DC Metro has the most escalators (and elevators) of any transit system in North America with a total of 674. Metro’s longest escalator is at the Wheaton station right here in Montgomery County. The 230 ft. escalator is the longest single span escalator in the entire western hemisphere (video below).
The Wheaton Metro escalator spans 230 feet, 18 feet longer than the second longest escalator on the Metro (Bethesda). It takes 2 minutes and 52 seconds to go down the escalator from the time you step on until the time you step off, if you don’t move after getting on. Woodley Park and Medical Center are the only other two that come in longer than 200 feet with Rosslyn, both Dupont stations, and Tenleytown coming in after them.
Whenever this fascinating fact is shared, a common question arises about other Metro station escalators. In 2014, Greater Greater Washington highlighted the lengths of the top 10 longest Metro escalators:…