never believe people when they use words like “crime-infested. It’s almost always hyperbolic.

[@gacaptain]

You’re lucky if you only pay $20 for parking downtown for a major event or entertainment.

[@katehansen6339]

Lived here since 1995. I came back to the airport, on a whim I decided to try Marta. No problem, very friendly people shared my ride and I got the opportunity to see parts of the city good and bad I had never seen. Thinking about taking a ride around the city with my grandson. He is 18 and doesn't like to drive. Especially in the city!

[@lamar81lw]

Welcome to Atlanta I'm also a marta operator glad you're like our system 👍

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Atlanta's airport is extremely busy for different reasons! The airport got its start when Coca-Cola founder Asa Griggs Candler donated the land on which the defunct Atlanta Speedway sat for the purpose of creating an airport. So from the very beginning, business leaders of the state realized the importance aviation was going to have on the economy. Atlanta has a growing economy with lots of corporate traffic, companies headquartered in the city include Coca-Cola, Home Depot, and UPS! When the airport first opened in 1936, it was known as Candler Field! Atlanta was fertile soil for flight. For one thing, the airport had room to expand, and it was set about 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta, close enough in to be quite serviceable to the city’s core but far enough out to grow as needed! As cities get larger, typically, they have more than one airport that is serving them, but not Atlanta, which adds on to Atlanta being so busy! Delta in 1955 was the carrier that created the hub and spoke network. So they were the innovators of that concept, using the spokes to bring all those passengers into a hub, allowing them to transfer” on to other destinations, so nearby medium-sized cities get access to the rest of the world and the US with Atlanta as a regional hub. Growth helped, too. Through mergers, Delta Air Lines could expand internationally. Atlanta occupies a strategic eastern point in the United States, acting as a major entry point for international traffic. Hartsfield-Jackson has a large catchment area with competing airports quite a distance away. Airports such as Nashville and Charlotte are about 250 miles (400 kilometers) away, too far away to provide a whole lot in the way of competition. So people drive a long distance to use Atlanta because there’s really no other viable airport in the area. Atlanta is in something of a sweet spot. It’s within a two-hour flight of 80% of the US population, according to the airport, but it’s not jammed up too close to other major metro areas!

[@Thom-TRA]

And here I am literally today, once again transferring at Atlanta!

[@milliedragon4418]

I've watched a few documentaries about it. It's quite an amazing airport, very efficient.

[@n7y8c7]

Atlanta is a small city, but it's the 6th largest metro in the US after NY, LA, CHI, DFW, and HOU. The reason the airport is the busiest in the world is other cities its size have at least 2, and it's Delta's main hub. Delta is the world's largest airline by revenue, and has about 1100 daily departures. Atlanta is within a 2 hour flight of 80% of the US population. The old saying goes "When I die, whether I'm going to heaven or hell, I have to change planes in Atlanta." MARTA is much smaller than it should be because most funding is only from Atlanta and Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties. The state contributes very little, but requires them to spend their budget in ways that are detrimental to growth. The outlying counties have also refused to join the system.

[@kemperlewis7139]

As far as I know, Hartsfield Jackson is the only airport in America with 2 people mover systems, very unique

[@Thom-TRA]

@@kemperlewis7139 Tampa and Orlando have multiple

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

As you mentioned, the lines on MARTA didn't get color-based names until 2009. The original names for the lines are reflected in the station codes you mentioned at the airport. The Gold Line used to be known as the Northeast Branch (and in 2006, the Northeast-South Line), and so the stations on the Gold Line-only section in the northern part of the system have station codes beginning with NE, like Doraville's station code being NE10. The Red Line was known as the North Branch (and later North-South Line in 2006), so stations on the northern Red Line section have station codes beginning with N like North Springs's code being N11. But the Green Line is different in that its station code doesn't reference a compass direction. Bankhead's station code begins with P because the Green Line used to be known as the Proctor Creek Branch (later Proctor Creek Line in 2006) of the East-West Line and it wasn't supposed to terminate at Bankhead but rather was supposed to be the North Line, meant to serve places such as Northside Drive in Brookwood Hills, serving the Perry Homes projects. You didn't get to see it, but Five Points has a facade from an old building that they chose to keep during the construction! The facade they kept in Five Points is from the Eiseman Building. The Eiseman Building was constructed in 1901 to house a haberdashery and clothing store. It was the idea of John Carlsten, an Atlanta architect, to incorporate the turn-of-the-century sculpture into Five Points station! Peachtree Center is a cool station! Peachtree Center was built by tunneling through solid gneiss, a granite like rock formed of layers of quartz and mica. It is the Stockholm Metro station of the MARTA system! Like deep sea divers, construction workers were required to undergo 30 minutes of compression/decompression when entering or coming out of the tunnel. This was due to the air pressure of the devices that held the rock walls until permanent supports were built!

[@Thom-TRA]

Love when they keep old building facades! And imagine having to decompress for your job

[@FlyiDCG]

Damn, where did you learn this from???

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson. Maynard Jackson was the first Black mayor of Atlanta and of any major city in the South, serving as Atlanta's 54th mayor of Atlanta from 1974 to 1982, and again as the 56th mayor from 1990 to 1994. Jackson was mayor when MARTA secured the funding and built its heavy-rail system, helped Atlanta win the 1996 Summer Olympics in 1990 and was in Barcelona to receive the Olympic flag in 1992, and in the context of the airport, he helped arrange for the upgrade of the then-William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport's Midfield/Domestic Terminal to modern standards! So when he died in 2003, the airport added Jackson to its name, and named the International Terminal after him as well when it opened in 2012! The Mercedez-Benz Stadium at 7:41 is quite the cool stadium with an epic retractable roof consisting of eight panels! Activated by the push of a button, they appear to rotate when opening but actually move in unison along 16 linear tracks. Closing the roof takes slightly less time than opening the roof, since the roof has to disengage the seals at the start of the opening procedure and slow down towards the end to prevent the panels from getting derailed. When opened, the panels are designed to create the illusion of a bird's wings extended, to reference the Atlanta Falcons of course (the stadium's facade was also inspired by a falcon's wing)! Architect Bill Johnson explained that the circular opening in the roof was inspired by the Roman Pantheon. The roof was designed to be made of a clear, lightweight polymer material that can adjust its opacity to control light, and much of the exterior is clear polymer or glass to allow views to the outside. The middle concourse and upper bowl were eliminated in the east end zone to allow for an unobstructed view of the skyline!

[@johnchastain5657]

I changed planes at A-H once before they built the "plane train" subway. I had 20 minutes to sprint from, like, Gate A1 to Gate Z99! Made it, but I was younger then....

[@gregoryedwards8781]

MARTA has the best airport rail connection

[@ngtflyer]

Welcome to Atlanta. I live here and ride MARTA on random occasion. I rode the system shortly after it opened 40+ years ago. (aging myself here). The seats used to be padded and the floor carpeted. The second train car you rode in during the video was one of the original on the system, with the short seat handles! The whole system was upgraded with new running gear and all of the existing rolling stock had the interiors redone about 12 years ago. I hope you enjoyed your trip here!

[@Thom-TRA]

I wonder, did people get upset when they replaced the interiors?

[@starrwulfe]

@@Thom-TRA Most people didn't mind as the padded seats were pretty beat up in the older 100, 200 and 300 series cars. The Breda built 600 series trains were already "modernized."

[@Hahlen]

That station you were in at the end is very cool looking. I always love seeing natural rock in rail systems

[@Thom-TRA]

Me too, it gives it such a surreal look!

[@JJR93]

I visited a friend in Atlanta in the late 1990s; my parents dropped me off on their way to South Carolina. My friend worked during the day but I had no problem getting around the city and back to my friends Apartment using MARTA. Fun times.

[@georgefunk9386]

I really like the rock wall at the Peachtree station.

[@Thom-TRA]

Me too! Sometimes doing nothing ends up looking the best

[@chrisfrazier1168]

As an Atlanta native I’m so honored you’ve got to experience a little snippet of my childhood. Peachtree Center is one of my favorite stations too. Did you know that the architecture is not just a design choice. The station is the DEEPEST STATION on the line (King Memorial on the Blue/Green line is the highest).

[@wesleyshelby8163]

That’s my favorite station as well. Peachtree Station has a Star Wars Vibe to it. It doesn’t feel aged but futuristic.

[@WielerTelusme]

Forever love Atlanta, Miami made me Atlanta Raised me!

[@brycebundens6866]

What a beautiful system!!! Especially peach tree center station. The idea of every station being alittle unique gives the system character; it’s just as valid to intentionally make each station architecturally diverse as it is to make them uniform like DC!

[@Thom-TRA]

But I did really miss the blinking lights. Icing on the WMATA cake for sure.

[@FlyiDCG]

Yes so many of the stations are differently designed, but the better part is whats outside the stations. Some stations have tons around them while other site next to park n ride lots.

[@hammer2977]

Working at the airport I use to take MARTA from North Springs to the airport. While it was nice to be able to cruise by the traffic, it actually took longer to get home from the airport due to the Red line stopping at Lindbergh after 9 pm. I still use it regularly to get to Atlanta United matches downtown

[@dougbones7095]

You have saved alot of money by riding marta.

[@FlyiDCG]

How far do you live from North Springs?

[@hammer2977]

@@FlyiDCG for a few years I was about 15-20 minutes away, later on I moved further north and it ended up being 30 min

[@meandmyEV]

I live in the Atlanta area and I ride the MARTA trains fairly often. They are useful for when I want to get downtown. Atlanta is a difficult place to build public transit both geographically and politically. Most people need to get from one suburb to another and there are a lot of NIMBYs preventing the system from expanding outside of Fulton County. I personally would love to see the system expand out to Norcross and it seems like it would be a good fit as people might want to commute from there to jobs in the city.

[@the3idiots14]

I think the good thing is DeKalb wants to see expansion. But it’s that pesky Cobb county that makes everything so difficult.

[@litz13]

I live north of the North Springs end of the Red Line. Free parking + $5 round trip is a no brainer vs driving/gas/parking ($40 for major events) when going downtown. Train goes directly to the Arts Center, Mercedes Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, GWCC and so so so much more. And for the airport it's a straight shot to the terminal, and $8/day parking.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s great!

[@the3idiots14]

I’m glad you checked it out and want to come back soon. There’s a lot of support for MARTA being better but it needs to happen without so many impediments. Would love to be a part of your tour the next time you come to town.

[@Thorum0]

Wide seats is probably a good idea in the southern us

[@Thom-TRA]

lol

[@luxejohn]

Shady😭

[@tomriddle8933]

I resemble that remark. 😅

[@SeaBassTian]

I love MARTA and I ride it whenever i visit the midtown neighborhood (which is my fave btw) but it could be SO MUCH BETTER. It has not grown significantly since its debut and Atlanta has experienced massive growth since then. I believe there are plans for a new light rail system along the beltline which would circle the city which sounds like it would be awesome.

[@Thom-TRA]

I know, comparing the growth of the DC Metro versus MARTA shows a crazy difference

[@charlieboozer82]

New roadbuidling, as well as road expansion, as opposed to increased rapid transit expansion, isn't unique to Atlanta as a remedy to traffic congestion. Compound that with a,let's say, less than favorable political appetite for rapid transit expansion that prioritizes rail over roads into the suburbs.

[@gacaptain]

Every one who’s been in Atlanta a long time like me knows the real reason MARTA hasn’t expanded much. For a very long time Atlanta was a majority Black city surrounded by majority White suburbs in the Deep South. So..surprise..whenever a referendum vote would come up to permit it’s expansion into the burbs they would reject it. Now that both the city and suburbs are more diverse and progressive you would expect things to change. But the last referendum was rejected not too long ago. MARTA officials for now have elected to add more stations in town rather than focusing on expansion further into the suburbs which was always its initial goal.

[@charlieboozer82]

​@@gacaptainfacts on facts. As a xennial(older millennial,1982,Grady hospital) and an Atlanta native, this has always been the elephant in room fact. It's so true that people colloquially changed the acronym to mean Moving Africans Rapidly Thru Atlanta. The discrimatory underbelly of Marta's insufficient coverage and failure to expand. Funding from the state of Georgia also severely fall short.

[@gacaptain]

@@charlieboozer82 yep. The state government here in Georgia has long been anti transit and anti Atlanta. MARTA has had to fight hard to be as good as it is with little government and financial support from beyond Fulton and Dekalb counties.

[@acnetj]

Rode this last month and the MARTA trains sound exactly like BART's original fleet that just retired. The train interior features and station architectures also reflect the climate of Atlanta as supposed to cities that are generally cooler and dry like SF or snow.

[@RicCross]

Thank y’all for taking the time to visit and vlog the MARTA adventure… My criticism of MARTA is that every line is a “local”, no express service, think of the “A” train in NYC…

[@gacaptain]

The Five points Atlanta Station is undergoing extensive renovations they are trying to complete in time for the World Cup. It's possibly because of this construction that it's currently so confusing to get around the station to transfer trains. Some parts of the station have been closed off.

[@alk61695]

I enjoyed riding MARTA when I was in Atlanta last year. It is the most convenient way from the airport to downtown for sure.

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@reverietapes]

Not from ATL, but i love MARTA. I wish more people could ride it.

[@Thom-TRA]

Hey, you don’t have to be from a city to love its trains!

[@airtrafficman972]

This train brings back a bit of self-deprecating nostalgia for me. Had an overnight layover while traveling with my aunt at 10 years old. As we were heading back to the airport in the morning, the train came to a full stop right near ATL to wait for another to pass. Having recently become fascinated with planes, my naive little suburban FL self who had never been on a metro train in his life got up to look at a jet on final approach in the other window. Of course at that exact moment our train took off again, and I learned the valuable lesson not to stand up in a transit vehicle without holding on to something 🤣

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m sure it was a flooring experience

[@harleygould7255]

One of the cheap thrills of MARTA is Train surfing....spread your legs, and surf the train as it moves out of and into stations.

[@AM-tu1rc]

10:20 I believe they put the all signs up there on the walls back to back so that all people in the train can look out and always see what station they're at at all times when the train is stopping.

[@Thom-TRA]

Pretty smart

[@JJRol.]

I've been waiting for this one. MARTA really does feel and look like a strange combination of WMATA and BART. Thanks for the video! (Also yeah Atlanta having the largest airport is wild to me, I think the reason is just due to it being a hub for multiple airlines... Still weird!)

[@Thom-TRA]

It felt familiar and foreign at the same time

[@gregorylparks7304]

Great Video!! I love riding on Marta Train, every time I'm in Atlanta. Thom, keep up the good work!😊

[@n7y8c7]

It's so big because of Delta's massive operation, location near so many smaller cities, and other cities have multiple airports Washington and Miami both have 3! But ATL is still bigger than those combined.

[@WilliamAkins-rw2hv]

Weirder still are visitors who breeze through a beautiful city like Atlanta that is appreciated by its own people and many others ...and call it weird. Welcome to Atlanta! But don't miss your flight home.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@WilliamAkins-rw2hv who is calling it weird?

[@johnp1937]

Looks like a fun trip. I've been to Atlanta once when looking at colleges, and I drove on that migraine inducing 15 lane freeway downtown, swearing never to do it again. I need to ride MARTA next time... I read somewhere that the green line was supposed to go to Druid Hills and Emory Univ. It's a shame those plans were blocked.

[@gacaptain]

Good idea. Depending on which school you are visiting you can park for free at a station on the edge of town, take a train to the station close to your school , then walk or take a shuttle bus from the station to the school. I skip a lot of Atlanta traffic and expensive parking by occasionally using this strategy.

[@ck4426]

This was a very interesting video. I hope that the MARTA will expand to try to help Atlanta’s horrible traffic problem. That would be awesome!!!

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s all a matter of getting the politicians to think straight!

[@glyphnoceda]

I used this when at Momocon! I loved riding on a train for the first time lol

[@marvinbone1379]

Wow. That was fun ! Thank you for your quiet and observant intuition. You spoke to us, as if you were helping us out, as tourists. The system looks sleek and very 1970s. The stations are bright and clean.Never been there, but the city looks as if, it's in an old forest. Hello from Tel Aviv.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m glad my style of videos is so welcoming!

[@JerrellWoolford]

As a kid, I remember seeing a picture of MARTA in a book and wondering why is a DC Metro train in Atlanta 😆 They have a good system down in Atlanta and I hope they get the expansion that they desperately need.

[@AM-tu1rc]

3:45 Wow, I never even noticed the numbers all the times I rode MARTA! That's cool

[@TanVasinTrains]

The Trains on the MARTA sound like the R143 trains in NYC

[@starrwulfe]

Good ear! Some have Kawasaki VVVTs just like those R143s IIRC

[@Danrod96]

ATL is the busiest airport in the world because it's also the HQ for the largest airline in the world, Delta. Every day, more than 800 Delta flights depart Atlanta to over 30 countries. That accounts for more than 3/4 of the total departures from the airport. ATL is the biggest simply because Delta is the biggest.

[@milliedragon4418]

I'm so glad that Atlanta, got the train Network in the airport. Given that Atlanta would become the most busiest airport in the world, that was a wise investment.

[@nixonsmith]

Great video. The Five Points station is undergoing a massive re-design. Should be ready for the world cup. Also the four new MARTA infill stations are situated where the beltline streetcar connects.

[@Thom-TRA]

I don’t think all the new stations connect to the Beltline but at least one of them will

[@nixonsmith]

@@Thom-TRA Thanks for your videos and comments. According to MARTA and the Beltline the new stations have specifically been proposed where the beltline crosses the MARTA rail lines. Boone station on the green line, Murphy's crossing on the red/gold line, Krog Street on the green/blue line, and Armour on the red/gold line. If built as planned this will be an amazing way to get around many neighborhoods.

[@teecefamilykent]

Brilliant video sir, good to see Lyndsey keeping an eye on you too!

[@Thom-TRA]

Always!

[@wompa70]

The city of Atlanta is like 37th in population. By metropolitan statistical area, Atlanta is 6th. ATL is the home of Delta Air Lines. This caused the airport to need to be big. Since it was so big, other airlines have made it their southeastern hub, too. Five Points Station is crazy. Very easy to get lost. It's not bad once you figure out the best way to get from where you're dropped off to where you need to go. I took MARTA daily for about two years. I worked a few blocks from the Art Center station. I'd drive to and from College Park and take the train. It was great. Very relaxing. I didn't take it when I worked at Georgia Tech, though. My schedule rotated and late nights/early mornings the trains and busses didn't run enough. But with the weird shift times traffic wasn't too bad and parking on campus was plentiful.

[@PrimeTimeTravelers]

We've ridden on Marta a lot in 2017. We rode from our airport hotel to 5 points and to Doraville for an awesome lunch!

[@tomroderick8213]

Rode MARTA to work almost every day for 31 years until I retired. Bought a house in 1984 for its proximity to a then planned expansion. Much better than driving in Atlanta traffic.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s awesome

[@BrennanZeigler]

I was in Atlanta for my cousin's wedding back in January. He lives down there. I took MARTA from the airport to Peachtree Center and then transferred to the streetcar to go to our hotel. Unfortunately, due to how small the MARTA rail system is, it's really only good for getting from the airport to downtown. It's still better than having nothing but it just needs to be more expansive. There was briefly a plan recently to extend the green line from Bankhead, north to Vinings, but Vinings is in Cobb County, not Fulton, DeKalb, or Clayton Counties, which means it's out of MARTA's range. You see, when they initially planned MARTA, they wanted it to also serve Cobb, Gwinnett, and Forsyth Counties as well, but due to NIMBYs in those counties, it was scaled back to Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton Counties. Now Cobb, Gwinnett, and Forsyth Counties have their own bus networks that don't even connect with each other and don't even connect to MARTA, unlike Chicago where CTA, Pace, and Metra are fully integrated with easy connections between each system

[@Thom-TRA]

Another reason to hate NIMBYs. Disconnected bus systems drive me insane.

[@Akapaco2]

MARTA does connect with Cobb and Gwinnette Country's bus systems now. There are also commuter buses linking some of the other counties on the edge of the Metro. The system has gotten a lot better, but it's still a complete mess. We really need one large regional system that can integrate all the surrounding areas together.

[@milliedragon4418]

​@@Akapaco2That's right. There's the express Marta, thank goodness cuz I would never want to go drive, especially the North Suburbs to Atlanta if I have to go to the airport.

[@n7y8c7]

​@@Thom-TRAThey only exist because they're required to qualify for federal funding. If they were connected black people from the big bad city would come to the suburbs to steal their televisions. 🙄

[@CrabMan2539]

I rode marta as a kid a little over 10 years ago. Definitely a very interesting system. I spent a lot of time growing up in Atlanta since I had family there. I used to railfan down there too (never Inman or tilford yard tho unfortunately). Atlanta is a very special city to me. Also my guess for the airport being so busy is the fact that a lot of businesses are headquartered in Atlanta, like more than any other city I've been to by a long shot.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s that Coca-cola CNN traffic I guess

[@DEARD1965]

Safest Buses in North America for years now,like over 30. The busses act as a feeder system to get around metro atlanta and surrounding cities and their bus lines are incorporated into the MARTA system.

[@derrickclark5510]

This is a beautiful system!!!

[@gacaptain]

The main reason Atlantas Airport is so busy is because it serves as a connecting hub for the Southern U.S. and the North and West. Alot of connecting flights from one part of the country to another pass through Atlanta. It’s a major freight rail hub and gets a ton of through highway traffic for the same reason basically.

[@shawtyblackatl]

Bankhead Station was originally the beginning of a line that was supposed to run further north. Same of the east where a line was supposed to go into north dekalb.

[@Thom-TRA]

Didn’t know that!

[@curtatl]

Thanks for the video. I always understood that the MARTA rail system was originally partially planned as developmental or "build it and they will come" often going to places that were rather desolate at the time but have since become more dense such as the Lindbergh station. Also keep your eye on the Beltline which is first turning abandoned railroad right of ways into walking paths that are connecting and energizing vast areas of the central city and will likely also have trolly lines. One comment regarding comfort: When Marta first opened they had cushioned seats on the trains. Unfortunately, vandals quickly destroyed them with cutting and graffiti and they were replaced with the resistant ones they have now.

[@cashumilk]

MARTA buses are great too. They get a bad rep at times. I go to school outside the perimeter at a small state college and I live close to the West End station. I'm able to get on the train and connecting bus to get to Clayton State University by the 193 bus pretty easily.

[@lilacfields]

I have good memories with MARTA. I remember taking it from college park to turner field (braves stadium) when I was younger! I loved it so much and never understood why so many don’t appreciate it. Unfortunately I don’t think its reach will ever improve due to some people’s ignorance and prejudice.

[@AA_8184_1]

First time catching a premiere! Looks like a great video!😊

[@Thom-TRA]

Congrats!

[@andrewcrothers2000_]

I live in the Bay Area so I do take BART all the time and it does look similar to the DC Metro and Atlanta MARTA

[@Thom-TRA]

Did you ride the last legacy fleet train today?

[@andrewcrothers2000_]

@@Thom-TRA I heard there retired already

[@planetfitnessca2334]

Lovely video. Thanks for the tours

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@Leg0456]

I love MARTA. Rode it last year February

[@Thom-TRA]

Cool! About half a year before we did

[@FGH9G]

I developed a strange and weirdly specific fascination with MARTA ever since I saw the movie 'Escape from New York' by John Carpenter. Several scenes were actually shot in Atlanta, specifically some of the MARTA stations. In the original (deleted) opening sequence, Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken and his partner, make their getaway using the USART (United States of America Rapid Transit) system, which MARTA stood in for. The metro stations they shot those scenes at the time were brand new and looked very futuristic and spage age, which was perfectly suited to what the film crew was looking for.

[@Thom-TRA]

Cool! I’ll have to check it out

[@portcybertryx222]

Heyyyy Welcome to my city! Hope you had a great time here. We are also getting the new cq400 trains from stadler later this year or early next year. They already did virtual tours of the new car design and are implementing an open gangway similar to the 8000 dc trains. So more similarities for the future. Also the problem with expanding marta is that they originally had plans to expand further up north but the NIMBYs in Gwinnett and Cobb county cancelled the expansions so the money instead went to BRT projects and a proposed streetcar extension which isn’t great. Hopefully we will see more in the future.

[@Thom-TRA]

Very excited for the Stadler trains

[@adamlyman8293]

A big positive was missed when they skipped on the idea of expanding into Cobb County (Northwest of Atlanta). Would've saved soooo much auto traffic.

[@diztriq3394]

reminds me of the old BREDA and ROHR WMATA fleet, esprcially the beige interior and the exact same sounds!!!

[@parkerjon29]

I love how they sound. They sound almost identical to the DC metro in the 90s and early 2000s

[@Thom-TRA]

I made sure to add plenty of clips with just for sounds!

[@edwardjones4870]

I rode MARTA several years ago during a visit to Atlanta, and the trains were absolutely filthy. From your video it appears that they’ve cleaned up their act.

[@jonathanjohnson2112]

Marta is the pinnacle of southern humor; If you fall asleep on the train you wake up at the airport!

[@michaelb9629]

Yay! Finally you got to go to Atlanta for once to ride the public transportation system there. That’s the closest subway from where I live even though it’s a couple hours away which isn’t bad. And I know that airport is the busiest in the world which I talked to my mom about the other day because she was there to make a connection back home from Philadelphia. I plan on going back to Atlanta in a couple months when I can ride the trains there again.

[@sir_dragonfly7287]

I respect the choice to change the name of the line because of the backlash, but I do wish that Seattle did something similar instead of changing the entire naming system to numbered trains. Colors are much more easily identifiable, and for people who are visually impaired or just not fully aware of their surroundings, a numbered system may cause confusion. For a rapid transit system, ease of use is important, and simply changing the color of the red line to some other arbitrary color would have been a much better solution for all parties. Excellent video!

[@craigsmith9636]

That’s my old home metro system! Also, it’s just a theory, but I think Atlanta’s airport is so busy, because unlike other large cities, it only has one major commercial airport.

[@Thom-TRA]

I think that’s a good theory!

[@MrMannyfresh78]

As a kid growing up in the DC area I remember traveling to ATL and thinking how similar the Marta was to the Metro. Lol what a doofus I was… Marta has barely (if any) changed over the last 20 years. Why they haven’t built out their current lines further into the suburbs is beyond me. Not to mention ATL has a beautiful green belt just begging for a tram connecting lines.

[@UnixGoldBoy]

I went to school there and rode the train for 2 years until I moved on campus and didn't need it. It was great back in 2002 - 2004 and still is. You just have to know how the system works and how transfers work. You can get to Alpharetta in 45 minutes from downtown which takes about 35 minutes by car (10 minutes difference! ...or longer in traffic). And yes I am a white dude.

[@griffin5726]

MARTA is the ONLY reason why I will visit my uncle, he lives in North Springs, and it takes 3 hours by car to get to the airport! One by the MARTA, this thing is a godsend for the people of Atlanta, if only it had more stations

[@Thom-TRA]

It seems like if both your destinations are on the system, it would be the obvious way to go

[@djjball]

Really glad that you guys got to enjoy our city. I definitely can tell you that those Stadler cars are definitely coming in 2025. They had an event here a few months ago showcasing the new cars. When they come, you should definitely check them out. They will have open gangways and a few other European features.

[@Thom-TRA]

I definitely will!

[@calvinhj3smspaviation757]

I'm glad you finally did the Marta, I'm assuming you also rode the famous ATL Planetrain and Sky train as well

[@Thom-TRA]

Yes, you can see the plane train by watching the first minute of the video

[@Trainsaregreat365]

Beautiful video as always thom

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@ShaunCampbell-j7u]

Marta is a great transit system, Marta should expand NW towards Marietta/Braves Stadium, West to Six Flags, and to International Terminal of the Airport

[@Thom-TRA]

Expansion would be awesome!

[@Skippyboy2348]

Unfortunately Marta expansion is stymed by the racist history of the outer suburbs.

[@SerperiorFox]

They are not allowed to operate in most the counties around Atlanta including Cobb where the stadium is so cobb would need to join marta for that to happen

[@ShaunCampbell-j7u]

@@SerperiorFox I heard Cobb County has a lot of political issues, as I mentioned earlier there are quite a few key destinations and it would relieve traffic off of I-75

[@starrwulfe]

@@ShaunCampbell-j7u They should've never built that stadium there in a transit desert to be honest. Cobb county has historically had the same "white flight" issue as Gwinnett and the rest of the northern arc counties up until very recently which is why we're in the situation with transit we're in today. Up until the mid 90's, there were supposed to be branches going up I-75 and off the Proctor Creek line just as there were plans to go as far as Berkeley Lake and Lawrenceville in Gwinnett. Guess why the MARTA referendums failed in those areas. The good news is Gwinnett is Georgia's most ethnically diverse, and Cobb is up there too. The populations in these areas are also a bit more liberal minded, and many come from areas in the country where public transit is like a utility, not an afterthought. I hope this shows up soon in our next round of referenda voting.

[@ld4067]

my favorite vid of yours yet since this is sorta in my backyard. hope Atlanta can continue to push forward with the Beltline and become less of a car city

[@Thom-TRA]

Eventually someday they’ll have to. I just hope they realize it sooner than later.

[@TheRailcarbusguy]

I can't wait till them new CQ400's stadler metro cars arrive. Them things look amazing also the open gangway feature they have is divine😁.

[@Thom-TRA]

Can’t sit either!

[@calvinhj3smspaviation757]

Everytime I visit Atlanta and ride the Marta, that loud air brake jolts me

[@EpicThe112]

Really cool video the reason why they were accessible from day one it has to do with the architectural barriers Act of 1968 requiring any projects to be accessible from day one. Atlanta MARTA stock same 1970s stock as San Francisco and WMATA but Propulsion of NYC R188 R142A R143 Boston Type 8 Trams Mitrac 1508C. Looking at the Washington Metro 2000 3000 and 6000 propulsion its Alstom ONIX 1990s version NYC R160A R160B Alstom R142 some Warsaw trains.

[@DKforKU]

Thank you for your honest and in depth review. MARTA is not what it could be (potential), but it's a lot better than most people think. I take MARTA from the North Springs station to the airport frequently for work trips. I've never been on the green line. I know a lot of residents in the metro use MARTA for daily work purposes, and suburbanites like myself use it to get to State Farm Arena/Mercedes Benz stadium as well as the airport. There is no better way to get to a Hawks/Falcons/United game than with MARTA. I can't wait for the new trains!

[@Thom-TRA]

I can’t wait for the new trains either!

[@rikkichunn8856]

Great presentation! I especially loved the "Marta" song you opened with. Always great to see Lindsey in the videos! The new cars with the big colored route lights on the front end seems like a great idea. Of course, I'm from Chicago where the L trains have (little) colored route marker lights on the front end. They originated so the towermen could switch the trains the right way at the junctions, but then they discovered that passengers were using them too to make sure they boarded the right train. Ps. I don't think there's anything wrong with how you say "Atlanta." I say it the same way you do.

[@Thom-TRA]

I wish the L would do something similar, where more of the front lights up than just the small screens

[@rikkichunn8856]

@@Thom-TRA Great idea!

[@MrCateagle]

The Plane Train makes for an interesting comparison with the connections between terminals in DFW.

[@WeathermanJohnBiggs]

I really enjoyed this video. Those trains really look similar to the DC Metro, but I think we have the nicer trains in DC. I’ve never really had time to explore Atlanta, I’ve only been to the airport. I’ll be at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson in June as a connection to my destination in Lima, Peru. I think they’re the busiest airport because it’s a connecting airport more than it is a destination airport.

[@desolozantasgaming6897]

I'd love to see you make a video discussing Marta's need to upgrade their outdated machines, especially in East Point. They're always malfunctioning and in desperate need of an overhaul for the entire system.

[@valf1733]

MARTA is in the planning stages of a brand new fare collection system, AFC 2.0. They plan to have preliminary usage by the world cup, so we’ll see when that gets done.

[@officialmcdeath]

Functional, for sure - whilst they won't go the whole distance to solve the wayfinding issues, the colour-coded train fascias will be a publicity winner - look forward to seeing them \m/

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s something that as a kid I always hoped trains would do someday: exterior lights that change color. Excited to see how it plays out.

[@RichardinNC1]

I first rode MARTA in 1986 going to a bowl game. All I can remember is the up escalator at Peachtree (11:35) was broke. We had to hoof it up many flights worth of stairs. I've since ridden DC Metro, Montreal and NYC subways but spread out over decades so its hard to compare.

[@Thom-TRA]

Climbing escalators is a workout for sure

[@patolds]

To quote comedian Mitch Hedberg, “An escalator can never be broken, they just become stairs”.

[@drakirolopez7859]

What RichardinNC1 didn't mention is that if you look up the escalator at Peachtree Center platform, it looks like the stairway to heaven...

[@RichardinNC1]

@@drakirolopez7859 All I remember is it was a long climb. Also a big guy carried a girl with a bad ankle all the way up!

[@29downtheline]

Great video; looking forward to the one on the streetcar! I haven’t gotten the chance to ride MARTA yet, but the station announcement chimes are wonderful; I’m pretty sure they’re the same as the chime in Miami (at least on the MetroMover)

[@gamewarrior010]

It is the same chime!

[@philipcaldwell3187]

ATLANTA - Build a transfer station anywhere on the NE area that the AMTRAK line runs parallel to the MARTA line. This would enable a simple connection between AMTRAK and MARTA that allows travelers to bypass the misery that is the Atlanta AMTRAK station. Talk about a study in contrast - city with the world’s busies airport also has the world’s most dismal passenger train station.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

Atlanta is probably the busiest airport due to the many internal flights in the USA and it's location makes it a good place to change to places further north ,west and south.I think that Dubai is the busiest for international flights although the UAE must have internal flights too.

[@milliedragon4418]

If I'm not mistaken, I think that that's like the second busiest airport. Quite possibly one day could overtake Atlanta 's. Hartsfield-Jackson airport for number one spot.

[@johnchastain5657]

Looks like MARTA has brighter lighting than WMATA's subterranean gloom. Maybe that's to keep you awake during the long waits!

[@Thom-TRA]

That plus sunlight is the best sanitizer

[@johnp1937]

The switch to LEDs a couple years ago actually made the WMATA subway stations a little bit darker and with uneven lighting (i.e. coverage) of the vaults. I do hope this will be fixed. But I don't mind the low lighting in general. Not many of us read the print newspaper these days, and phone screens are plenty bright. I much prefer low, indirect lighting to harsh, direct lighting.

[@kr46428]

To me, something about the slanted walls reminds me of the interior of an Imperial Star Destroyer. If the walls weren't so beige, I would bet Darth Vader would ride MARTA!

[@Thom-TRA]

Beige is the color of sand…

[@DominikW118]

I’m always gonna be happy to see some UIC merch! Excited to see the new Stadler cars on MARTA.

[@Thom-TRA]

Go flames!

[@michaelfukuda-bowles9231]

I loved the video. That is my hometown took Marta all the time, I loved the system. It was supposed to be more expansive than it is now but the political landscape of the time prohibited it from growing and it is the only system in the country that receives no state funding. So for them to keep the system vital is impressive in and of itself. The system has potential but it needs people with vision.

[@Thom-TRA]

I was gonna say, with the political landscape I’m surprised they even made it this far

[@michaelfukuda-bowles9231]

@@Thom-TRAThank you for your informative videos and bringing awareness to transit. All the stations are undergoing renovations with Five Points receiving a major transformation. Also I hope you guys got a chance to check out the BeltLine which will eventually have a light rail system if the political will holds up.

[@ralphlyda4545]

At 12.30 thou mentionedst “the original bedrock.” That bedrock is gneiss, which is the German word “Gneiß” (ß = ss). It’s pronounced the same as “nice.” We Atlantans wish the subway went farther, but it goeth indeed not farther.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s very Gneiß

[@sxa1313]

At one time Marta had a negative joke about what it stood for. Also Peachtree center station was used in a movie. Called the heavenly kid.

[@AG7-MTM]

I hope the new Stadler trains will arrive soon

[@Thom-TRA]

Me too!

[@clownypants2718]

WOOHOO!!! MARTA REFERENCE!!

[@Thom-TRA]

Reference? It’s a whole dang video!

[@jeesmith99]

TRA is back!

[@Thom-TRA]

Been gone 3 whole days!