Word is that Metro’s venerable, perplexing farecard machines are soon to be replaced. So here’s maybe a last look at the old machines at my local station.
The farecard machines have been retrofitted more than a couple of times. Originally, they accepted only cash and dispensed a paper farecard.1 Now, credit/debit cards are accepted and what comes out is a laminated plastic stored value card.
Since there’s a rush hour premium added to the distance-based fare, it’s very easy to have insufficient funds on your card in order to exit (especially back in the old paper farecard days). (See the busy table of fares at the top of the machine.) Hence, the Exitfare machine, in original orange livery, which was designed to one purpose: top up your card so that you can exit. Fun fact: Exitfare was originally called Addfare, but riders would try to use it to add more than necessary to exit.
1If you want to sound like a tourist, call it a ticket.