Metro-related trivia questions

[SchuminWeb]

For an office trivia contest, I have announced that the subject of the questions will be WMATA - rail and bus.  As something-you-might-want-to-study pages, I gave the WMATA history-of-Metro page, the Building the Washington Metro exhibit, and the Wikipedia article about Metrorail, plus told them that they might want to study the map.

So what I'd like to know from you all is, what kinds of trivia questions would you ask a room full of non-railfans/busfans when it comes to Metro?

[WayneNYC]

I'd ask easy stuff like:

How many stations does WMATA have?
What year did Metrorail start service?
Name Metrorail's busiest station?
Name all of the Metrorail routes.
Name a route that doesn't serve Virginia.

Also, you could throw in a trick question like:

Which station is served by all Metrorail routes?
Which route serves serves both Montgomery and Prince George's counties?

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Which station does not contain any of the letters in the word "mackerel"?
Which station has the longest name?
What is the only station to be both under and above ground (multiple interpretations of the question, but the answer is still the same)?
What is the only station to be built between two existing stations?
Which station has entrances in multiple jurisdictions?
What was Jackson Graham's favorite color?

[SchuminWeb]

Okay, folks... I came up with fifty questions to throw at my coworkers this Friday.  No way in hell are we going to use all these, though, but I want reserve questions in case some totally stump the group.  These people, you realize, are the same ones who complained that I made the questions too easy when doing US geography.  So they will actually have to, you know, study the Metro for this.

So try your hand at these, in order to test the questions out and see what ones are too hard or confusing...

(Oh, and by the way, I will be presenting these questions while wearing my Metro safety vest)

How many rail stations does Metro have?

What year did Metrorail start service?

What is the only station to be built between two existing stations?

What transfer station on the Green and Yellow Lines is built half underground and half above ground?

What Red Line station did not open with the original Metro opening due to lack of disabled access?

Who is the Metro headquarters building named after?

What Blue Line station in Prince George's County was originally planned to be named Summerfield?

What day was Metro's highest ridership day in its history?

What day was Metro's highest Saturday ridership day in its history?

Which terminal station can a train not reach going forward from New Carrollton? (this question will be presented as multiple choice)

What station served as the eastern terminal for the Blue Line from 1980 to 2004?

SmarTrip was first introduced in what year?

Transit Police officer Marlon C. Morales was fatally shot at what Green Line station?

What station is the only place on Metro where the station's ceiling arches run perpendicular to the movement of the trains? (I plan to show a photo of the station with any signage airbrushed)

The longest escalators in the Western Hemisphere are located at what Red Line station?

Which Red Line station is the only station in the system to have an elevator-only exit?

The 5000-Series of rail cars, manufactured by CAF, were introduced in what year?

A non-fatal train collision occurred on November 3, 2004 at what Red Line station?

Who began serving as Metro's General Manager from 1996 until being dismissed by the board of directors in 2006?

Randi Miller is best known for what role on Metro?

The Charles R. Fenwick Bridge carries which rail service over the Potomac River?

From 1995 until the opening of the Green Line's mid-city segment in 1999, the Green Line Commuter Shortcut allowed Green Line riders to travel between Greenbelt and what Red Line station without transferring?

Yellow Line service was extended during off-peak hours from Mt. Vernon Square to Fort Totten in what year?

Silver Spring and what other Red Line station feature a curved platform?

What station, in 1983, was the first to be opened outside the Beltway?

What station is the only end-of-line terminal to be located underground?

National Airport and what other station contain three tracks?

What station originally had "Visitor Center" in its name?

What station was closed every year on July 4 from 2002 to 2008 due to its entrances being located within the secured area on the National Mall?

Westbound Red Line trains regularly terminate at Shady Grove and what other station during rush periods?

Heading east on the Blue or Orange Line, what station is the last to be shared between both lines?

How many doors are on each side of a rail car?

How many inches of snow must fall to cause Metro to suspend rail service on the above-ground portions of the system?

Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles worked at what northeastern US transit system prior to joining Metro in April 2010?

What station is the only one to serve four of the five Metro lines?

Which Blue Line station closes earlier than any of the others in the system?

What is the maximum number of cars that a Metro train can contain?

The first cars to have an exterior advertising wrap were CAF 5048 and 5049, in 2005. What company was the advertiser on those first wrapped cars?

Which rail line runs for several miles in the median of Interstate 66 in Virginia?

Which station is the only one where photography is illegal?

Which rail line does not have passenger stations extending beyond the Capital Beltway?

Which rail line does not currently serve Maryland?

Which terminal station can a train not reach going forward from Franconia-Springfield? (I plan to present this question as multiple choice)

Which station is not located near Georgetown? (Choice of Rosslyn, Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, and Clarendon)

Metro eliminated paper transfers in January of what year?

The Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center is being built adjacent to what Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland?

What station contains a fully automated, self-cleaning restroom?

Which station contains a disused pedestrian tunnel from its mezzanine to the street?

The first rehabilitated Breda cars began revenue service in what year?

Following the June 2009 Red Line collision, which car series is only run in the center of trains?

[WMATAGMOAGH]

How many rail stations does Metro have?  86

What year did Metrorail start service?  1976

What is the only station to be built between two existing stations?  NY Ave

What transfer station on the Green and Yellow Lines is built half underground and half above ground?  Fort Totten

What Red Line station did not open with the original Metro opening due to lack of disabled access?  Gallery Place

Who is the Metro headquarters building named after?  Jackson Graham (first GM)

What Blue Line station in Prince George's County was originally planned to be named Summerfield?  Morgan Blvd

What day was Metro's highest ridership day in its history?  January 20, 2009 (Obama Inaugural)

What day was Metro's highest Saturday ridership day in its history?  Colbert/Stewart Rally (I don't have the exact date available)

Which   terminal station can a train not reach going forward from New   Carrollton? (this question will be presented as multiple choice)   Glenmont, Greenbelt, Branch Avenue, Largo (assuming the use of loops in yards is not an option)

What station served as the eastern terminal for the Blue Line from 1980 to 2004?  Addison Road

SmarTrip was first introduced in what year?  1999

Transit Police officer Marlon C. Morales was fatally shot at what Green Line station?  U Street

What   station is the only place on Metro where the station's ceiling arches   run perpendicular to the movement of the trains? (I plan to show a photo   of the station with any signage airbrushed)  Anacostia

The longest escalators in the Western Hemisphere are located at what Red Line station?  Wheaton

Which Red Line station is the only station in the system to have an elevator-only exit?  You need to rephrase this question, you want Forest Glen but Friendship Heights has an elevator-only exit too...

The 5000-Series of rail cars, manufactured by CAF, were introduced in what year?  2002

A non-fatal train collision occurred on November 3, 2004 at what Red Line station?  Woodley Park

Who began serving as Metro's General Manager from 1996 until being dismissed by the board of directors in 2006?  Richard A White

Randi Miller is best known for what role on Metro?  Being the current "voice of Metro"

The Charles R. Fenwick Bridge carries which rail service over the Potomac River?  Yellow

From   1995 until the opening of the Green Line's mid-city segment in 1999,   the Green Line Commuter Shortcut allowed Green Line riders to travel   between Greenbelt and what Red Line station without transferring?  Farragut North (and Grosvenor on July 4, 1999)

Yellow Line service was extended during off-peak hours from Mt. Vernon Square to Fort Totten in what year?  The service started on December 31, 2006, you might want to give some leeway in what people answer, technically the service was meant to start in 2007 but December 31st was a Sunday so that was the start date.

Silver Spring and what other Red Line station feature a curved platform?  Brookland

What station, in 1983, was the first to be opened outside the Beltway?  Huntington

What station is the only end-of-line terminal to be located underground?  Glenmont

National Airport and what other station contain three tracks? West Falls Church

What station originally had "Visitor Center" in its name?  Union Station

What   station was closed every year on July 4 from 2002 to 2008 due to its   entrances being located within the secured area on the National Mall? Smithsonian

Westbound Red Line trains regularly terminate at Shady Grove and what other station during rush periods? Grosvenor

Heading east on the Blue or Orange Line, what station is the last to be shared between both lines? Stadium-Armory

How many doors are on each side of a rail car? 6 door leaves, 3 doorways, I'm not sure which you want

How many inches of snow must fall to cause Metro to suspend rail service on the above-ground portions of the system?  This is a bad question if you want to be technical, Metro says 8 but not all snowstorms are the same...

Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles worked at what northeastern US transit system prior to joining Metro in April 2010?  NJT

What station is the only one to serve four of the five Metro lines?  L'Enfant Plaza

Which Blue Line station closes earlier than any of the others in the system?  Arlington Cemetery

What is the maximum number of cars that a Metro train can contain?  8

The   first cars to have an exterior advertising wrap were CAF 5048 and 5049,   in 2005. What company was the advertiser on those first wrapped cars?  McDonalds

Which rail line runs for several miles in the median of Interstate 66 in Virginia?  Orange

Which station is the only one where photography is illegal?  Pentagon

Which rail line does not have passenger stations extending beyond the Capital Beltway?  Green

Which rail line does not currently serve Maryland?  Yellow (but there are the dropouts/putins at Greenbelt...)

Which   terminal station can a train not reach going forward from   Franconia-Springfield? (I plan to present this question as multiple   choice)  Shady Grove, Glenmont, Branch Avenue

Which station is not located near Georgetown? (Choice of Rosslyn, Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, and Clarendon)  Clarendon

Metro eliminated paper transfers in January of what year?  2009  (for the record, this is the first question I'm having doubts about in my answer)

The Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center is being built adjacent to what Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland?  Silver Spring

What station contains a fully automated, self-cleaning restroom?  Huntington

Which station contains a disused pedestrian tunnel from its mezzanine to the street?  Pentagon City

The first rehabilitated Breda cars began revenue service in what year?  2004

Following the June 2009 Red Line collision, which car series is only run in the center of trains?  1000 Series

[Sand Box John]

You might also what to use some math question.
The following three questions can be calculated from these two figures 600' 100"

How many coffers are in the length of a typical metrorail subway station?

How many flashing lights are along the length of a metrorail station platform?

How far apart are the flashing lights along the length of a metrorail station platform?

[SchuminWeb]

John: I will definitely play with your math questions, but probably not for this trivia session.

Oren: Thanks for the feedback on the questions.  I will reword the elevator-only question, because you're correct - I am looking for Forest Glen, but the way it's currently worded, Friendship Heights is also correct.  Will probably also tinker with the Yellow Line extension and snow service questions.  Otherwise, the questions came out as I was expecting.  Here's what you missed:
- 5000-Series introduced in 2001
- Along with the others you mentioned, a train also cannot reach Vienna from Franconia-Springfield
- Breda rehabs entered revenue service in October 2003 (but none of the local railfans photo'd them in detail until 2004)