Gotham City Subway
A Orange Line train passing over Kennedy Way
A Orange Line train passing over Kennedy Way
Overview
LocaleGotham City, New Jersey and suburbs, United States
Transit typeRapid transit
Number of lines12
Number of stations81
Daily ridership1,476,000 (weekdays, Q4 2022)
Annual ridership538,700,000 (2022)
Chief executiveValorie Reid
Headquarters23 Burgess Lane, Gotham City
Websitewww.gothamtransit.com
Operation
Began operationNovember 17, 1896; 127 years ago (1896-11-17)
Operator(s)Gotham Transit Authority (GTA)
CharacterAt-grade, elevated, and underground
Number of vehicles1,318 railcars
Train length6 or 8 cars
HeadwayPre-pandemic: 4–8 mins peak; 12–20 mins off-peak
May 2023: 6–12 mins peak; 8–15 mins off-peak
Technical
System length129 mi (208 km)
No. of tracks2
Track gauge4 ft 8+14 in (1,429 mm)
Minimum radius of curvature225 ft (68.6 m)[1]
ElectrificationThird rail750 V DC
Average speed33 mph (53 km/h)
Top speed75 mph (121 km/h)

The Washington Metro, often abbreviated as the Metro and formally the Metrorail,[2] is a rapid transit system serving the Washington metropolitan area of the United States. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which also operates the Metrobus service under the Metro name.[3] Opened in 1976, the network now includes six lines, 98 stations, and 129 miles (208 km) of route.[4][5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference gauge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Schrag, Zachary (2006). "Introduction". The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0-8018-8246-X.Google Books search/preview Archived November 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Questions & Answers About Metro". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017. What do I need to know to build near Metro property? Metro reviews designs and monitors construction of projects adjacent to Metrorail and Metrobus property...
  4. ^ "History". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. 2017. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  5. ^ "Metro launches Silver Line, largest expansion of region's rail system in more than two decades" (Press release). Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. July 25, 2014. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2017.