Fun fact: STAR Transit, which provides bus service on Virginia’s eastern shore, has one route which stops at a parking lot right on the border. However, to turn out of that parking lot, it does a u-turn and briefly crosses into Maryland. Obviously it makes no stops during that u-turn. So, what do we think? Does the NH2 still deserve its title? Or does STAR transit have a claim?
I mean if you aren't counting the DC triangle as part of the NH2, then you shouldn't really count the MD u-turn on STAR transit. At least IMO. Also, I know it isn't train/bus/transit oriented but if you're ever in Virginia Beach, VA or on the Eastern Shore be sure to travel across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It's 17.6 miles of bridge, tunnel, bridge, tunnel, bridge, bridge over the mouth of the bay. (thanks for the awesome videos!)
There are more examples of transit going from point A to B without having any service in C. In the case of STAR, you can probably leave the stop and go into Maryland where the NH2 has zero logical connection. You could walk along HWY 13 to/from an auto repair shop, but does even the plausibility of connections in Maryland equal that the service itself has crossed the border?
I think NH2 takes the cake, because it has no stop in DC, but stops in MD and VA consecutively. The STAR silver line is just driving through MD like the NH2 does though DC, so saying the NH2 counts definitively discounts the STAR Silverline.😁
@@brycebundens6866 yes old friend, should be a different category of “routes that terminate at a jurisdiction line without direct transfer, but still can still have benefits to said other jurisdiction”. Thought reminds of all the convoluted Bay Area with Muni at the southern edge of their sphere of influence on the peninsula San Francisco sits on…at least from what I’ve seen/been told in Discord servers
That tall monument in the background at King Street-Old Town is a 333 ft/101 m-tall Masonic building and memorial that honors George Washington! The tower was fashioned after the ancient Lighthouse of Ostia in Ostia Antica (which was basically Rome's lighthouse; about 25 km southwest of Rome). The building was dedicated in 1932, and the interior finally completed in 1970. Harvey Wiley Corbett (who also designed the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial with the seagulls on DC's Columbia Island) was the architect, the firm of Osgood & Osgood of Grand Rapids was the consulting engineer, Daniel E. Moran designed the building's foundation, Gunvald Aus (who engineered NYC's Woolworth Building) was the structural engineer, the firm of Clarke, McMullen & Riley was the mechanical engineer, and Carl Rust Parker of Olmsted Brothers was the landscape architect. The sculpture at 8:59 is called The Awakening and was sculpted by John Seward Johnson II, a grandson of one of the co-founders of Johnson & Johnson, and the over 70 feet tall creation was his biggest and most dramatic work. It's meant to give the impression of a distressed giant attempting to free himself from the ground. The Awakening was created in 1980 as part of DC's 11th annual Sculpture Conference, and the sculpture was originally installed at Hains Point in East Potomac Park. Hains Point was designated by Congress as the site for a National Peace Garden in 1987, and although it remained for years, it was eventually sold to real estate developer Milton Peterson for National Harbor in 2007, and it moved to Maryland in 2008.
I've heard of that little corner of DC on the Wilson Bridge, but I didn't know a bus ran through it... or that the NH2 is the _only_ means of public transit from Maryland to Virginia that doesn't stop in DC! Thanks for the information!
Pretty sure I've heard my GPS say "welcome to District of Columbia" followed by "welcome to Virginia". That's how I knew a tiny bit of the bridge was in DC. lol
My high school FRC robotics team had a lot of fun with that sliver of DC on a trip to a competition in Myrtle Beach back in 2017. The moment we entered DC, we were just cheering "YAYYY, WOOOO DCCCCC" for the few seconds we were in DC and then "Awww" the moment we entered Virginia lol. As you said, river borders usually go right through the middle, though another interesting case of water borders between states is how the border between NY and NJ came to be! It goes through the middle, but it's more than that because of the islands! NYC claimed the right to regulate trade on ALL waters, but of course NJ fought this. In Gibbons v. Ogden, which decided that the regulation of interstate commerce fell under the authority of the federal government, influencing steam ferry competition. In 1830, New Jersey planned to bring suit to clarify the border, but the matter was resolved with a compact between the states, ratified by Congress in 1834. This compact stated that Liberty Island and Ellis Island were NY's, but the submerged land around Ellis Island was NJ's. This set the boundary line at the middle of the Hudson River and New York Harbor, however, NY was guaranteed "exclusive jurisdiction of and over all the waters of Hudson River", and it was between 1890 and 1934 that Ellis Island was expanded, so NJ kept on fighting. While NJ argued that the landfill came from NJ, NY argued that it was material excavated from the first line of the NYC Subway. But neither state could provide the paperwork for proof, so in the 1990s, the Supreme Court ruled what was stated in 1834, the border of the original shape of Ellis Island was NY's, but the new land around it was NJ's. So Ellis Island is divided!
After the Civil War, a court awarded the entire Potomac to Maryland, to punish Virginia for seceding. The border was set at the high-tide line on the VA side... so if the tide gets loe enough, MD and DC briefly acquire a strip of land (mud) on the VA side.
Very surpried to learn there is currently no bus from, say, Bethesda to Tysons. Both are very important edge cities in the region. However they are planning to add one in the future which is good to hear.
Lack of access, since you'd have to go over the American Legion Bridge to get between them and low demand since both are wildly wealthy areas where owning a car is easily predictable. Virginia and Maryland only pay for Metrorail to keep traffic heading into DC off their roads and get commuters back at the end of the day, not to really help people go from one state to the other without passing through the giant city in between them. This is why there isn't any connection between VRE and MARC, even at Union Station.
The reason is that a jurisdiction has to pay WMATA for bus service. This is the reason that the local governments operate their own busses including Fairfax Connector, Dash, The Bus and Ride On since these states can operate buses cheaper than WMATA. Which actually begs the question who pays for NH2.
Alexandria really is a cool place! Stayed there during my first trip to DC in 2010 (it was a stop on our road trip from NJ to the centennial boy scout jamboree in Virginia) at a Homewood Suites and thought it was nice! National Harbor looks cool too! Believe it or not, Disney almost built a hotel at National Harbor (like they did in Hawaii, Hilton Head Island and Vero Beach), but they backed out in 2011. Wasn't the first time Disney tried tapping into the DC market as in the 1990s, they wanted to build an American history-themed park called Disney's America in Haymarket, VA which faced a lot of opposition from historians and for its proposed location near the Manassas National Battlefield. I guess if we're gonna be talking about the weirder bus routes of major city systems, in the case of the NYC buses, there's an MTA bus that actually originates in New Jersey! The S89 which goes between Bayonne and Eltingville on Staten Island. The MTA runs express buses through New Jersey to get between Manhattan and Staten Island, however those buses use coach buses and don't stop in New Jersey, while this one isn't a coach bus and does! The S89 only operates during rush-hour and with the route, people have both a connection to the 34th Street HBLR station as well as a connection to the Eltingville SIR station! For NJ Transit, they have a very unique route that acts differently from its other NYC routes, the 120. While the majority of NJT routes heading to NYC terminate at the PABT, the 120 serves Lower Manhattan instead! Like the S89, it serves Bayonne and only operates during rush-hour.
I love Alexandria. We go there on the weekends when the weather is nice. I haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to NYC buses. There’s so much I need to still do…
A similar situation happens with the MBTA Fairmount Line. The entire line, including all of the stations, is within the city of Boston. The one exception is between Blue Hill Ave and Fairmount, where it dips across the Neponset River for only about a quarter mile, and maybe 20 seconds of travel, into Milton. It goes through a wooded area with no stops. So, technically, the line goes to Milton, but it just dashed through it without stopping and without even any real scenery of Milton, so functionally, the line is totally within Boston.
Absolutely, train enthusiasm is fascinating! Whether it's exploring historic railroads, studying different locomotives, or enjoying model train setups, there's a rich world of train-related hobbies.
I love the NH2! One of my favorites routes for the views and how fast it takes. Also it does seem like we are going to have another VA to MD route in the future between Tysons and Bethesda. We used to have these type of routes back in the day (N11, N13, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D), but they came in too early for their time.
Cool video as usual. I've taken the NH1 from the Green Line to National Harbor and it was pretty circuitous. Glad the NH2 is a lot more direct. National Harbor is a bit of an oddity in how it was built as a sort of enclave from the surrounding neighborhoods and all roads but the highway. But it gets a ton of convention goers so a metro stop is definitely warranted. Glad you took the bike trail down there- it's nice that they had the forethought to add the trail and bridge path. I've biked along it once (I had a goal to circumnavigate DC by bike) and it was wide enough that even with a fear of heights I didn't really worry. It goes to show that any/every bridge should be designed to have some sort of pedestrian or bike access. I know it isn't complete yet but I'd love to see a video of your take on the Purple Line. It's been slow going but I'm really excited to see it complete some day soon. Some other ideas might be legacy infrastructure like the Palisades, Bethesda, or Riverdale Park Trolley Trails.
I’ve been to a few construction sites of the Purple line so far! Maybe I’ll do a construction video about it later this year, thanks for the suggestion!
@@Thom-TRA you’re welcome! I haven’t had Handover Pizza but I will add that to my places to hit up in the DMV. Also, if you’re in DC, hit up China Chilcano. Great restaurant.
There WAS a bus route across the Cabin John Bridge. It ran between Montgomery Mall in Maryland and Tyson's Corner. I was able to ride it all of one time. It was a complete failure as alternate commuter bus route and lasted less than a year. Sorry I do not have any further information other than it was a WMATA bus line but maybe in the 1990's???
RUclips doesn't let me put links, but if you google "Washington Post A smooth ride for new bus service VA MD 1998" you can find an article about the route.
I can think of a few places where transit crosses state lines in the USA. MBTA to Rhode Island, Metro North to Connecticut, New Jersey Transit to New York and Pennsyvannia, PATCO Pa to NJ and Path. SEPTA to NJ, Delaware and MARC to West Virginia
As far as I’m aware, only two municipal transit operators have roots of any type that cross between any pair of Canadian provinces: Ottawa, Ontario-based OC Transpo and the Gatineau, Quebec-based Outaouais Transit Company (French abbreviation: STO). Via Rail, Canada’s Amtrak equivalent, has stations in all provinces bar Newfoundland but doesn’t serve the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
@@wainber1 I always found Ottawa's transport somewhat backwards. Although haven't been since the O'train arrived. The area would be better served with a single agency or contract operators for the whole capital region. O-train could do with being a bit more like Go-Train.
Thanks for highlighting another curious corner on an administrative boundary - it's why full-system printed maps are important - on that note, if you're ever in London, do consider an end-to-end ride of the 464 in both directions - it's arguably the most alpine TfL route and the village pond and churchyard in Tatsfield are lowkey scenic \m/
I was the guy who brought up that the bloop would technically cross over into DC for a second if it uses the Woodrow Wilson bridge lol😂 But yea I agree with you. Keep up the great work! Also, have you made a video covering the upcoming MTA purple line in Maryland?
NH2 is a good route. You may have inspired me to try cycling over it at some point on the bike lane, although taking it at all is still fairly rare for me. Glad you enjoyed the harbor as well
It was a bit further out, but White's Ferry ran between the two states (between Loudoun and Montgomery Counties). Not sure if it technically counts since, as the ferry never left the water, you had to move yourself off the boat and into Virginia. I'm hoping it comes back into operation, but it unfortunately seems unlikely.
Another fascinating trip! BTW, if you come to Chicago again, be sure to ride the express bus between downtown and the north side on a nice sunny day. Beautiful views of the lake, Lincoln Park and the lakefront highrises. Try to catch a glimpse of the Viking ship and the totem pole in Lincoln Park. You'll love it!
There were a couple of bus routes that crossed from VA to MD in the past, One was the P13 that ran from the Pentagon to the Eastover Shopping Center, another were the 14A, B, C, D buses which ran from Tysons Corner to Bethesda and Gaithersburg. These routes died from low ridership. The NH2 was originally the N11 from King St to Branch Ave. The N11 was suspended for a few years untin National Harbor opened and the line split between the NH1 [Southern Ave to National Harbor], and NH2 [King St to National Harbor], the casino at National Harbor is the generator of ridership on both lines.
This was an awesome video about a very interesting topic. I think it’s great that you don’t just focus on trains, but also buses, bikes, and all kinds of transit. Awesome!!! And I wonder if a couple will get married on that bridge now. 😊
I remember riding the NH1 and NH2 when they were first introduced. It ended up saving time and money on my metro commute from Southern Ave to Eisenhower Ave a few years ago. I’m surprised there isn’t a NH3 express that combines both routes with fewer stops in between
Thank you for this interesting video. I thoroughly enjoyed your description, and was delighted to see your Metro train at the start of your journey being quickly overtaken by two Amtrak P42 locos ! I completely agree that my favoured route would be with Amtrak from BWI to DC, but I was glad to see that Route 201 was a really good service. Many thanks.
@@Thom-TRA, if you search "Fairfax Connector 798", you'll be able to look at the route maps and proposed headways/span of service. The service has been funded/queued up for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons, but I was in a call recently where they stated they are planning on launching it for real this spring/summer, especially as the beltway/American Legion Bridge construction ramps up.
You can search for "Fairfax Connector 798" to look at the route map and proposed headways/span of service. The service has been funded for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons. But I was on a call recently where they stated they were planning on launching it this spring/summer for real in advance of the American Legion Bridge project.
You can search "Fairfax Connector 798" to look at the route map and proposed headways/span of service (not great to start, but hopefully they'll ramp up as the American Legion Bridge project gets underway). The service has been funded for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons. I was on a call recently where they said they plan on launching it for real this spring/summer.
I loved the intro! Also, the whole bus content is kinda interesting as well. I would like to see more. But the biggest thing for me was when Thoms dutch roots finally broke though. He could not resist it and had to ride a bike. So shocking! ;-)
Directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge there is Jones Point, a historic site where you can learn more about the history of the Maryland/Virginia border. When King Charles decided that the entire river belonged to Maryland he likely didn't realize how the banks of the river change every year. This led to places technically changing from Maryland to Virginia or back as the shoreline eroded or as mud built up along the river bank. Now there is a defined border that doesn't always match the actual shoreline.
In the future, MARC trains could go to Virginia to VRE/Amtrak Alexandria station. For that happen, more tracks will be needed and a new L'Enfant and Crystal City stations with dual plaforms
I had to take the NH2 bus to National Harbor at least twice when I was attending Super MAGfest the last 2 years (I had to work thursday and travel that same afternoon/evening). It was a nice ride late at night, although the wait is a bit much. Hopefully, more transit options to NH are added in the future
@Thom-TRA Music And Gaming Festival. It happens every January. It's a very good convention for 4 days, and it offers a ton of on-hand things to do and panels and music concerts to attend. Give it a look someday
Apparently, Greyhound has a route from Norfolk VA to NYC via the Delmarva Peninsula with stops at Oak Hall VA and Princess Anne MD, which I would argue counts as transit, though not _public transit_.
To me, Greyhound, like a flight, Brightline, or Amtrak, does not count as transit. Requiring a reservation disqualifies them. Amtrak and certain government mandated flights, I might be willing to be flexible, but for the others: they are just businesses serving customers.
It's quite interesting that the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge has provisions for adding tracks to the existing structure, although would they actually do that as part of the Bloop proposal? It seems like their plans, as well as the locations of Huntington and National Harbor being south of the bridge, would imply that they would build a new tunnel instead.
WOW! I didn't know about that route 😢 Maryland government, Virginia Government, and DC need to improve and open more routes for people traveling to work from Maryland to Virginia and Visebersa. There needs to be more communication in the commute Transportation. It is necessary for many of us who have no transportation 🚗
The bus number system is about to be replaced. Next bus plan will change the patterns. Currently DC buses are numbers; MD buses letter then number; VA buses numbers then letter. Those VA buses cross into DC multi bridges. But that’s not the end of the story as All Metrobus will switch State and number. Further, I-495 Montgomery Co.will likely have 2 bus lines.
The "Bloop" seems like something worthwhile building, except it should maybe go on further east to Andrews AFB, before making a 90 degree turn north. Then those military & executive branch people in D.C. could use WMATA instead of all those Marine helicopter rides. Note: a significant portion of the Potomac River in the vicinity of Mount Vernon is located within Virginia.
@@Thom-TRA Getting from near the Pentagon direct (with no transfer required) via the I-495 bridge to Andrews AFB? Seems less convoluted than via a 2nd train connection in D.C.
@@RVail623 except that the green line currently terminates less than a mile away from the base. And for what? Military and government officials think they’re too good for the metro anyways. The Bloop is much better off serving the underserved neighborhoods of SE DC.
Does greyhound count as transit? I'm not sure, but route US0355 is interesting either way; it starts in Richmond, stops in Norfolk, then goes up highway 13, crosses into Maryland, and makes a couple stops in the section of MD on the East side of the Chesapeake.
Interesting sidelight that the NH2 bus, like the bridge it runs on, nicks a corner of DC. So it runs through a jurisdiction that it does not serve. So, here's a piece of Metrorail trivia for you: Metrorail has two stations "serving" Falls Church ... but neither is IN the corporate limits of that city. In fact, no part of the railway's route is! That said, Falls Church is one of 4 communities whose names appear in the names of two Metrorail stations. Well technically, maybe 3 communities: there is a Bethesda station, and also a North Bethesda station (formerly called White Flint) but those are separate "census designated places." Reston also has 2 stops and they are both in the CDP of that name. There is only one INCORPORATED community on the system that has its name on two stations, both within the city limits. And that place is ... ?
This doesn't count because a very tiny part of the I-495 bridge goes through the District of Columbia for about 300 feet in the middle of the Potomac River. The marking of the border on the bridge is even visible at 6:20 and goes from about when the white paint begins to that mark. The paint/concrete mixture changes and DDOT is responsible for the maintenance of that tiny bit of land, so I say it does not count. Neither would a boat from Old Town Alexandria to National Harbor, since as soon as you leave the pier in Alexandria, you enter the water of the District of Columbia. Traveling through a state's boundary even for a tiny bit, even on water or non-stop road, counts as transiting through it.
I live in northern VA and now want to take this bus thanks to the video, but I was wondering where the National Harbor stop is and whether it's in a pedestrian-friendly location (that's my only regret about Thom ditching the bus for the bike on a nice day). I will still try out this bus but thanks for the heads up that the walk to NH might be a bit of a challenge.
In the same way needs to be more routes and transportation from Silver Spring, Columbia to Baltimore cities and suburban communities. City planners need to work to favorite small businesses Industrial Business Parks, and Distribution Centers where there is no public transportation at all. Development city's communication growth is necessary for public workers
Thom, great video. You talked of the little corner of D.C. underneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. At the point of the triangle is one of the D.C. corner boundary stones. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_markers_of_the_original_District_of_Columbia
As a former DC METRO AREA resident (1980-2009) I'm mystified by the true purpose of this route. How often does it run? I'm guessing once an hour during non-peak hours. Is it to benefit National Harbor? the casino? Yet the bus seemed largely empty on your trip. I wonder if that's the norm.
There's the EPTA-operated bus that meets certain MARC trains in Brunswick and runs to Harpers Ferry, Duffields, and Martinsburg (not to mention the MARC Brunswick Line itself).
@@Thom-TRA exactly been a bus fan my whole life here in growing up here in Dc can’t wait to see what they do I was on the Georgia ave line (70,79) but I moved downed to buzzer point and it’s Been over 14 years since they stop letting the 70 come down here now we have the 74 but for them to send the bus back down here would be great for my neighbor hood tbh
@@Thom-TRA not to well tbh only Rode it once or twice because I usually take WMATA or metro bus when traveling to Pg and I’m very familiar with Ride on because I did work out Bethesda and I have friend out Montgomery county
don't want to be offensive in any way, but why do American busses and coaches look like the where build in the 80's even if they are brand new? busses and coaches here in the Netherlands look way more modern.
Thom, I know this is your channel, but I wish your wife would appear in some videos. :) I don't know if this is true, but maybe she is into trains, so why did you marry her?
Fun fact: STAR Transit, which provides bus service on Virginia’s eastern shore, has one route which stops at a parking lot right on the border. However, to turn out of that parking lot, it does a u-turn and briefly crosses into Maryland. Obviously it makes no stops during that u-turn.
So, what do we think? Does the NH2 still deserve its title? Or does STAR transit have a claim?
I mean if you aren't counting the DC triangle as part of the NH2, then you shouldn't really count the MD u-turn on STAR transit. At least IMO. Also, I know it isn't train/bus/transit oriented but if you're ever in Virginia Beach, VA or on the Eastern Shore be sure to travel across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It's 17.6 miles of bridge, tunnel, bridge, tunnel, bridge, bridge over the mouth of the bay. (thanks for the awesome videos!)
There are more examples of transit going from point A to B without having any service in C. In the case of STAR, you can probably leave the stop and go into Maryland where the NH2 has zero logical connection. You could walk along HWY 13 to/from an auto repair shop, but does even the plausibility of connections in Maryland equal that the service itself has crossed the border?
I think NH2 takes the cake, because it has no stop in DC, but stops in MD and VA consecutively. The STAR silver line is just driving through MD like the NH2 does though DC, so saying the NH2 counts definitively discounts the STAR Silverline.😁
@@brycebundens6866 yes old friend, should be a different category of “routes that terminate at a jurisdiction line without direct transfer, but still can still have benefits to said other jurisdiction”. Thought reminds of all the convoluted Bay Area with Muni at the southern edge of their sphere of influence on the peninsula San Francisco sits on…at least from what I’ve seen/been told in Discord servers
Bloop
That tall monument in the background at King Street-Old Town is a 333 ft/101 m-tall Masonic building and memorial that honors George Washington! The tower was fashioned after the ancient Lighthouse of Ostia in Ostia Antica (which was basically Rome's lighthouse; about 25 km southwest of Rome). The building was dedicated in 1932, and the interior finally completed in 1970. Harvey Wiley Corbett (who also designed the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial with the seagulls on DC's Columbia Island) was the architect, the firm of Osgood & Osgood of Grand Rapids was the consulting engineer, Daniel E. Moran designed the building's foundation, Gunvald Aus (who engineered NYC's Woolworth Building) was the structural engineer, the firm of Clarke, McMullen & Riley was the mechanical engineer, and Carl Rust Parker of Olmsted Brothers was the landscape architect.
The sculpture at 8:59 is called The Awakening and was sculpted by John Seward Johnson II, a grandson of one of the co-founders of Johnson & Johnson, and the over 70 feet tall creation was his biggest and most dramatic work. It's meant to give the impression of a distressed giant attempting to free himself from the ground. The Awakening was created in 1980 as part of DC's 11th annual Sculpture Conference, and the sculpture was originally installed at Hains Point in East Potomac Park. Hains Point was designated by Congress as the site for a National Peace Garden in 1987, and although it remained for years, it was eventually sold to real estate developer Milton Peterson for National Harbor in 2007, and it moved to Maryland in 2008.
Ostia is a beautiful place.
And the awakening kind of creeps me out lol.
I've heard of that little corner of DC on the Wilson Bridge, but I didn't know a bus ran through it... or that the NH2 is the _only_ means of public transit from Maryland to Virginia that doesn't stop in DC!
Thanks for the information!
Pretty sure I've heard my GPS say "welcome to District of Columbia" followed by "welcome to Virginia". That's how I knew a tiny bit of the bridge was in DC. lol
@@chriscubingclips An interesting phenomenon! Thanks for sharing!
@@chriscubingclipsGoing from VA to MD across that bridge “Welcome to Washington, DC; Welcome to Maryland” :)
My high school FRC robotics team had a lot of fun with that sliver of DC on a trip to a competition in Myrtle Beach back in 2017. The moment we entered DC, we were just cheering "YAYYY, WOOOO DCCCCC" for the few seconds we were in DC and then "Awww" the moment we entered Virginia lol. As you said, river borders usually go right through the middle, though another interesting case of water borders between states is how the border between NY and NJ came to be! It goes through the middle, but it's more than that because of the islands! NYC claimed the right to regulate trade on ALL waters, but of course NJ fought this. In Gibbons v. Ogden, which decided that the regulation of interstate commerce fell under the authority of the federal government, influencing steam ferry competition.
In 1830, New Jersey planned to bring suit to clarify the border, but the matter was resolved with a compact between the states, ratified by Congress in 1834. This compact stated that Liberty Island and Ellis Island were NY's, but the submerged land around Ellis Island was NJ's. This set the boundary line at the middle of the Hudson River and New York Harbor, however, NY was guaranteed "exclusive jurisdiction of and over all the waters of Hudson River", and it was between 1890 and 1934 that Ellis Island was expanded, so NJ kept on fighting. While NJ argued that the landfill came from NJ, NY argued that it was material excavated from the first line of the NYC Subway. But neither state could provide the paperwork for proof, so in the 1990s, the Supreme Court ruled what was stated in 1834, the border of the original shape of Ellis Island was NY's, but the new land around it was NJ's. So Ellis Island is divided!
Awww is usually what I say when I enter Virginia as well
After the Civil War, a court awarded the entire Potomac to Maryland, to punish Virginia for seceding. The border was set at the high-tide line on the VA side... so if the tide gets loe enough, MD and DC briefly acquire a strip of land (mud) on the VA side.
Very surpried to learn there is currently no bus from, say, Bethesda to Tysons. Both are very important edge cities in the region. However they are planning to add one in the future which is good to hear.
There will be one in the future
Lack of access, since you'd have to go over the American Legion Bridge to get between them and low demand since both are wildly wealthy areas where owning a car is easily predictable. Virginia and Maryland only pay for Metrorail to keep traffic heading into DC off their roads and get commuters back at the end of the day, not to really help people go from one state to the other without passing through the giant city in between them. This is why there isn't any connection between VRE and MARC, even at Union Station.
The reason is that a jurisdiction has to pay WMATA for bus service. This is the reason that the local governments operate their own busses including Fairfax Connector, Dash, The Bus and Ride On since these states can operate buses cheaper than WMATA. Which actually begs the question who pays for NH2.
@@Drknnja Must be WMATA since it serves both Virginia and Maryland and neither wanted to pay the full cost. DASH and TheBus are pretty awful, tbh.
Fairfax Connector is launching a Tysons - Bethesda route next month!
Alexandria really is a cool place! Stayed there during my first trip to DC in 2010 (it was a stop on our road trip from NJ to the centennial boy scout jamboree in Virginia) at a Homewood Suites and thought it was nice! National Harbor looks cool too! Believe it or not, Disney almost built a hotel at National Harbor (like they did in Hawaii, Hilton Head Island and Vero Beach), but they backed out in 2011. Wasn't the first time Disney tried tapping into the DC market as in the 1990s, they wanted to build an American history-themed park called Disney's America in Haymarket, VA which faced a lot of opposition from historians and for its proposed location near the Manassas National Battlefield.
I guess if we're gonna be talking about the weirder bus routes of major city systems, in the case of the NYC buses, there's an MTA bus that actually originates in New Jersey! The S89 which goes between Bayonne and Eltingville on Staten Island. The MTA runs express buses through New Jersey to get between Manhattan and Staten Island, however those buses use coach buses and don't stop in New Jersey, while this one isn't a coach bus and does! The S89 only operates during rush-hour and with the route, people have both a connection to the 34th Street HBLR station as well as a connection to the Eltingville SIR station! For NJ Transit, they have a very unique route that acts differently from its other NYC routes, the 120. While the majority of NJT routes heading to NYC terminate at the PABT, the 120 serves Lower Manhattan instead! Like the S89, it serves Bayonne and only operates during rush-hour.
I love Alexandria. We go there on the weekends when the weather is nice.
I haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to NYC buses. There’s so much I need to still do…
A similar situation happens with the MBTA Fairmount Line. The entire line, including all of the stations, is within the city of Boston. The one exception is between Blue Hill Ave and Fairmount, where it dips across the Neponset River for only about a quarter mile, and maybe 20 seconds of travel, into Milton. It goes through a wooded area with no stops. So, technically, the line goes to Milton, but it just dashed through it without stopping and without even any real scenery of Milton, so functionally, the line is totally within Boston.
I’ve been on the Fairmount line! Very interesting
Absolutely, train enthusiasm is fascinating! Whether it's exploring historic railroads, studying different locomotives, or enjoying model train setups, there's a rich world of train-related hobbies.
It’s the best
I love the NH2! One of my favorites routes for the views and how fast it takes.
Also it does seem like we are going to have another VA to MD route in the future between Tysons and Bethesda. We used to have these type of routes back in the day (N11, N13, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D), but they came in too early for their time.
Can’t wait for the new bus network heard they was going to have a bus from Bethesda to Tyson Westpark
Cool video as usual. I've taken the NH1 from the Green Line to National Harbor and it was pretty circuitous. Glad the NH2 is a lot more direct. National Harbor is a bit of an oddity in how it was built as a sort of enclave from the surrounding neighborhoods and all roads but the highway. But it gets a ton of convention goers so a metro stop is definitely warranted. Glad you took the bike trail down there- it's nice that they had the forethought to add the trail and bridge path. I've biked along it once (I had a goal to circumnavigate DC by bike) and it was wide enough that even with a fear of heights I didn't really worry. It goes to show that any/every bridge should be designed to have some sort of pedestrian or bike access.
I know it isn't complete yet but I'd love to see a video of your take on the Purple Line. It's been slow going but I'm really excited to see it complete some day soon. Some other ideas might be legacy infrastructure like the Palisades, Bethesda, or Riverdale Park Trolley Trails.
I’ve been to a few construction sites of the Purple line so far! Maybe I’ll do a construction video about it later this year, thanks for the suggestion!
king street is my fav station on the system, the buses, the walkability the centralness.
Alexandria is a such a great town to visit. I went to Sister’s Thai a few years ago and it was delicious. You should go there someday.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m always looking for new places. We really like Handover Pizza
@@Thom-TRA you’re welcome! I haven’t had Handover Pizza but I will add that to my places to hit up in the DMV. Also, if you’re in DC, hit up China Chilcano. Great restaurant.
It’s interesting to see Metro operate a bus line that doesn’t enter DC, I’ve never heard of NH2 until now!
There WAS a bus route across the Cabin John Bridge. It ran between Montgomery Mall in Maryland and Tyson's Corner. I was able to ride it all of one time. It was a complete failure as alternate commuter bus route and lasted less than a year. Sorry I do not have any further information other than it was a WMATA bus line but maybe in the 1990's???
Yep! The Smartmover, it's a shame they took it away
RUclips doesn't let me put links, but if you google "Washington Post A smooth ride for new bus service VA MD 1998" you can find an article about the route.
Thanks! Since I was a former resident of Bethesda MD, this is how I knew about it.(and being a massive public transit fan).
I can think of a few places where transit crosses state lines in the USA. MBTA to Rhode Island, Metro North to Connecticut, New Jersey Transit to New York and Pennsyvannia, PATCO Pa to NJ and Path.
SEPTA to NJ, Delaware and MARC to West Virginia
The MTA has an interstate bus route from Staten Island to Bayonne, the rush hour S89 [Richmond-Hyland loop to 34th St HBLR Station].
As far as I’m aware, only two municipal transit operators have roots of any type that cross between any pair of Canadian provinces: Ottawa, Ontario-based OC Transpo and the Gatineau, Quebec-based Outaouais Transit Company (French abbreviation: STO). Via Rail, Canada’s Amtrak equivalent, has stations in all provinces bar Newfoundland but doesn’t serve the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
@@wainber1 I always found Ottawa's transport somewhat backwards. Although haven't been since the O'train arrived. The area would be better served with a single agency or contract operators for the whole capital region. O-train could do with being a bit more like Go-Train.
Very well presented.
Thank you!
Great Video!!! Beautiful area (infrastructure wise) and it seams to be one of the most proactive as far as metro service expansion.
Thanks, another good program!
Thank you!
Thanks for highlighting another curious corner on an administrative boundary - it's why full-system printed maps are important - on that note, if you're ever in London, do consider an end-to-end ride of the 464 in both directions - it's arguably the most alpine TfL route and the village pond and churchyard in Tatsfield are lowkey scenic \m/
Great video!
Thanks!
I was the guy who brought up that the bloop would technically cross over into DC for a second if it uses the Woodrow Wilson bridge lol😂 But yea I agree with you. Keep up the great work! Also, have you made a video covering the upcoming MTA purple line in Maryland?
Brilliant video sir!
Thank you for sharing because I take the NH1 from DC to Maryland.
How’s your experience?
NH2 is a good route. You may have inspired me to try cycling over it at some point on the bike lane, although taking it at all is still fairly rare for me. Glad you enjoyed the harbor as well
It was a bit further out, but White's Ferry ran between the two states (between Loudoun and Montgomery Counties). Not sure if it technically counts since, as the ferry never left the water, you had to move yourself off the boat and into Virginia. I'm hoping it comes back into operation, but it unfortunately seems unlikely.
There's actually a direct Bethesda to Tysons corner route in the better bus plan if it ever gets fully implemented!
Yes! There's actually a part of the video where I mention that if you ever get to fully watching it
@@Thom-TRA I watched up to 8 minutes 😭, I’m sorry, great video though!
Another fascinating trip! BTW, if you come to Chicago again, be sure to ride the express bus between downtown and the north side on a nice sunny day. Beautiful views of the lake, Lincoln Park and the lakefront highrises. Try to catch a glimpse of the Viking ship and the totem pole in Lincoln Park. You'll love it!
I used to live over there!
There were a couple of bus routes that crossed from VA to MD in the past, One was the P13 that ran from the Pentagon to the Eastover Shopping Center, another were the 14A, B, C, D buses which ran from Tysons Corner to Bethesda and Gaithersburg. These routes died from low ridership. The NH2 was originally the N11 from King St to Branch Ave. The N11 was suspended for a few years untin National Harbor opened and the line split between the NH1 [Southern Ave to National Harbor], and NH2 [King St to National Harbor], the casino at National Harbor is the generator of ridership on both lines.
There are many great metrobus routes that we’ve lost over the years…
That 20 years after the 14s died nobody has tried to revive them when they'd have the ridership blows the mind.
This was an awesome video about a very interesting topic. I think it’s great that you don’t just focus on trains, but also buses, bikes, and all kinds of transit. Awesome!!! And I wonder if a couple will get married on that bridge now. 😊
Maybe I’ll have inspired them!
I remember riding the NH1 and NH2 when they were first introduced. It ended up saving time and money on my metro commute from Southern Ave to Eisenhower Ave a few years ago. I’m surprised there isn’t a NH3 express that combines both routes with fewer stops in between
Yeah that would be cool. Now with Better Bus next year I think there’s gonna be a direct route between National Harbor and L’Enfant Plaza.
Thank you for this interesting video. I thoroughly enjoyed your description, and was delighted to see your Metro train at the start of your journey being quickly overtaken by two Amtrak P42 locos ! I completely agree that my favoured route would be with Amtrak from BWI to DC, but I was glad to see that Route 201 was a really good service. Many thanks.
And the best part is I’m riding that Amtrak train tomorrow!
The possible Bethesda-Tysons bus would be quite useful
I've heard that Fairfax Connector route 798 (the Bethesda-Tysons bus to which you are referring) will be launching this spring/summer. Hoping it does!
That’s the first I’ve heard of that
@@Thom-TRA, if you search "Fairfax Connector 798", you'll be able to look at the route maps and proposed headways/span of service. The service has been funded/queued up for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons, but I was in a call recently where they stated they are planning on launching it for real this spring/summer, especially as the beltway/American Legion Bridge construction ramps up.
You can search for "Fairfax Connector 798" to look at the route map and proposed headways/span of service. The service has been funded for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons. But I was on a call recently where they stated they were planning on launching it this spring/summer for real in advance of the American Legion Bridge project.
You can search "Fairfax Connector 798" to look at the route map and proposed headways/span of service (not great to start, but hopefully they'll ramp up as the American Legion Bridge project gets underway). The service has been funded for quite some time but on hold for obvious reasons. I was on a call recently where they said they plan on launching it for real this spring/summer.
I loved the intro! Also, the whole bus content is kinda interesting as well. I would like to see more. But the biggest thing for me was when Thoms dutch roots finally broke though. He could not resist it and had to ride a bike. So shocking! ;-)
Biking is amazing
Well done.
Thank you
Directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge there is Jones Point, a historic site where you can learn more about the history of the Maryland/Virginia border. When King Charles decided that the entire river belonged to Maryland he likely didn't realize how the banks of the river change every year. This led to places technically changing from Maryland to Virginia or back as the shoreline eroded or as mud built up along the river bank. Now there is a defined border that doesn't always match the actual shoreline.
I’d love to visit that again and read everything! I think I biked past it
There really should be a Metro line that only goes between Maryland and Virginia
Hopefully they’ll build one!
In the future, MARC trains could go to Virginia to VRE/Amtrak Alexandria station. For that happen, more tracks will be needed and a new L'Enfant and Crystal City stations with dual plaforms
Thom, Chi-town or nay, my fave 🚂(🚌 are awesome too lol )transportation channel
I rode that bus to Katsucon at the Gaylord a couple weeks ago
Went there for Christmas a few years ago
Nice
I had to take the NH2 bus to National Harbor at least twice when I was attending Super MAGfest the last 2 years (I had to work thursday and travel that same afternoon/evening). It was a nice ride late at night, although the wait is a bit much. Hopefully, more transit options to NH are added in the future
What is Super MAGfest?
@Thom-TRA Music And Gaming Festival. It happens every January. It's a very good convention for 4 days, and it offers a ton of on-hand things to do and panels and music concerts to attend. Give it a look someday
Apparently, Greyhound has a route from Norfolk VA to NYC via the Delmarva Peninsula with stops at Oak Hall VA and Princess Anne MD, which I would argue counts as transit, though not _public transit_.
To me, Greyhound, like a flight, Brightline, or Amtrak, does not count as transit. Requiring a reservation disqualifies them. Amtrak and certain government mandated flights, I might be willing to be flexible, but for the others: they are just businesses serving customers.
@@lucasribeiro9158 yes, for reference view the pinned comment!
I’m from the DMV and I fw this
It's quite interesting that the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge has provisions for adding tracks to the existing structure, although would they actually do that as part of the Bloop proposal? It seems like their plans, as well as the locations of Huntington and National Harbor being south of the bridge, would imply that they would build a new tunnel instead.
Yes I’ve often wondered about that myself. Seems like they’d have to do some weird twisting.
You guys are adorable ❤ I love your relationship. I definitely enjoyed this video.
There’s only one person in this video though lol
@@Thom-TRA oh really 😂 then who were you biking 🚴 with
@@blackpanda7298 just a friend
@@Thom-TRA no face no case I guess lol, but I still enjoyed this video.
@@blackpanda7298 you know I am married right?
Interesting video, the red river on the Oklahoma Texas border is the same, low water mark in Texas.
Interesting, did not know that!
There used to he a Bethesda-Tysons route, and the new wmata bus plan wants to bring it back into service
Yes, I mention that towards the end of the video
Did you know that that bridge has a bascule draw span? Idk if it's ever been used
WOW! I didn't know about that route 😢
Maryland government, Virginia Government, and DC need to improve and open more routes for people traveling to work from Maryland to Virginia and Visebersa. There needs to be more communication in the commute Transportation. It is necessary for many of us who have no transportation 🚗
The bus number system is about to be replaced. Next bus plan will change the patterns. Currently DC buses are numbers; MD buses letter then number; VA buses numbers then letter. Those VA buses cross into DC multi bridges. But that’s not the end of the story as All Metrobus will switch State and number. Further, I-495 Montgomery Co.will likely have 2 bus lines.
Does the ferry from Crisfield MD to Tangier Island VA count as transit?
Hmm, it looks more like an excursion than transit, but it is a bookable cross-border service. I’m not sure…
Ah the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, avoid at all cost during rush hour unless you're riding on the NH2 or a bicycle 😆
My life motto for all roads pretty much 😂
@@Thom-TRA 😆😆😆
There is a new route, route 798 in fairfax connector that connects Montgomery county MD to Fairfax county VA.
It’s not running yet
I enjoyed that video👍👍
Thanks!
Hi Trains awesome, will you do a video of the Tren Maya?
I have already done one…
@@Thom-TRA Well, you should take a ride on it.
@@LuisUrbieta I have
@@Thom-TRA Oh
I LOVED the new “buses are awesome too” intro. Absolutely adorable. Perfect job making it.
The "Bloop" seems like something worthwhile building, except it should maybe go on further east to Andrews AFB, before making a 90 degree turn north. Then those military & executive branch people in D.C. could use WMATA instead of all those Marine helicopter rides. Note: a significant portion of the Potomac River in the vicinity of Mount Vernon is located within Virginia.
Extending the green line would be better for that
@@Thom-TRA Getting from near the Pentagon direct (with no transfer required) via the I-495 bridge to Andrews AFB? Seems less convoluted than via a 2nd train connection in D.C.
@@RVail623 except that the green line currently terminates less than a mile away from the base. And for what? Military and government officials think they’re too good for the metro anyways. The Bloop is much better off serving the underserved neighborhoods of SE DC.
I'd pay money to see Mr. Prez (whoever it might be) on the NH2 rather than Marine One 😂
The SMART Light Rail from Branch Ave to Waldorf and White Plains would accomplish that.
Now what I really want is an actually good train route from Richmond to Maryland.. or anywhere :)
In a few years, all Northeast Regionals will continue down to VA
@@Thom-TRA Yes but having to change engines in DC is a killer.
Does greyhound count as transit? I'm not sure, but route US0355 is interesting either way; it starts in Richmond, stops in Norfolk, then goes up highway 13, crosses into Maryland, and makes a couple stops in the section of MD on the East side of the Chesapeake.
I wouldn’t count it, though that’s definitely an interesting route
0:40 hey it’s my workday station. Meanwhile the port authority police are on their way
the people yearn for the bloop
I believe Maryland technically owns the Woodrow Wilson bridge, so I would say it counts.
Ownership is split between the two states
@@Thom-TRA I’ll still count it lol
Interesting sidelight that the NH2 bus, like the bridge it runs on, nicks a corner of DC. So it runs through a jurisdiction that it does not serve. So, here's a piece of Metrorail trivia for you: Metrorail has two stations "serving" Falls Church ... but neither is IN the corporate limits of that city. In fact, no part of the railway's route is! That said, Falls Church is one of 4 communities whose names appear in the names of two Metrorail stations. Well technically, maybe 3 communities: there is a Bethesda station, and also a North Bethesda station (formerly called White Flint) but those are separate "census designated places." Reston also has 2 stops and they are both in the CDP of that name. There is only one INCORPORATED community on the system that has its name on two stations, both within the city limits. And that place is ... ?
Hyattsville?
Right... West Hyattsville and Hyattsville Crossing! (I live in an adjacent town and use both stations.)
This doesn't count because a very tiny part of the I-495 bridge goes through the District of Columbia for about 300 feet in the middle of the Potomac River. The marking of the border on the bridge is even visible at 6:20 and goes from about when the white paint begins to that mark.
The paint/concrete mixture changes and DDOT is responsible for the maintenance of that tiny bit of land, so I say it does not count. Neither would a boat from Old Town Alexandria to National Harbor, since as soon as you leave the pier in Alexandria, you enter the water of the District of Columbia. Traveling through a state's boundary even for a tiny bit, even on water or non-stop road, counts as transiting through it.
I disagree. DDOT is no longer responsible for the bridge. And I count it because there is no feasible way to get off the bus in DC.
I took this to get to TopGolf! The walk from the bus stop was...not too pleasant
Yeah it’s classic suburban infrastructure for sure
I live in northern VA and now want to take this bus thanks to the video, but I was wondering where the National Harbor stop is and whether it's in a pedestrian-friendly location (that's my only regret about Thom ditching the bus for the bike on a nice day). I will still try out this bus but thanks for the heads up that the walk to NH might be a bit of a challenge.
@@dianeshaw1145 the stop is right where all the commercial activity is. NH only has one way in or out.
1:19 this is crazy that all these years no dedicated funding. isn't that lack of predictable funding also same for Amtrak?
In the same way needs to be more routes and transportation from Silver Spring, Columbia to Baltimore cities and suburban communities. City planners need to work to favorite small businesses Industrial Business Parks, and Distribution Centers where there is no public transportation at all. Development city's communication growth is necessary for public workers
bloop!
NH2 National Harbor. Is there an NH1?
Yes. Runs from Southern Ave. Look it up
Thom, great video. You talked of the little corner of D.C. underneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. At the point of the triangle is one of the D.C. corner boundary stones. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_markers_of_the_original_District_of_Columbia
As a former DC METRO AREA resident (1980-2009) I'm mystified by the true purpose of this route. How often does it run? I'm guessing once an hour during non-peak hours. Is it to benefit National Harbor? the casino? Yet the bus seemed largely empty on your trip. I wonder if that's the norm.
Watch 5:07 again and see if it answers your question
Why isn't there a Tysons bethesda bus line? Or does one of the local connectors cover such an obvious route?
There will be one in the future
I wonder if the other Virginia,West Virginia, has anything into Maryland probably not as it'll be a much more rural border?
There's the EPTA-operated bus that meets certain MARC trains in Brunswick and runs to Harpers Ferry, Duffields, and Martinsburg (not to mention the MARC Brunswick Line itself).
Imagine the metro silver line going all the way to Harper's ferry 😂
The 16 m bus goes over the bridge aslo Throm my aunt lives near it 6:25
Into DC……
We have transit?
Nice video but why does the bus drop you off in a parking lot and not take you all the way into Natl Harbor? Seems short-sighted!
Did you catch the part where I say (multiple times) that the bus takes you into National Harbor, and we *chose* to get off early?
I guess your vids are too long or too boring for some people. I say, "Keep up the excellent work!"@@Thom-TRA
Just now seeing this but I want to know what’s your thoughts on the new bus network soon to be in 2025 with new bus routes and services
I think having clearer route names will be great!
@@Thom-TRA exactly been a bus fan my whole life here in growing up here in Dc can’t wait to see what they do I was on the Georgia ave line (70,79) but I moved downed to buzzer point and it’s Been over 14 years since they stop letting the 70 come down here now we have the 74 but for them to send the bus back down here would be great for my neighbor hood tbh
@@dontaviansmallwood7889 how well do you know Prince George’s The Bus?
@@Thom-TRA not to well tbh only
Rode it once or twice because I usually take WMATA or metro bus when traveling to Pg and I’m very familiar with Ride on because I did work out Bethesda and I have friend out Montgomery county
bus video idea dc school routes
I guess this is another Transit agency that you just new flyer buses
Why does the DC metro bus have weird police lights on it? Those are the same lights police cars have when conducting a traffic stop at 0:05
They are so you can recognize the bus from farther away
@@Thom-TRA nice
I've only seen these cylon bus lights on wmata buses, do other systems use them?
@@hobog nope not that I know of
bloop
Congratulations! You have won my forever appreciation
Bloop Bloop
bloop
Bloop!
don't want to be offensive in any way, but why do American busses and coaches look like the where build in the 80's even if they are brand new?
busses and coaches here in the Netherlands look way more modern.
Because they are built to a much lower quality standard
What does the NH prefix mean? Actually, why do I ask? No one knows.
Try "National Harbor" = "NH"
@@Denusa its too late, i already gave up
Bloop
Thank you thank you
That’s seems like a miserable rush hour ride
Why do you say that?
Thom, I know this is your channel, but I wish your wife would appear in some videos. :) I don't know if this is true, but maybe she is into trains, so why did you marry her?
She is in a lot of videos
Aren't borders illogical.
Bloop