Wheaton station (Washington Metro) explained

Wheaton
Style:WMATA
Symbol:red
Symbol Location:washington
Address:11001 Veirs Mill Road
Borough:Wheaton, Maryland
Coordinates:39.0386°N -77.0508°W
Owned:Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Platform:2 twin tube interconnected side platforms
Tracks:2
Structure:Underground
Depth:[1]
Parking:977 spaces
Bicycle:Capital Bikeshare, 36 racks, 20 lockers
Accessible:Yes
Code:B10
Closed:June 1, 2024
Passengers:1,598 daily[2]
Pass Year:2023
Pass Rank:65 out of 98
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail-metro
Marker-Color:
  1. e31837
Zoom:15

Wheaton station is a Washington Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland on the Red Line. The station serves the suburb of Wheaton, and is located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue (Maryland Route 97) and Reedie Drive. The station contains 230adj=midNaNadj=mid escalators, which are the longest set of single-span escalators in the Western Hemisphere.

Service at Wheaton began on September 22, 1990, and it was the northeastern end of the Red Line for nearly eight years, until the Glenmont station opened in July 1998.

On June 1, 2024, all Red Line stations north of Fort Totten, including this one were closed to allow the Maryland Transit Authority to work on the upcoming Purple Line. Takoma is set to re-open on June 29 while the rest of the stations on August 31.[3]

Station layout

Wheaton station features the longest set of single-span escalators in the Western Hemisphere, each featuring a length of 230feet,[4] with a vertical rise of 115feet.[5] Wheaton's escalators travel at a speed of 90feet per minute (±5%) and are set at an inclination of 30 degrees.[6] The trip takes approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds. There are two elevators leading into the station's parking garage at the Reedie Drive entrance, while the entrance at the bus bay is at ground level. Inside the station, there is one elevator leading from the mezzanine to the Shady Grove bound side of the platform. The station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. However, the station lacks backup elevators. In the event that the elevator to the platform is not operational, the station is not accessible and disabled users must take a shuttle to the next station.[7]

This station, along with Forest Glen station farther south, has separate tunnels and platforms for each direction, instead of the large, vaulted common room seen at most other underground stations in the Metro system; this design was used to save money due to the station's depth.

Notable place nearby

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Wheaton, Forest Glen To Climb Aboard Metro: New Stations to Extend Red Line 3.2 Miles . Fehr . Stephen C. . September 16, 1990 . The Washington Post . D1 . . Article preview
  2. Web site: Metrorail Ridership Summary . Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . February 14, 2024.
  3. Web site: 5 Red Line stations are now closed for weeks of summer construction . NBC4 Washington . 3 June 2024.
  4. http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/metrofacts.pdf Metro Facts
  5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31605-2004May16.html "Standing on the Left? You Must Be on Vacation"
  6. Elevator/Escalator Department, WMATA. Reply to a customer inquiry, Case 580424. Answer forwarded by Helen B. Gregory, Customer Service, WMATA, 9/14, 2010
  7. Web site: These Metro stations have backup elevators . . 2024-04-21.