WTS-DC TYOU: Visit to WMATA’s Greenbelt Rail Yard
The WTS DC Chapter TransportationYOU committee, in partnership with WMATA, hosted a field trip on March 24, 2026, to WMATA’s Greenbelt Rail Yard and Maintenance Facility for a group of 14 high school sophomores and teachers from the McKinley Technology DC Public High School. Engineers and maintenance experts from WMATA shared their passion and pride for their work, inspiring students and bringing the classroom to life through real-world applications of technical concepts and challenges.
Representatives from the car maintenance group at WMATA shared an overview of the Metrorail system before taking the students outside for a behind the scenes look at some of the railcars in the Yard. Students learned about some of the distinctions between the 7000 series railcars and legacy railcars, including a demonstration of the daily startup checks (DST) each train goes through before starting service. Engineers explained the current automatic train operations (ATO) and showed the awestruck students cabinets containing the comms equipment that support ATO. Students, teachers, and WTS-DC chaperones alike came away with an even deeper appreciation of Metro and its emphasis on safety and modern service.
Supervisors with the maintenance group at Greenbelt taught the students about safe working practices and showed them how textbook engineering concepts come into play every day. Students will forever remember pneumatic braking after standing next to a 6000 series railcar and seeing how the brakes engage in different situations. It was clear to everyone in the group how much effort and technical expertise goes into maintaining WMATA’s 1,200+ railcars—it’s a 24-7, 365 job!
At the conclusion of the tour concluded, WMATA served the students lunch and sat down with them to talk more about their careers and experiences and to answer further questions. Many of the students in the group are interested in being electrical engineers, and they enjoyed hearing about the real-life application of systems that connect our communities. Furthermore, they were well educated by the staff at WMATA on the potential career opportunities within public transportation. To quote Polly Hanson, the WTS-DC Transportation Committee Chair: “Any job you want you can find it in transit.”
McKinley Technical High School, part of the DC Public Schools (DCPS), provides specialized STEM instruction, as well as mentorship, paid internships, and experiential learning opportunities. Students are admitted through a selective application process and select one of three courses of study: engineering, information technology, or biotechnology.