Metro eAlerts Help

• Rail service
• ELLEN (electronic elevator notification)

Rail service

Below are instructions for setting and modifying subscriptions to Metrorail eAlerts.

1. Start a new subscription

Proceed to the subscription form and:

1. Enter the email address at which you wish to receive your alerts. This can be an account you access on any email capable device: a computer, cellular phone, pager or personal digital assistant. See determining your e-mail address on a portable device.
2. Enter the times of day and rail lines you wish to monitor. For example, you ride the Orange and Red lines to work in the morning and home again in the evening. On the form, opposite "Morning Peak" and "Evening Peak" time periods, click on the check boxes for the Orange and Red lines.
3. Submit the form by pressing the "submit" button. You'll be transferred to an acknowlegment screen confirming your submission.

Repeat this process for a second e-mail address if you wish to receive the same or different alerts at a second account as well.

2. Modify your subscriptions:

Return to the subscription form and enter your new time and line preferences and press submit. This will update your selections. Subscription preferences are stored by address. So if you receive alerts at multiple addresses you'll need to update your subscriptions for each address.

3. Unsubscribe:

Follow the unsubscribe instructions included on each eAlert message you receive. Or, visit the unsubscribe form and enter the email address at which you wish to cancel your subscription. Note: Unsubscribing cancels all eAlerts sent to the address entered. To cancel only some of the alerts you receive, follow the instructions above for modifying your subscription preferences.

If you'd like to receive this information while on the go, see the notes below on determining your email address on your cell phone or pager. Don't just assume that you cannot email these portable devices. Many people are surprised to learn that they can receive e-mail on the devices they carry every day.

ELLEN (Electronic elevator notification)

Below are instructions for each of the four areas of the ELLEN subscription form:

1. Send me messages about elevators at the following stations:

This form section contains a list of all Metrorail stations. Click on the checkbox opposite each station whose elevator status you wish to monitor. Remember to select transfer stations, if any.

Example selections for a trip without transfers

You commute weekdays from Bethesda to Farragut North. This trip is entirely on the Red Line, requiring no transfer. You can select just Bethesda and Farragut North as the stations to monitor.

Example selections for trip with transfers

You commute from Takoma to Foggy Bottom. Your trip requires a transfer from the Red Line to the Orange Line at Metro Center. Select the Takoma, Foggy Bottom, and Metro Center stations.

2. For my chosen stations, notify me:

This first section of this area asks whether you want to be notified:

• Every time an elevator goes in or out of service. Choosing this option means that you will be notified every time elevators at your chosen stations are taken out of service or put back into service.
• Only when elevators go in or out of service during the periods I specify. Choosing this option enables you to restrict the notices you receive to status changes at times of day when you ride Metrorail. This option is good for reducing message volume. If you select this option, you must later specify the times of day you wish to monitor.

For example: You plan to receive your notices on an email-capable cell phone and you want to learn of elevator outages both at home, work, and on your way to your chosen Metrorail stations at the start and end of your work day. You leave home at 7:30 a.m. and travel 30 minutes to the Metrorail station. Opt to receive alerts between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for your departure station. This way you'll learn of changes in elevator status before you leave home and when you're en route to the station, giving you time to modify your commute if necessary. Allow a similar time cushion for your return trip.

3. Days of the week I want to receive messages:

Select the days of the week you want to monitor your chosen stations' elevator status.

4. I want these messages delivered to the following email address:

Specify the email address at which you wish to receive your notifications. This address can be one you access from your desktop computer, cell phone, pager or other mobile device.

In order to accommodate email to portable devices, we're forced to use abbreviations for station names. This is because portable devices have limited message space, typically just 100-200 characters. See the abbreviation list for reference.

For example, on a mobile phone or cell phone a typical message might read:

FBOT ELE Street is in service
EFCH ELE Platform is out of service

This translates to:

Foggy Bottom/GWU street elevator is in service
East Falls Church platform elevator is out of service

Determining your email address on a portable device

Almost all newer cell phones and pagers can receive email. See the table below or consult your carrier directly.

Provider	What's my address?
AT&T Wireless	[10-digit phone number]@txt.att.net Example: 9055556543@txt.att.net
Cingular	[10-digit phone number]@mobile.mycingular.net Example: 10digitnumber@mobile.mycingular.net
Nextel	[10-digit telephone number]@messaging.nextel.com Example: 7035551234@messaging.nextel.com
Sprint PCS	[10-digit phone number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com Example: 8155551234@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Verizon	[10-digit phone number]@vtext.com Example: 5552223333@vtext.com
T-Mobile	[10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net Example: 1234567890@tmomail.net