Metro Test Trains Spotted Near Reston, Herndon (Photos)

Good news, Herndon and Reston residents who don't yet have access to Metro: trains have been spotted at Dulles Airport to the west, which suggests test trains are running and WMATA is one big step closer to opening the Silver Line expansion.

Aviation analyst Jason Rabinowitz posted photos of a train at the as-yet-unopened Dulles Airport station.

That also means trains are running through the upcoming Reston and Herndon stations.

Ohh! A @wmata train at the still not opened @Dulles_Airport station!
Guess test train runs have started. pic.twitter.com/QO5zRtrZ7A
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) March 20, 2019

It's good news for WMATA, considering that about a month ago, NBC Washington reported that the first test train on the new tracks made it just 1,000 feet out of the Wiehle-Reston East station toward Reston Town Center before it ran into trouble.

The testing will take place for months and involve 11 miles of new track stretching through Reston, Herndon, Dulles Airport, and into Loudoun County.

The new stations won't open until 2020, and perhaps later if WMATA keeps running into delays.

Authorities found major problems with concrete in the walls of the new Metro stations last year, which to led to a man pleading guilty to falsifying quality reports for the concrete. The state of Virginia and the federal government later filed suit against the manufacturer.

WTOP reported late last year that the Silver Line extension could wrap up construction as soon as this fall. After that would be testing, commissioning, and training, leading to a possible opening date in summer 2020.

It's been more than four years since the first part of the Silver Line opened, meaning if everything stays on schedule, there will be a six-year gap between when the Wiehle-Reston East station opened and when the new stations become available to commuters. Construction on the second phase -- which expands to Reston Town Center, Herndon, Dulles International Airport, and Loudoun County -- began all the way back in 2013.