29 episodes

Explosions and smoke-filled tunnels. Frustrated riders and epic commutes. This is the new normal on Washington’s Metro. Metropocalypse, a weekly podcast from WAMU 88.5, explores the unprecedented plan to rebuild tracks and re-engineer culture on the nation’s second largest transit system. Send questions & ideas to metro@wamu.org.

Metropocalypse WAMU 88.5

    • Government
    • 4.8 • 29 Ratings

Explosions and smoke-filled tunnels. Frustrated riders and epic commutes. This is the new normal on Washington’s Metro. Metropocalypse, a weekly podcast from WAMU 88.5, explores the unprecedented plan to rebuild tracks and re-engineer culture on the nation’s second largest transit system. Send questions & ideas to metro@wamu.org.

    EPISODE 27: A Metro Carol

    EPISODE 27: A Metro Carol

    Metro is taking disciplinary action against half its track inspection department. Late-night trains will not return until July 2019 at the earliest. Will the new year usher in a season of festivity and goodwill to all riders?

    Episode 26: Ride With Metro’s GM

    Episode 26: Ride With Metro’s GM

    WAMU's Martin DiCaro commutes with Metro's GM; we talk with a transportation expert about the impact of the rail system's impending hour cutbacks.

    Episode 25: Happy Anniversary, Paul Wiedefeld

    Episode 25: Happy Anniversary, Paul Wiedefeld

    On this week's podcast, we talk Metro's steps toward reducing service hours, a Silver Line throwdown and Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld's first year on the job.

    Episode 24: Worst Of The Worst Commutes

    Episode 24: Worst Of The Worst Commutes

    Red Line commuters can be thankful that the 10th SafeTrack surge is winding down. But the month-long rehab project, which shut down service along Fort Totten and NoMa/Gallaudet, highlighted how disruptions in a small corner of the system can have dramatic impacts on daily commutes.

    • 15 min
    Episode 23: Can Donald Trump Make Metro Great Again?

    Episode 23: Can Donald Trump Make Metro Great Again?

    The president-elect's promise to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure improvements is emerging as one of the least divisive aspects of his agenda, at least at this early stage. Will the Republican-controlled Congress go along with it? And would any of the money help WMATA?

    • 21 min
    Episode 22: Gazing Into The Future (Through The Lens Of A ‘Reality Check’)

    Episode 22: Gazing Into The Future (Through The Lens Of A ‘Reality Check’)

    Buckle your seatbelts, because where we’re going, there are no roads (or single-tracking). We consider two potential scenarios for Metro in the years ahead.

    • 25 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
29 Ratings

29 Ratings

Degos4life ,

Please continue this after safetrack

I've actually never written a podcast review before now, but I felt like I needed to express how much I enjoy listening to WAMU's Metropocalypse.

As someone very interested in transportation policy I find this podcast very engaging and absolutely fascinating. Guest speakers such as Zachary M. Schrag, Paul Winnefield, and members of congress bring interesting perspectives to the table and supplement the already excellent reporting done by the team.

I listen to six other podcasts and this one has easily become my favorite.
I hope programming will continue after safetrack

Nickname rejected ,

One suggestion

I find the podcast interesting and helpful. I would like to suggest, however, that in episodes when you are discussing other topics such as architecture and systems and other cities, you still at least mention what Safe Track closures are in effect at that time. That seems to have fallen by the wayside. Keep up the good work.

Brusseldaniel ,

Excellent!

I love Metropocolypse. My only complaint is that it is only once a week when metro is disastrous on pretty much a daily basis. Hopefully all of this great reporting will really move metro in the right direction. Thanks WAMU!

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