At least give the author the benefit of the doubt. I've never lived anywhere near Washington D.C. but a quick search reveals the station is anything but "plebeian":
Did you read the article? Is the smug tone some kind of joke that I'm not getting? Because based on my own reading the author really does judge the commuters for not stopping, and the use of "plebeian" was not in jest.
I think you're going out of your way to sound sophisticated by pretending you "get it".
I think you're going out of your way to sound sophisticated by pretending you "get it".