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Monday, September 22, 2014

METRO TESTING 7000-SERIES RAILCARS ON RED LINE (PHOTOS)

WMATA is finally on something of a timetable to restore automatic train control to its subway system, and the Red Line will be the first route to have it, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. In October, some Red Line trains will begin operating automatically, and all trains will do so by next March, according to the Post report. That long-overdue positive sign wasn't the only big Red Line news this past weekend. Metro tested new 7000-series railcars on the Red Line Saturday and Sunday, between the Twinbrook and Shady Grove Metro stations.

I caught one in action at the Rockville station on Sunday. The train was not accepting passengers during the test run. The 7000-series are manufactured by Kawasaki.

We simply must improve the service and reliability of Metro, if we are to even begin to manage future growth in places like downtown Bethesda, White Flint, Silver Spring and Rockville. Scarce transportation dollars need to go to the projects where they impact the most people, such as 8-car trains for Metro, more capacity on the Red Line (especially north of Grosvenor), and a new Potomac River crossing to relieve congestion on the Beltway and I-270.


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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:18 AM

    They've been testing the 7000-series on the Red Line for months. They also announced a week or two ago that their introduction into service has been delayed until next year.

    That's good news about the ATC though.

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  2. Anonymous11:37 AM

    Meanwhile, every metro riders living north of Grosvernor has to endure (even more) insulting waiting time during the weekend, without any improvement / track maintenance...
    Metro sucks, and there is no reason to believe it is going to be better after the automatic train operator is back...

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    Replies
    1. Robert Dyer1:22 PM

      11:37 I think your comments are pretty much on-point, unless changes are made at the top of Metro. Theoretically, ATC should help a bit with delays in the system during rush hour, but it won't solve the myriad of other problems. Endless station closures, elevator/escalator outages, and nothing to show for it. If NYC can do it right with a far more complicated system, so can we.

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  3. Anonymous5:34 PM

    Tear Metro down and build a regional highway in its place. This is America. I shouldn't have to rely on computers to automatically transport me places or tax dollars to subsidize poor people's transportation habits.

    Vote Robert Dyer Nov. 4.

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  4. Anonymous12:15 PM

    Metro has to be subsidized to be affordable for a lot of people. This isn't a flat rate fare like NYC.

    ReplyDelete