Silver Line Officials Analyzing Information from Saturday's Testing

By Alex McVeigh

Testing along Phase One of the Silver Line took place overnight Saturday, Jan. 25, and involved 10 trains running simultaneously along the 11 miles of tracks and through the five Phase One Metro stations, said Marcia McAllister, a Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project spokeswoman.

"Observers were positioned at numerous locations to monitor the performance of the system across multiple functions — in the stations, in the traction power facilities and in train control rooms," she said. "Rail project officials, the contractor Dulles Transit Partners and (the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) are now tabulating, evaluating and analyzing all the information obtained from the demonstration."

• Video: Get to Know the Five Silver Line Metro Stations

Once the data is completely analyzed, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will have 15 days to make adjustments and recommendations. 

"There is a huge amount of data and information to be dealt with and discussed by all the parties involved," McAllister said. "When those evaluations are completed, we look forward to discussing the findings."

Once Dulles Transit Partners and the airports authority are satisfied, the project will be handed over to the transit authority for up to 90 days of their own safety testing, as well as personnel training along the new line. 

No opening date has been announced as of yet.