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[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 9/20:

Computer-driven trains returning to Metro’s Red Line five years after deadly rail crash

Five years after a fatal crash on Metro’s Red Line, the transit agency said it will soon take a major step in recovering from the disaster by bringing back computer-driven trains, restoring a money-saving, smooth-ride feature that was part of Metrorail from its inception but failed catastrophically in 2009, causing nine deaths.

Starting early next month, in a process known as automatic train operation, computers will take over driving a half-dozen Red Line trains daily during non-peak hours, Metro General Manager Richard Sarles said. By March, all Red Line trains will be driven by computers, a move Sarles called “a milestone accomplishment.”

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[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio, 4/9:
 

Red Line to return to automatic train operation after deadly 2009 Metro crash

 

WASHINGTON — The Red Line will return to automatic train operation on Monday, Metro has announced. The line hasn’t run on automatic operation since the 2009 Metro crash that left nine people dead and 80 injured.

 

The announcement comes after years of upgrades, testing and “successful closure of key [National Transportation Safety Board] safety recommendations,”  Metro Deputy General Manager Rob Troup said in a news release.

 

SNIP

 

To start, eight-car trains will run automatically while six-car trains will continue to be manually operated. A software upgrade in the future will allow for the six-car trains to switch over.

 

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[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release, 4/9

 

Metro to return Red Line to automatic train operation on Monday

 

Following years of signal upgrades, rigorous independent testing, and the successful closure of key NTSB safety recommendations, Metro will return the Red Line to automatic train operation (ATO) on Monday, April 13, Metro Deputy General Manager Rob Troup announced today.

 

"The return of automatic train operation on the Red Line is a significant safety milestone for Metro," said Troup. "I want to thank our riders for their forbearance through years of work, often on weekends, to allow us the track access necessary to perform essential signal upgrades."

Only eight-car trains will run in automatic mode initially; six-car trains will continue to operate in manual mode. A future software upgrade on Metro's existing railcar fleet will allow six-car trains to return to automatic mode at a later date.

 

Metro's five other rail lines (Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Green) are currently undergoing track-circuit module replacement projects, and a return to automatic train operation on these lines is expected in late 2017.

 

In automatic mode, trains accelerate, decelerate and stop under computer control, resulting in consistent ride quality and improved efficiency across the line. Train operators will continue to ride in the cab of each train, and will have responsibility for opening and closing doors and making announcements, even when operating in automatic mode.

 

[CNJRoss]

WAMU-FM, PBS American University, 4/9:
 

Tired Of Herky Jerky Stops? Metro To Phase In Computer Control Next Week

 

Play audio report.

 

Red Line trains will begin accelerating and braking under computer control for the first time since the fatal Red Line crash that killed nine people at Fort Totten on June 22, 2009, the transit authority announced on Thursday.

 

The return of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) will happen on Monday, April 13, for 8-car Red Line trains only. Six-car Red Line trains will be the next to return to ATO pending a software upgrade to enable those trains to stop at the correct place at the front end of the platform. The other five lines are expected to run on automatic operation by late 2017, Metro’s top rail official said.

 

“This is the culmination of a significant amount of efforts that we've taken over the years,” said Rob Troup, Metro’s deputy general manager.

 

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