Green, Green, Green, originally uploaded by M.V. Jantzen.

On my way home from work tonight, I missed my Yellow line train at Metro’s Gallery Place-Chinatown station by about 30 seconds. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last, that the southbound train headed for Huntington left the lower platform just as the Red line was arriving up above.

I wouldn’t have been so upset had the next train arrived a few minutes later. But what made tonight’s ride home particularly painful was the next Yellow line train didn’t come for 20 minutes. In fact, I watched five Green line trains pass before seeing the first Yellow. While it is not usually this bad — except on Nationals game days — there are routinely two Green line trains headed for Branch Avenue for every Yellow line train going to Huntington.

Why? Unless a large number of Green line riders are getting on somewhere down the line, the numbers at Gallery Place-Chinatown hardly seem to justify the 2-for-1 system.

I’ve had the same commute for nearly four years, and in that time, Metro seems to be increasingly moving more Green line trains. That means Yellow line passengers are asked to pay rush-hour prices (in my case $3.25) for service that’s comparable to Saturday schedules.

After years of complaints from Green line customers, the tables have certainly turned. It’s time for Yellow line riders to start speaking up, especially as more people in Northern Virginia turn to mass transit to avoid higher gas prices. The opening of a huge new parking garage at Huntington is likely to encourage even more people to park and ride.

If you’re a fellow Yellow line rider, you start by contacting Metro’s Yellow/Green Line Manager Rita Davis at yellow-greenline@wmata.com or (301) 562-4607.

UPDATE — July 8, 11:42 p.m.: Today’s ride home wasn’t nearly as bad, but it was still rather annoying to watch three Green line trains pass before the first Yellow line arrived. Instead of waiting 20 minutes like yesterday, at least I was only stuck on the platform for 10.