How the Washington DC Metro Became AMERICA'S BEST METRO!

America is full of amazing subway systems, but the DC Metro is one of the most unique in the country. With a clean, minimal, and futuristic look, the Washington DC Metro has earned the title of America's most iconic Metro and the last great American Subway System. The DC Metro shares many similarities to the first Metro System, the London Underground.

Join me in this deep dive as we travel across the history of the London Underground and many of American Subway systems to understand how the Washington DC Metro earned such a prestigious title and why it took so long to be implemented in America's Capital.

I'll see you on the DC Metro!

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Washington DC Metro History:

Special thanks to STL Elevators, please check out their channel below:
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My name is Jose and I enjoy bringing America's history to life. If you love Travel Documentaries and learning about America's 50 States, I invite you to Subscribe to my channel and turn on notifications 🔔 to stay up to date with the Tour.

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#washingtondc #traveldocumentary #joseontour #washingtondcmetro #metro
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0:00 - Welcome to America's Metro System
1:06 - Discover the Unique DC Metro at Chinatown Station
1:53 - London Underground | Birth of the Metro System
5:49 - Creating the Washington DC Metro
10:10 - The Futuristic Design of the DC Metro
12:40 - Back to the National Mall!

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Washington DC SERIES:
Ep. 1 - Explore Capitol Hill

Ep. 2 - The Best of the Smithsonian Museum

Ep. 3 - Tour the African American Museum

Ep. 4 - Discover the Monuments of Washington DC

Ep. 5 - The Amazing Neighborhoods of Washington DC

Ep. 6 - Across America's Chinatown | A Cross Country Story
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[kathleens.laroche]

José, this has to be the most beautiful and most artfully constructed video I have ever seen. You have amazing talent and skill. If there were some kind of Emmy or Oscar award for YouTube videos (and maybe there is, but I just don't know about it), you would definitely deserve one for this production. What a pleasure and a privilege to see your work. God bless you and keep going!

[dirtycommie]

I live in Baltimore now but I grew up in DC and PG County, MD. Looking back I realize how much I took the Metro for granted and just the WMATA system in general.

[papagramps]

this is such a well made video bro and thank you for shouting out my DMV. I just KNOW you’re gonna blow up soon bro keep it up!

[brianbowman]

Born, raised and educated in DC, before Lyndon J. I remember reading that one of the design goals wsa to give the user the sense of being underground. Thus, the dim lighting. It was the original intentions to generate quiet awe.

[car_tar]

I love everything about the dc metro, while at first glance the stations are all similar there are so many great things to find. My favorites are the art installation “stop and go” at Morgan blvd designed to evoke an old traffic signal invented by the namesake of the boulevard and in the colors of the metro, and “the commuter” outside Wheaton a statue of a man late to work rollerblading into the station.

[DMVRailfan]

As a DCist, thank you very much. Despite having some shady characters at certain stations (because it is the crime capital), it is a pretty nice system.

[richardbrownjr]

This was a very good video, and well researched. I grew up in the DMV and remember riding the first five of six stations opened on the Red Line from Rhode Island Avenue to Farragut North on opening day in 1976. If I recall, they had to skip the Gallery Place Station by court order until the wheelchair accessible elevators were completed. My junior high school took a field trip to the unopened Gallery Place stop in 1974. They had finished the station and were preparing to install the tracks--fond memories.

[jaygatling]

Yeah our metro system is by far the nicest in design and cleanliness. NYC is still the best In service due to 25 hour availability.

[kathycullenstern]

Great video Jose. I’m a native NYer who lived in the DC area in the late 70’s when the Metro was in its infancy. At the time we just had a small Red Line and small Blue Line. I was able to walk to the Rosslyn Station. I thought it had the longest escalator in the US, although I think the Red Line ended at Silver Spring at the time. So the Wheaton Station came later. Now when I visit I enjoy the expanded system. The traffic is much worse than when I lived there. Metro is the way to get around.

[Tony-gvty]

Great show. Superb narration and history. Thankyou from Tony in England.

[DiscoverRay]

That DuPont underground looks really cool

[SandBoxJohn]

The Washington Metro System was not the last rapid rail transit system built in the United States. Atlanta (1979), Baltimore (1983) Miami (1984) and Los Angeles (1993) opened their first lines after the first line in Washington DC opened (1976). Of those four other system only the Atlanta system was fully built out to originally planed miles.

The Forest Glen and Wheaton stations are at that depth because the geology at shallower depths was not suitable for mining the tunnels through. The difference of the surface elevation between Silver Spring and Forest Glen is roughly 40 feet whereas the difference in the elevation of the platforms between those two stations is roughly 180 feet.

[ddanenel]

keep up the great work man you’re killing it

[peterfrey]

good commentary, and it is a remarkable system. Now, if only we could get that Roosevelt blvd extension in Philly

[venturelyfe]

This was very informative information of the metro system. Great work and commentary!

[abrahamnader]

Thank you, Jose. You are a positive guy👍

[kendrajones]

Great video!
I just Subscribed. Looking forward to seeing where you go next!

[peterfrey]

excellent narrative and photography. LOVED IT. thanks

[bigdawggkev]

I hope they expand the metro into Maryland more but they do have plans to do so!

[brianadamsDC]

I grew up here and still live in WDC today near Chinatown. WDC has the best subway system in America and one of the best systems in the world!