DART to begin second round of vehicle testing on Silver Line Aug. 25

Beginning Aug. 25, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will begin a second round of vehicle testing on the Silver Line Regional Rail alignment.

The testing on Silver Line tracks will be exclusive to Segment C of the project, falling between Waterview Parkway and the Shiloh Road Station. Times of testing will occur between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. throughout the week.

Flaggers will be present at each of the rail crossings to help drivers and pedestrians navigate traffic safely and accurately following Federal Railroad Administration guidelines. Engineers and rail crews will be testing the timing and duration of gates, lights and warning signals at each crossing to ensure safe transitions for both freight and commuter rail that will share operations in the corridor once the Silver Line is in revenue service.

“Safety for the public, our operators and employees are the top priority as we undergo this testing period,” said Trey Walker, DART vice president of capital design and construction. “We will be checking everything from top to bottom and reviewing, adjusting and re-testing to make sure that we can travel through the corridor safely. We want to make sure that anyone near the rail alignment knows we’re active in this area and coming through.”

Silver Line vehicle testing will include operating its simulated route with stops at the 12th St., CityLine/Bush and UT Dallas stations with no passenger pick-up or drop-off points. The agency notes all stations are still active construction sites so onlookers are not allowed on platforms or nearby walkways. Quiet zones, which allow trains to use their horns only when there is a potential hazard on or near the tracks, will not be in effect during testing.