Did you know Congress has its own subway?

[MIrailfan]

IIt goes from the House to the Senate building.

 

[Ryan]

Yes.

There's 3 of them, 2 Senate side, 1 House side, all lines terminate at the Capitol.

 

[tp49]

Sure, used to ride them a lot when I worked in DC. It was the best way to get between the buildings when it was hot and humid and I was trying to avoid sweating through my suit (it's all air conditioned ). My favorite was the one between the Hart Senate Office Building and the Capitol because it was futuristic looking while the others looked like large roller coaster cars.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I used to ride them often when I worked @ DOL back before 9-11 when things were pretty played back on the Hill! Lots of times you'd be on a car with someone famous but when you got to the Capitol Building Congress Members had their own Elevators (Elevator operator was a patronage job!)and we peons had to wait with the masses to ride upstairs!

 

[benjibear]

Anyone know what it takes to get a tour of these? Maybe write my senator or representative?

 

[tp49]

You don't need to do even that. They are (or at least were) open to the public. They're in the Capitol basement.

 

[tp49]

I used to ride them often when I worked @ DOL back before 9-11 when things were pretty played back on the Hill! Lots of times you'd be on a car with someone famous but when you got to the Capitol Building Congress Members had their own Elevators (Elevator operator was a patronage job!)and we peons had to wait with the masses to ride upstairs!

Jim, the members even had their own rows in the cars so they wouldn't have to ride with us plebeians.

 

[Ryan]

Anyone know what it takes to get a tour of these? Maybe write my senator or representative?

They're a little harder to get to these days - you need to be escorted by someone that works in the Capitol Complex.
Oddly enough, that's the one place I didn't get Amy to take me back when she was working there. Been just about everywhere else in that building.

 

[MikefromCrete]

The mini subways run from the Capitol to Senate and House office buildings. They have been there for years and certainly predate the Metrorail system. I remember riding one as a kid. Back in those days, anybody could ride them if you found the boarding places.

 

[cirdan]

Some information here ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol_subway_system

 

[FriskyFL]

Have they removed the fresh flowers and wine/cheese tasting?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Amtrak Forum mobile app

 

[fairviewroad]

Have they removed the fresh flowers and wine/cheese tasting?

Yes, and they no longer allow same-day connections from the House offices to the Senate offices. :giggle:

I was on one of the legs once (I think the House side...it was an open-air "carriage") but that was about 20 years ago. It's

not nearly as exciting as it sounds...think of something along the lines of an airport people-mover (except faster and

more reliable than the EWR Airtrain).

Honestly, I'd guess the only reason they still run is because they're already there. Can you imagine Congress trying to

approve something like that now? It seems like much of it could be done more cheaply and efficiently with airport-style

"moving sidewalks."