Fake D.C. Metro Station

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority currently operates 91 stations across 117 miles of track, and ongoing Silver Line construction is pushing deeper into Northern Virginia still, shortening downtown travel times and knitting the region closer together. However, despite the authority’s mandate to focus on regional transportation in the nation’s capital, there is one rogue Metro station to be found 580 miles to the southwest of the rest.

The far-flung station down in Perry, Georgia was built in November, 2012, for a new disaster preparedness and tactical training center. Signage simulates the Foggy Bottom stop near the State Department in D.C., and eight authentic WMATA subway cars complete the look. The simu-station is set up inside a 1,800-foot-long former Northrop Grumman missile fueling building, and kitted out with a transit control room, turnstiles, and mock food vendors.

It was built by Guardian Centers, which has built a business out of providing realistic training experiences to clients like the Department of Defense, the State Department, and specialized police units. On top of the Foggy Bottom station, its 830-acre compound also has urban combat areas and a small floodable town.

While the mock Foggy Bottom station does not appear to accept WMATA transfers, it is occasionally available for airsoft tournaments and live action zombie roleplaying. Normal Metro etiquette still applies, and visitors should remember to stand on the right and walk on the left.