Any word on the car's number? Might keep an eye out for it this weekend.

I don't understand where (short) people (like me) are supposed to hold on, if standing in the aisle? It seems like there are no convenient handrails?

Hmph. I'm not terribly impressed with the new design. I don't see, at this point, how this is going to help overcrowded Metrorail trains.

While I beat WMATA to the "publish" button on new rail car images, their photographer got an inside angle denied to us who went by to look at noon: http://thirdrail.smorgasblog.com/archives/002823.html

This car must have been designed by an idiot. How is someone my height (5 foot 3) supposed to stay upright?

Unless I'm lucky enough to get a seat or a along the side the car, I'll be using the stranger next to be as an air bag.

Does anyone want to take bets as to how long it will be before the homeless people start sleeping on the bench style seats?

Metro is run by consultants and Metro staff who do not ride Metro daily.(Once a year does not count.)Why temperatures are kept so high in crowded trains? The same goes to the new Metro design. Where are the poles to hold on? People crowd around the doorways because there are poles to hold on.

It bears repeating. Where are the poles to hold onto? People crowd around the doorways because there are poles.

Telling riders to move to the center of the car doesn't help if there's nothing to hang onto.

Giving riders more room to stand doesn't help if there's nothing to hang onto.

Metro, women under 5'6' (that would be most women) cannot reach poles in the ceiling. Are we supposed to hang onto some man who can, like we're on the back of a motorcycle?

Good grief. We've been waiting all these months for this?

Metro may be on the way to running me off. As someone who has taken the Metro to/from work for years and also someone who has to use a cane to support failing joints (in my legs), the last thing I need is reduced seating. Having seen or read of times when persons in need have been ignored by other patrons occupying the seats, I am unwilling to trust my health to the "kindness" of fellow passengers.

Short people just chill.

There are poles running up the backs of the seats in the center of the car. There is a horizontal grab rail along the wall opposite of where the lengthwise seats are. There are grab handles on the walls near the doors. For tall passengers, there are new handles all along the roof.

This photo does not illustrate the interior very well, the graphics on the Post website are better. No matter what changes are made, somebody will complain. Personally, I'd remove all the seats and make them inward facing along the walls of the car.

Face it, Metro is a SUBWAY, not a suburban commuter rail system. The current seating arrangement was designed for a different era when Metro only carried about 100k people a day to government jobs in the District. Times have changed. Cars need to be designed so that people can get on and off as quickly as possible, and trains can close the doors and get moving without wasting time sitting at stations.

Now Metro should finally solve the escaltor problems. How? By considering removing some escalators and replacing them with stairs. Metro already has too many fatties riding, and we all could stand to lose a few pounds.

If you're too frail or lazy to handle it, drive, or use specialized transportation. Just get out everyone elses way.

I like to sleep on Metro on my 40 minute ride to and from work. The buses at Dulles airport were a pretty good design. For what Metro charges, I expect to be able to at least not become a pole for short people to lean on (I happen to be tall). Keep trying for a better design.

Well, a lot people have to ride halfway home before they can sit down on subway. You might even get knocked over for a seat! Now you want to remove them!? Come on Metro! First the constant breakdowns, the bossy announcer, possible fare hikes, and now no seats. What did we ever do to you but, make you rich?!?!

I actually applaud Metro for trying to do something about the overcrowding of its cars. At least they recognize the problem. I actually don't have a huge problem with the new seat configuration--I get on at Vienna in the morning when I'm tired and want to sit, and usually after work I don't mind if I sit or not--sometimes it's nice to stand and stretch my legs for 30 minutes! But like other shorter riders--I'm 5'0--I am a little worried about not being able to reach a pole. I don't have the best balance and don't want to fall on someone. I'm just hoping that I can reach something or that people will kindly move so I can get to a pole attached to a seat that I can grab onto.

Wow, you people sure love to moan and groan! First of all, I'd rather you people have to stand, me included, than me pay any more than I already do to go five stops on the metro. If you get on way out in VA, you probably get a seat anyway. If you don't there are plenty of spots to hold on to. And there's as many polls if not more in the middle of the trains in these photos than what currently exist. Every seat has a bar to hold on to. Get over it. The etiquette people use regarding the seats is ridiculous anyway. 75 year old women standing while some 24 year old Congressional staffer in his pin stripe suit sits and reads the paper. Rude. I feel no sympathy for anyone on metro. It costs you a few bucks...get over it. It's not Amtrak. Feel free to drive with gas being $4/gallon if you want. I'll gladly stand my five stops without hundreds of people smothering me than the current scenario.

To the joker who wrote:
"Short people just chill...If you're too frail or lazy to handle it, drive, or use specialized transportation. Just get out everyone elses way."
I have to walk 10 blocks round trip every afternoon in this heat. When I get to the train station, I am in no condition to stand in a jerking un-air-conditioned train, and I wouldn't be, even if I were an Olympic gold medal marathoner. I can't imagine how this would be for someone with actual physicial disabilities. They have a right to ride the Metro, and to use the seats without being made to feel "lazy" or unwelcome. Since most of the physically fit types use the seats just as much, why should they be exempt from the 'lazy' moniker?

It must be nice to only have to go five stops. It must also be nice to assume that all Metro riders are 24 year-old staffers with over-inflated senses of self-worth. For those of us who don't have either, who don't see this new design as keeping hundreds of people from smothering each other (quite the opposite, actually), and who have enough trouble staying standing with the jerky trains as it is, the idea of standing for 45 minutes to an hour (on a good day) is less than appealing.

It's about time. Metro is addressing capacity. Forget comfort - we need more room to stand.

The only change needed now is to remove MORE seats. We only need seats along the wall. Put more poles in so people can hang on.

So close, Metro.

yeah if you are taking away half of the seats and put in more standing room the trains are probably still going to be crowded. what if you have senior citizens and people with disabities in one of those cars and they can find a seat to sit down in because your taking away half of the seats, and if you have people standing in all that space in the center and if people have to get off it will be hard of them to get off cause of all the people standing in the center. and some people are really short and can't reach the ceiling poles. I been in the new design car yet but i hope i don't have to. the more seats the better especially if you have alot of senior citizens and people with disabities riding. my suggestion is keep all the seats and put more poles and ceiling rails where the seats are. Thanks