Has anyone done an analysis on the Silver line's impact on Orange line commuters? (Reston: home)

[coolio69]

I think it's going to be a disaster. Right now, I commute on the Orange line and 1-2 times a week I can't get on the train b/c it's too full. (pretty much a rushhour commuter). I get on in VA square. Other times, people overload the train so much that the doors break and they have to offload the entire train.

A big bottleneck is also at Rosslyn, when we start sharing the tracks with the Blue line.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we'll be sharing part of the track with the Silver line, right? I understand there is a proposal for a 3rd set of express rails, but that's just pie-in-the-sky. They aren't working on that.

Going home is not as bad usually, but sometimes it can be.

I may have to consider bicycling in.

[JfromReston]

Start Peddling!

[yamota]

I know what you mean. One can develop a case of claustrophobia riding the orange line at rush hour.

[Deeman804]

It should help, because the silver line will increase the amounts of trains on the tracks between East Falls and DC. My only wonder is why the Orange line doesnt use as many 8-car trains as the red line now. Also, I keep hearing about how the trains are going to be rerouted so that one of the lines will cross into DC at the current Yellow Line's bridge

[ICS67]

In terms of more trains sharing the same track, the Orange Line and Silver Line will indeed be on the same track from East Falls Church into the District. I believe, however, that Metro is considering rerouting some Blue Line trains so that, instead of all of them coming through Rosslyn, some will cross the Potomac via the Yellow Line bridge that will take them to L'Enfant Plaza.

As for crowding within the trains themselves, the Silver Line will probably help ease congestion on the Orange Line. A tremendous number of commuters (I know; I used to be one) currently take the Fairfax Connector from Reston and Herndon to West Falls Church, where they pour onto the Orange Line. I'm assuming that when the first phase of the Silver Line opens, all those bus routes will drop off commuters at the Silver Line's interim terminus at Wiehle Avenue in Reston, rather than bring them to West Falls. Presumably, therefore, that means less crowding on the Orange Line.