Test trains begin on Silver Line Phase 2 to Dulles

Feb. 6, 2019

The two-car trains in the initial testing phase will polish the rail followed by dynamic testing; the entire process will progress for several months.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

Testing will begin along the Silver Line Phase 2 during the early morning of Feb. 6, 2019.

Testing will begin along Phase 2 of the Silver Line early in the morning on Feb. 6 with two two-car trains moving from the Wiehle-Reston Metrorail station to the Innovation Station.

The entire 23-mile project is being built in two phases by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Phase 1 of the Silver Line opened in July 2014 and connected East Falls Church with Tysons Corner and Reston, Va., with downtown Washington, D.C., and Largo, Md. Phase 2 construction began in 2014 and will connect the eastern edge of Reston to Washington Dulles International Airport and to Ashburn in eastern Loudoun County.

The two initial testing trains will be used to polish the third rail in order to remove rust that can accumulate on infrequently used rails. MWAA explains that because the third rail will not be electrified during this portion of the test, the trains will be pushed by a small diesel locomotive.

After the trains have moved and are in place at Innovation Station, the third rail will be electrified between Innovation Center Station and Dulles International Airport, where trains will be used to remove accumulated rust from the third rail in that area.

When this work is complete, dynamic testing will begin with two additional trains equipped for safe-braking tests. This process is required before the rail line begins commercial operation, according to Charles Stark, senior vice president of MWAA.

This work, which project officials consider a significant milestone, will continue for several months.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.