Arthur David Olson
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dashdashado.bsky.social
Arthur David Olson
@dashdashado.bsky.social
140 followers 360 following 13K posts
ADO about nothing much.

Wan, testy, and reedy.

Takoma Park, MD, USA.

Here it's (mostly) dull live streams of city council meetings and quarterly checks of infrastructure matters. For just the less-dull stuff, see @dashdashado@wandering.shop.
Posts Replies Media Videos
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still animated rail arrival time displays.

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic display in the system.

And: forced resignations of those who ordered it, wasting money on programming and driving up fares.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 10:11 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still starts automated public address announcements with "May I have your attention please?" Then impolitely forges ahead even when I respond "No."

Fix: "Your attention please" (as at Amtrak's Union Station).

@wmatagm.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 10:01 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @Metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still no station area maps at revamped Green Line Stations (in image, Hyattsville Crossing Station).

@wmatagm.bsky.social
Wide of entrance to Metrorail's Hyattsville Crossing Station. No station area map is visible.
November 11, 2025 at 8:43 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: dead platform display ar Greenbelt Station. (Looks as if this is a still-under-wraps replacement display.)

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic display in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On the outdoor rail platform at Metrorail's Greenbelt Statikn, an eye-level, portrait-orientation electronic display covered with a clear plastic wrap.
November 11, 2025 at 7:36 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Final quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still a pylon signs showing Yellow Line service at Greenbelt. (This problem due to go away 12/21/2025, to be replaced by a slew of new problems.)

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On an outdoor Metrorail platform, a pylon including the station name Greenbelt and a yellow disc indicating Yellow Line service.
November 11, 2025 at 7:06 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still out-of-date pocket guides at North Bethesda Station. (Oddly, the guides are up to date.)

Now: recycle the out-of-date pocket guides.

Later: stock up-to-date pocket guides.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On one side of attendant booth at Metrorail's North Bethesda Station, literature holders with pocket guides and guides. Fronts of side-by-side copies of Metrorail's guide and pocket guide. Details from backs of guide and pocket guide. Guide includes a 7/25 date; pocket guide includes cludes an 11/24 date.
November 11, 2025 at 6:23 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrobusinfo.bsky.social and @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still no Metrobus schedules at North Bethesda Station. (There are faux schedules, with service frequency charts rather than timetables.)

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On one side of attendant booth at Metrorail's North Bethesda Station, literature holders with pocket guides, guides, and faux schedules. On second side of attendant booth at Metrorail's North Bethesda Station, literature holders with pocket guides, guides, and faux schedules. On third side of attendant booth at Metrorail's North Bethesda Station, literature holders with guides.
November 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: out-of-date (2024) guides at Forest Glen Station.

Now: recycle the guides.

Later: stock up-to-date guides.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On a side of the attendant booth at Metrorail's Forest Glen Station, literature holders with literature including a guide. Front cover of "Your Guide to Metro." Detail from back cover of guide, including the date 10/24.
November 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
It's now official for the #TakomaPark neck of the woods.

Last day in the 90s: 8/17/2025 (end of summer).
First day freezing: 11/11/2025 (start of winter).
Length of fall: 87 days (versus an average 74 in the last twelve years).
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: northbound series-7000 train displays still automatedly announce Mt. Vernon Square as a Yellow Line transfer station. The Yellow Line does not (now) run north of Mt. Vernon Square.

Fix: sell every electronic display in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still lone Exitfare machines at Potomac Yard and Suitland stations, leaving riders in the lurch when they break.

Fix: eliminate fares and fare equipment (including fare gates).

@wmatagm.bsky.social
Wide view of exit from Metrorail's Potomac Yard Station. A lone Exitfare machine is visible. Wide view of exit from Metrorail's Suitland Station. A lone Exitfare machine is visible.
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still inconsistent "area of rescue assistance" and "area of refuge" signage at Metrorail's Congress Heights Station.

Fix: remove or paint over the signage on the door.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
A panic-bar-equipped door labeled "Area of Rescue Assistance." To the right of the door, a white-on-red square sign with the text "area of refuge."
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still "out of service" cabinets at Congress Heights Station and Union Station Station whose torn labels are signs that they're still being used.

Fix: remove and sell all such cabinets in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
At the end of an underground platform at Metrorail's Congress Heights Station, a metal cabinet with a sign pasted across its doors. Closeup of Congress Heights Station sign, including the text "Notice: out of service." The sign is torn from top to bottom where the doors come together. At the end of an underground platform at Metrorail's Union Station Station, a metal cabinet with a sign pasted across its doors. Closeupof of Union Station Station sign, including the text "Notice: out of service." The sign is torn from top to bottom where the doors come together.
November 10, 2025 at 10:46 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly check mixed news.

Good: L'Enfant Plaza rail line diagrams now shown Silver Line service to New Carrollton. Thanks @metrorailinfo.bsky.social.

Bad: wall and pylon signs still don't.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On a platform at Metrorail's L'Enfant Plaza Station, a rail line diagram showing Silver Line service to both Downtown Largo and New Carrollton. On a Metrorail platform wall, a sign with the station name "L'Enfant Plaza." Below that, line destinations: Blue, "East toward Downtown Largo;" Orange, "East toward New Carrollton;" Silver, "East toward Downtown Largo."
November 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: "Station" used on platform signs at Potomac Yard Station (in contrast with others, such as L'Enfant Plaza Station, where it is not.

Fix: remove "Station."

@wmatagm.bsky.social
Rail platform sign including the text "Potomac Yard Station." Rail platform sign including the station name "L'Enfant Plaza."
November 10, 2025 at 10:17 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still no station area map at Potomac Yard Station.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
Wide view of entrance to Metrorail's Potomac Yard Station. No station area map is visible.
November 10, 2025 at 10:03 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly check good news: Suitland Station pylon rail line diagrams now up to date. Thanks @metrorailinfo.bsky.social.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On the outdoor platform at Metrorail's Suitland Station, a pylonvwith a rail line diagram including the station name "Hyattsville Crossing" and a silver disc by the station name L'Enfant Plaza, indicating that it is a transfer station to the Silver Line.
November 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrobusinfo.bsky.social and @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still no bus schedules (not even faux schedules) at Potonac Yard Station.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
At Metrorail's Potomac Yard Station, literature holders on one side of the attendant booth. No bus schedules or fau bus schedules are visible. At Metrorail's Potomac Yard Station, literature holder on second side of the attendant booth. No bus schedules or fau bus schedules are visible.
November 10, 2025 at 9:48 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Quarterly @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: still out-of-date (2024) guides and pocket guides at Potomac Yard Station.

Now: remove them.

Later: replace them with up-to-date versions.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
On a side of the attendant booth at Metrorail's Potomac Yard Station, literature holders with guides and pocket guides. Side-by-side copies of Metrorail's guide and pocket guide. Detail from backs of guide and pocket guide. Guide includes the date 10/24. Pocket guide includes the date 11/24.
November 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Renewed @metrorailinfo.bsky.social check: platform display out at Potomac Station.

Fix: remove and sell every last expensive, unreliable electronic display in the system.

@wmatagm.bsky.social
View along an outdoor rail platform. In foreground at right, a blank, eye-level, portrait-orientation electronic display. In background at left, a sign with the station name Potomac Yard Station.
November 10, 2025 at 8:57 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
New @purplelinemd.bsky.social check: per web page, stations have shelters; they actually only have canopies (the handiwork of Larry Hogan).

purplelinemd.com/overview/
Screen shot of a web page including the text "Stations features include a platform, shelters, benches, and ticket vending machines." View across University Boulevard of under-construction Crossroads Purple Line station, including a canopy.
November 10, 2025 at 4:10 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
After consideration, a determination: the most expeditious course for renaming of federal agencies is to simply replace "of" or "for" with "against."

Thus: National Institutes Against Health; Centers Against Disease Control.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
Good news: projected Purple Line opening date is now "late 2027" rather than the old "winter 2027," eliminating ambiguity about whether it's the start or end of the year. Thanks @purplelinemd.bsky.social.

@govwesmoore.bsky.social

purplelinemd.com/overview/
Screen shot of a web page including the text "Slated to open in late 2027, the Purple Line is a vital system..."
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Arthur David Olson
timparenti.com
For me, "psychological winter" lasts from basically first sticking snowfall until what I've long celebrated as Thermal Parity Day — the entirely arbitrary day when, at least for some appreciable length of time, it is once again as warm outside as it is inside.
November 10, 2025 at 2:29 PM
dashdashado.bsky.social
My definition of the start of winter: first day with a freezing temperature.

If the forecast holds up, it begins tomorrow in #TakomaPark.

weather.com/weather/hour...
Screen shot of a weather.com page for Takoma Park, Maryland. Under the heading "Tuesday, November 11," a line has the time "4 am" and shows a predicted temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
November 10, 2025 at 2:07 PM