Non-Metro Congress-people mover under the Capitol
February 24, 2021 4:43 PM Subscribe
US Senators and members of the House can ride
a
special system of below-ground trains in Washington, DC. One of them may utilize Linear Induction Motors, a fascinating form of electrical propulsion (with magnetic levitation, even) made possible by Triple Phase Electricity.
Alec Watson is no stranger to Metafilter -- a 2018 FPP by thegears featured his 'Technology Connections' videos, and we had another just last month, from caek, about dishwashers. (And there's more.) I first got into him via his But Sometimes... disquisition into LED traffic lights, and something towards the end of his Story of Disney's PeopleMover in Texas got my attention. People Movers (and/or the PeopleMover) came up recently in the green, which is what the Capitol subways most resemble, and Alec does get into the difference between the two; but the possibility of Linear Induction was a new angle to me (and his interest is more with one line powered this way at Houston International). I've known about this House&Senate subway forever, being a DC native (it preceded the Metro) -- kids in my class even got to ride it, on special field trips just for Safety Patrols. (They also went to FBI headquarters, always returning with the same souvenir: shot-up targets from the shooting range.) Much more about these underground congressional railways at Untapped New York. Monorails are part of the story.
Alec Watson is no stranger to Metafilter -- a 2018 FPP by thegears featured his 'Technology Connections' videos, and we had another just last month, from caek, about dishwashers. (And there's more.) I first got into him via his But Sometimes... disquisition into LED traffic lights, and something towards the end of his Story of Disney's PeopleMover in Texas got my attention. People Movers (and/or the PeopleMover) came up recently in the green, which is what the Capitol subways most resemble, and Alec does get into the difference between the two; but the possibility of Linear Induction was a new angle to me (and his interest is more with one line powered this way at Houston International). I've known about this House&Senate subway forever, being a DC native (it preceded the Metro) -- kids in my class even got to ride it, on special field trips just for Safety Patrols. (They also went to FBI headquarters, always returning with the same souvenir: shot-up targets from the shooting range.) Much more about these underground congressional railways at Untapped New York. Monorails are part of the story.
They're fun to ride!
posted by drewbage1847 at 5:15 PM on February 24, 2021
posted by drewbage1847 at 5:15 PM on February 24, 2021
We have a Linear Induction Motor system in Toronto—the Scarborough RT (line 3), built in 1985, the same system used for the Vancouver SkyTrain and the Detroit People Mover. The trains are getting old, though, and the line is due to be shut down in two years, while it gets replaced by another white elephant a further extension of an earlier subway line, which uses conventional third-rail power.
posted by giltay at 5:36 PM on February 24, 2021
posted by giltay at 5:36 PM on February 24, 2021
Speaking of white elephants, make sure to pay a visit to Morgantown, West Virginia to ride the PRT before some bean-counter realizes how effective it is.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:47 PM on February 24, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:47 PM on February 24, 2021 [6 favorites]
I rode it to go from the Senate office building where I worked to the Capitol whenever the weather was bad. Fun times.
posted by wintermind at 6:54 PM on February 24, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by wintermind at 6:54 PM on February 24, 2021 [4 favorites]
It tickles me how often LIMs are used in reverse on roller coasters. A few have tried to use them for launches, but that didn't work out so well, but they're super common for trim brakes and station brakes since they don't wear out like friction brakes do.
posted by wierdo at 8:05 PM on February 24, 2021
posted by wierdo at 8:05 PM on February 24, 2021
I remember when the future was something we looked forward to. Fuck me, I miss that.
posted by evilDoug at 9:58 PM on February 24, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by evilDoug at 9:58 PM on February 24, 2021 [8 favorites]
US Senators and members of the House can ride a special system of below-ground trains in Washington, DC.
It's not exactly Snowpiercer, but it's a start.
posted by fairmettle at 11:37 PM on February 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
It's not exactly Snowpiercer, but it's a start.
posted by fairmettle at 11:37 PM on February 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
"What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs"
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:10 AM on February 25, 2021 [13 favorites]
You'll be given cushy jobs"
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:10 AM on February 25, 2021 [13 favorites]
Physics nitpick: the 3 phase power video (and the AC video from the same source mentioned in it) is wrong. Electrons don't flow towards the north pole of a stationary magnet. Here's Veritasium to explain.
posted by pw201 at 3:29 AM on February 25, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by pw201 at 3:29 AM on February 25, 2021 [4 favorites]
Oh yeah, pw201! Tesla is spinning in his grave at that one. At 60 Hz.
posted by hypnogogue at 7:03 AM on February 25, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by hypnogogue at 7:03 AM on February 25, 2021 [4 favorites]
Neat. I'm surprised I'd never heard of the capitol subway system. I guess I just assumed congresspeople were driven around in cars. I wonder how many no-longer-working foreign (or domestic) listening-bugs are built into that hardware. (Also, please don't anybody tell the QAnon people about this. Though, I can only imagine they already know.)
My favorite, only slightly tangentially related linear induction motor application is a poster that I stumbled upon at a big conference years ago. They had a prototype for a levitating transport system for moving very large (dinner-plate-sized) silicon wafers between thin film processing machines used for fabricating semiconductors. The idea is to make the transport fully contact-free and enclosed, since every interaction with a wafer can contaminate or damage it and every moving mechanical part can generate particulates. So it would be great if the wafer only ever came into contact with a levitating, incredibly clean platter throughout much of the fabrication process.
I spent a little while talking to the presenter before I realized that the whole pitch wasn't actually, "here's a crazy idea for the future," but instead, "this is more efficient than the current levitating transport system that's already installed and operating." (I have no idea how widespread it is. In my field we carry tiny wafers around with tweezers.)
posted by eotvos at 8:45 AM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
My favorite, only slightly tangentially related linear induction motor application is a poster that I stumbled upon at a big conference years ago. They had a prototype for a levitating transport system for moving very large (dinner-plate-sized) silicon wafers between thin film processing machines used for fabricating semiconductors. The idea is to make the transport fully contact-free and enclosed, since every interaction with a wafer can contaminate or damage it and every moving mechanical part can generate particulates. So it would be great if the wafer only ever came into contact with a levitating, incredibly clean platter throughout much of the fabrication process.
I spent a little while talking to the presenter before I realized that the whole pitch wasn't actually, "here's a crazy idea for the future," but instead, "this is more efficient than the current levitating transport system that's already installed and operating." (I have no idea how widespread it is. In my field we carry tiny wafers around with tweezers.)
posted by eotvos at 8:45 AM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
I had heard of these, but had no idea how they operated.
posted by aspersioncast at 10:59 AM on February 25, 2021
posted by aspersioncast at 10:59 AM on February 25, 2021
I rode this DC tram about a decade ago when I was visiting newly sworn in AZ Rep. Harry Mitchell and lobbying for the expansion of the Hope Scholarship, among other educational priorities. It was snowing outside and the underground tram was pretty neat!
I would like to contrast this experience with the bizarre people-mover tram I took once at the DFW (I think?) airport. I don't think it was the main tram, maybe. It had no steering and no rail. It was basically a cart that worked by pushing itself forward and literally caroming off of the concrete walls of its trackway.
I've traveled all over the world and had never seen a tram that worked that way. Actually richocheting around the bends. Someone please tell me I didn't dream this?
posted by darkstar at 11:12 AM on February 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
I would like to contrast this experience with the bizarre people-mover tram I took once at the DFW (I think?) airport. I don't think it was the main tram, maybe. It had no steering and no rail. It was basically a cart that worked by pushing itself forward and literally caroming off of the concrete walls of its trackway.
I've traveled all over the world and had never seen a tram that worked that way. Actually richocheting around the bends. Someone please tell me I didn't dream this?
posted by darkstar at 11:12 AM on February 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
darkstar, maybe you were riding the Vought Airtrans which ended service in 2005?
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 12:59 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 12:59 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
When I was little, I was convinced that the uncrewed inter-terminal trains below IAH were The Future.
posted by pykrete jungle at 2:20 PM on February 25, 2021
posted by pykrete jungle at 2:20 PM on February 25, 2021
The DFW AAirtrain (airside) and landside people movers weren't quite that simple, but they were pretty damn jerky. Before I had an Admiral's club membership and a PDA that could connect to the Internet I'd often ride a in circles to relieve boredom between connections.
The new one is better in every way except character, of which it has precisely none whatsoever.
posted by wierdo at 2:48 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
The new one is better in every way except character, of which it has precisely none whatsoever.
posted by wierdo at 2:48 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
"Were you sent here by the Devil?"
Ted Cruz: he kicked me out.
posted by lock robster at 3:15 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
Ted Cruz: he kicked me out.
posted by lock robster at 3:15 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
darkstar, maybe you were riding the Vought Airtrans which ended service in 2005?
That's it, RobotVoodooPower! Holy cow, the MeFi hivemind is alive and well!
And having been watching The Boys lately: heh..."Vought".
posted by darkstar at 3:40 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
That's it, RobotVoodooPower! Holy cow, the MeFi hivemind is alive and well!
And having been watching The Boys lately: heh..."Vought".
posted by darkstar at 3:40 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
More historical details about the Capitol tunnels, subway, and other conveyances in Capitol Siege Shines Light On Vast Underground Tunnel Network — A labyrinth of underground passages, some of which date back hundreds of years, connects key buildings beneath Washington., The War Zone, Joseph Trevithick & Thomas Newdick; January 8, 2021.
If the January 6th mob had known a little more history, they could have done a lot more damage across a larger area.
posted by cenoxo at 3:56 PM on February 25, 2021
If the January 6th mob had known a little more history, they could have done a lot more damage across a larger area.
posted by cenoxo at 3:56 PM on February 25, 2021
I choose to believe if the mob had known a bit more history, it wouldn't have been in DC in the first place.
posted by pwnguin at 7:57 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by pwnguin at 7:57 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]
Were you sent here by the Devil?"
Ted Cruz: he kicked me out.
Not even Satan wants to be roommates with Ted. He’s read the articles from the last guy.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:22 AM on February 26, 2021
Ted Cruz: he kicked me out.
Not even Satan wants to be roommates with Ted. He’s read the articles from the last guy.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:22 AM on February 26, 2021
Fifteen years ago or so, I spent a little over a year as a very junior Senate aide, and one of the best parts of my job was giving Capitol tours to constituents (it allowed me to take a break from answering the nonstop stream of phone calls for an hour or two). I would have my tour groups meet me at the Senate office and then escorted them to the Capitol, and everyone, no matter what age, got a huge kick out of riding on the Senate subway. One time, I was walking a group of young elementary school kids back to the office to collect their backpacks after the tour, when we ran into my boss in the hallway (I won't name names, but let's just say he was an old white man with a reputation for grumpiness and not loving the glad-handing part of the job), and he must have been in great mood that day, because he approached us and said, "Hi kids, I'm Senator X. What was your favorite part of the Capitol?" A bunch of the kids simultaneously shrieked, "The train! The train!" The senator nodded and said, very solemnly, "The train is my favorite part too."
posted by naoko at 8:15 AM on February 26, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by naoko at 8:15 AM on February 26, 2021 [5 favorites]
If the January 6th mob had known a little more history, they could have done a lot more damage across a larger area.
I think the evidence is pretty strong they did have deep knowledge of the Capitol complex's layout. While most of the hanger-ons puttered aimlessly around Statuary Hall, the tip of the spear knew exactly how to get to the chambers and up to the 3rd floor galleries. People who have worked there for years can get lost.
I would speculate that it was a strategic choice to go after the chambers and not door to door in the office buildings via tunnels.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 12:06 PM on February 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I think the evidence is pretty strong they did have deep knowledge of the Capitol complex's layout. While most of the hanger-ons puttered aimlessly around Statuary Hall, the tip of the spear knew exactly how to get to the chambers and up to the 3rd floor galleries. People who have worked there for years can get lost.
I would speculate that it was a strategic choice to go after the chambers and not door to door in the office buildings via tunnels.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 12:06 PM on February 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Before 9/11 any member of the public could ride the Capitol subways if the vote bells weren't ringing. Afterwards, I sometimes scheduled meetings with folks I knew working on the Hill and deliberately entered on the wrong side of the complex so I could get a visitor badge and ride the thing.
I miss it, even if it's an extravagance when you compare it to the (somewhat improved now) mess that is the actual DC Metro. As an intern I loved giving tours when the House wasn't in session because even though I wasn't technically supposed to, friendly Rayburn subway operators would let me take tour groups back to the office on it if it was quiet.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 12:09 PM on February 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
I miss it, even if it's an extravagance when you compare it to the (somewhat improved now) mess that is the actual DC Metro. As an intern I loved giving tours when the House wasn't in session because even though I wasn't technically supposed to, friendly Rayburn subway operators would let me take tour groups back to the office on it if it was quiet.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 12:09 PM on February 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
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