Media Relations Contact:
Morgan Lyons

October 4, 2004

First test a success

Train service from West End Station to the new Victory Station is getting closer

DART took the next step October 4 toward linking Downtown Dallas and the American Airlines Center with the successful completion of rail tests along the new 1.5-mile light rail corridor between West End and Union stations and the new Victory Station. DART's newest station will open November 13.

DART Rail service will be available for special events at the AAC, starting with the Texas Stampede. Rail service will operate between West End and Victory stations one hour before and continue until one hour after AAC events. DART also will have limited evening rail service to Victory Station Monday through Friday. To launch the service, DART will host two days of customer events at Victory Station on November 13 and 14.

These tests are conducted to evaluate the operation of the new light rail track along the corridor. The first tests are live wire and clearance tests. The live-wire test uses the light rail vehicle to check the traction electrification system. The test determines if the right amount of electricity is getting to the vehicle as it travels the corridor. Electricity is transmitted to the vehicle through an overhead catenary wire from two electrical substations along the corridor. The vehicle clearance test makes sure the train passes safely past poles, over bridges and receives information from signaling systems along the track that help the train and the train control center communicate.

DART Rail Expansion On Track
DART currently serves 57,000 daily riders over its 44-mile, 34-station light rail system.
Through 2018, DART plans 49 more miles of DART Rail service. The expansion will link Pleasant Grove, South Dallas, Fair Park and Deep Ellum to the southeast with the Medical/Market Center, Love Field, northwest Dallas, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Las Colinas, Irving and DFW Airport to the northwest. In addition, service will extend south from Ledbetter Station in South Oak Cliff to I-20 and northeast from Downtown Garland Station to Rowlett.

To meet growing demand for DART Rail service, the agency has ordered 20 new light rail vehicles. They are scheduled to be in service in 2005.

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