WMATA to return Red Line to automatic train operation

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

Following years of signal upgrades, independent testing and the closure of key National Transportation Safety Board safety recommendations, Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority will return the Red Line to automatic train operation (ATO) on April 13.

 

“The return of automatic train operation on the Red Line is a significant safety milestone for WMATA” said WMATA Deputy General Manager Rob Troup. “I want to thank our riders for their forbearance through years of work, often on weekends, to allow us the track access necessary to perform essential signal upgrades.”

Only eight-car trains will run in automatic mode initially; six-car trains will continue to operate in manual mode. A future software upgrade on WMATA’s existing railcar fleet will allow six-car trains to return to automatic mode at a later date.

The five other rail lines (Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Green) are currently undergoing track-circuit module replacement projects and a return to automatic train operation on these lines is expected in late 2017.

In automatic mode, trains accelerate, decelerate and stop under computer control, resulting in consistent ride quality and improved efficiency across the line. Train operators will continue to ride in the cab of each train and will have responsibility for opening and closing doors and making announcements, even when operating in automatic mode.

 

 

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