United States Capitol subway system

Subway system in Washington, D.C. This article is about the U.S. Capitol building's subway system. For the city's subway system, see Washington Metro.

Overview

Owner

U.S. federal government

Locale

United States Capitol Complex, Washington, D.C., US

Transit type

People mover

Number of lines

Number of stations

Operation

Began operation

March 7, 1909 (1909-03-07)

Operator(s)

Architect of the Capitol

Number of vehicles

System map

Legend

					Hart
					Maintenance spur
					Dirksen
					Russell
					U.S. Capitol
					Rayburn

This diagram:

The subway system of the United States Capitol Complex in Washington, D.C., consists of three underground electric people mover systems that connect the United States Capitol to several congressional office buildings – all of the Senate buildings and one of the House buildings.

History

The original subway line was built in 1909 to link the Russell Senate Office Building to the Capitol. In 1960, an operator-controlled monorail was installed for the Dirksen Senate Office Building. A two-car subway line connecting the Rayburn House Office Building to the Capitol was built in 1965. The Dirksen monorail, which had been extended to the Hart Senate Office Building in 1982, was replaced in 1993 by an automatic train.

Network

On the Senate side, two separate subway lines exist. The first is a crewed two-track system, with a single open-topped car operating on each track, connecting the Russell Senate Office Building and the Capitol. The other is a computer-controlled system with three enclosed trains of three cars each running on a 90-second schedule, connecting the Hart Senate Office Building, the Dirksen Senate Office Building, and the Capitol. The train cars are unpowered; the train is propelled by a track-side linear motor. This line has two parallel tracks for most of its length, but at the Hart and Capitol stations the tracks converge into one, with a single side platform. This allows easy return travel on the opposite track. The Dirksen station features a side platform for Capitol-bound trains and an island platform for Hart-bound trains. All three of these stations feature platform screen doors. A small maintenance spur is located adjacent to the Hart station.

On the House side, an older, crewed two-track system, with a single open-topped car operating on each track, shuttles passengers between the Rayburn House Office Building and the Capitol. The remaining four House office buildings are not serviced by the subway system; two (Cannon and Longworth) use a shared underground footpath tunnel while the other two (Ford and O'Neill) have no underground connection to the capitol.

The House and Senate subway systems do not terminate in the same location under the Capitol, but they are connected by a labyrinth of tunnels.

Security

U.S. Capitol Subway between the U.S. Capitol Building and the Dirksen Senate Office Building

The public can travel on the trains — usually during a tour of the Capitol Complex — but must be escorted by a staff member with proper identification. During votes, the House subway is restricted to congressional members. The Russell subway is restricted to members and staff during Senate votes.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, restrictions have been placed on visitors using the Senate subway between the Hart and Dirksen buildings.

1947 shooting

Senator John W. Bricker was shot at as he entered the Capitol subway tunnel by former Capitol Police officer William Louis Kaiser on July 12, 1947. Bricker survived as the shots did not hit him.

2007 collision

A collision occurred on October 2, 2007, in the Rayburn to Capitol subway line after a car failed to slow down when it reached the end of the track line. The operator was injured and taken to a hospital for observation.

Image gallery

Studebaker Electric subway car in 1909
Installing a monorail in 1912
Monorail car in 1912
Monorail car in 1912
Installation of a new subway car sometime between 1958 and 1961
Subway car traveling to the Russell Senate Office Building in 2003
Senator Joe Lieberman rides the subway to the Capitol with his wife Hadassah in 2011

Rolling stock

Current cars:

Four open car sets with seating for 18 and separate cab for operator; two sets for the House and two sets for the Senate
Three enclosed, unpowered car sets with seating for 36; automated cars

Retired cars:

Studebaker Company built electric coach cars c. 1909 from Russell line
Two electric monorail c. 1912
Two electric monorail c. 1915 and 1920 replacing 1912 cars and retired 1961; built by Columbia Construction Company at Washington Naval Yard
Dirksen line electric monorail c. 1960 retired 1993 and replaced with enclosed monorail cars

References

^ Kessler, Ronald (1998). Inside Congress: The Shocking Scandals, Corruption, and Abuse of Power Behind the Scenes on Capitol Hill. Simon & Schuster. pp. 13–14. ISBN 0-671-00386-0. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
^ Alexovich, Ariel (May 31, 2006). "The not-so-seedy underworld of Capitol Hill". Roll Call. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
"The Rayburn House Office Building". Architect of the Capitol. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
"Capitol Clinker". Time. January 15, 1965. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
Political drama follows lawmakers underground to Capitol Hill subway (Youtube). Washington Post. August 15, 2017. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
"Attacks on Congress not new: Disgruntled policeman shot at Ohio senator at Capitol in 1947". The Enquirer. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
Yehle, Emily (October 4, 2007). "Subway Accident Injures One". Roll Call. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
Yoder, Elizabeth (March 7, 2016). "Behind the Scenes: Senate Subway Branch". Architect of the Capitol. Retrieved August 1, 2021.

External links

Capitol Subway System (Architect of the Capitol website)
User Clip: U.S. Senate Subway documentary at C-SPAN, created January 26, 2013, showing the history of the capitol subway systems.

v t e United States Capitol Complex
United States Capitol
House	House chamber Office buildings (office lottery): Cannon House Library Ford Longworth Rayburn O'Neill O'Neill (former)
Senate	Senate chamber Old Senate Chamber Senate Reception Room Hideaways Office buildings: Dirksen Hart Mountains and Clouds Russell Senate Library
Library of Congress	Adams Jefferson Madison Law Library of Congress Mary Pickford Theater
Individual features	Cornerstone Dome Statue of Freedom The Apotheosis of Washington Rotunda Columbus Doors Declaration of Independence painting Frieze of American History General George Washington Resigning His Commission Surrender of General Burgoyne Surrender of Lord Cornwallis Jefferson statue Lincoln statue Washington statue National Statuary Hall Statues Crypt Hall of Columns Brumidi Corridors Apotheosis of Democracy Progress of Civilization Pediment First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (Bittinger) Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States Revolutionary War Door George Washington and the Revolutionary War Door Washington at Princeton Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way Vice Presidential Bust Collection Ohio Clock President's Room Vice President's Room Congressional Prayer Room Old Supreme Court Chamber Washington's Tomb Visitor Center Lincoln Catafalque
Former features	George Washington as Zeus (sculpture, 1841–1908) Discovery of America (sculpture, 1844–1958) The Rescue (sculpture, 1853–1958) National Capitol Columns U.S. Capitol Gatehouses and Gateposts
Others	Art List of art List of portraits (A-J) Confederate Botanic Garden Capitol Hill James A. Garfield Monument Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Peace Monument Judiciary Building Power Plant Reflecting Pool Subway System Supreme Court Building Union Square Senate Page Residence Pennsylvania Avenue

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