Excerpt:
HART WEEKLY eBLAST | September 1, 2017
HONOLULU'S RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT SET TO BEGIN LIVE TRAIN AND ENERGIZED
TRACK TESTING
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, RAIL CARS WILL
OPERATE UNDER THEIR OWN POWER
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) and its contractor Ansaldo Hawaii Joint Venture will soon be conducting live testing of its first rail cars. As part of the process, engineers will also be energizing the contact rail or so called "third-rail" used as the rail cars' power source.
This will mark the first time that trains will operate on the guideway under their own power. For testing purposes, trains will have operators on-board however when operational, the trains will be fully-automated and driver-less.
All testing will be done within restricted zones for the safety of the public and contractors. As testing expands, more guideway segments will be brought online.
Train testing will examine the acceleration and operational abilities of the rail cars under varying load conditions and at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. Braking tests will also be conducted.
HART is working to raise public awareness about the dynamic section electrification and train testing. As testing begins and certainly moving forward, HART reminds the public that all rail tracks should be considered live and dangerous. Any contact with all rail tracks is to be avoided.
Testing dates of note:
- Tuesday, September 5 - Waipahu Traction Power Sub-Station short circuit test
- Wednesday, September 6 - Initial energization of third rail in testing section
- Late September - Early October - Rail cars testing on energized track
Important Notes
- There is to be absolutely no access to the testing section
- Always consider all rail tracks as LIVE at ALL TIMES
- Respect all safety signage installed in test areas
- No stepping or sitting on 3rd rail cover boards
- No placing of conductive materials on or near the 3rd rail