Metro on Monday will return to computer-driven trains on the Red Line, almost six years after a fatal crash that spurred upgrades and many weekends of track work.
The transit agency announced the move Thursday.
Deputy General Manager Rob Troup called it “a significant safety milestone for Metro.”
At first, only eight-car trains will run in automatic mode. Six-car trains will return to automatic train operation after a software upgrade for the existing fleet. Train operators will continue to ride in the cab of each train and must open and close doors and make announcements.
Since the automatic train operation malfunction that led to the 2009 crash, Metro has put in years of work on signal upgrades, independent testing and other requirements of National Safety Transportation Board recommendations.
After the crash, which killed nine people, NTSB officials said Metro had a lax safety culture.
All trains went to manual mode, meaning train operators were driving. That led to jerkier rides and some delays.
Metro said Thursday that automatic mode will mean acceleration, deceleration and stopping will be under computer control, “resulting in consistent ride quality and improved efficiency across the line.”
Metro’s five other rail lines have track-circuit replacement projects that are still ongoing. Metro expects to return them to automatic train operation in late 2017.
Flickr photo by ChrisDag
