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Situation: You need a fridge, and you’ve found a cheap one on Craigslist, but even the thought of driving a rented delivery van in the city gives you an anxiety attack. Possible solution: Transport it via Metro.
Around 11 a.m. today, @jwetz spotted a person loading a large, white refrigerator onto a Red Line train at the Woodley Park station. Mike Tolbert, a public information officer for Metro, notes that although he doesn’t know of any precedent regarding fridge transport on the Metro, “I’m sure in the history of Metro, it’s been done before.”
You may remember a similar incident from February 2014, when a man lugged a mattress onto a Metrobus. A mattress, it should be noted out, does not have the same dimensions as a refrigerator, an important difference to remember if you’re trying to use D.C. public transit as a makeshift U-Haul service.
According Tolbert, the same Metro policy regarding the mattress applies to the fridge (or a dishwasher or half-off washer/dryer combo). The policy [PDF] states:
“Patrons may carry ordinary hand baggage and instrument cases, tool cases, folding baby carriages, wheelchairs, bundles, or packages which can be handled without inconvenience to other patrons. Such articles must not be permitted to remain in a position where they will interfere with entrance or exit, free use of the aisle, or the proper and safe operation of the vehicle. Patrons must remain with their possessions at all times. Unattended articles may be confiscated and/or destroyed for safety and security reasons.”
While transporting a large appliance on a Metro train during rush hour would certainly make this person the enemy of commuters, it appears today’s fridge move was timed to cause little inconvenience to other passengers.
When in doubt, bring a tape measure.
Photo by Jeff Wetzel