The Insides.

It's bad enough being stuck on a Metro car on a hot day during afternoon rush hour when the air-conditioning isn't running. It's even worse when the train you're on suddenly makes a loud clacking noise and then comes to stop.

We sat just feet away from the Metro Center stop, sweating and waiting to move forward. When at last we did, it was only to pull into the station and then be informed that we needed to exit the train.

We crowded the platform while other rush-hour commuters added to the mass of people. I watched through the train windows while a maintenance guy pulled up one of the seats and adjusted something with the brakes. Finally, the train groaned and left the station.

At least I got to see what the brake systems look like.