With Safety Approval, Silver Line To Dulles May Open By Thanksgiving

WASHINGTON, DC — Metro leaders said Wednesday that after two weeks of successfully completing simulated service, the Silver Line extension may open in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel season, according to a release.

All this hinges on whether the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, which provides operational oversight for Metrorail, approves Metro's Return to Service Plan for 7000-series railcars, and a Silver Line extension safety certification report.

“We committed for the Silver Line extension to being operationally ready for the Silver Line extension in October, and we have met our deadline,” said General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke, in a release. “Since control of the extension was turned over to Metro, we and our partners at the Airports Authority, Fairfax, and Loudoun have worked diligently to complete all of the steps needed for Metro to offer safe and reliable service for rail travel to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County, and we are just awaiting concurrence from our Safety Commission partners.”

Metro is finalizing its safety certification report, which it will submit to WMSC this week. WMSC has worked closely with Metro since the transit system gained control of the final section of the Silver Line extension in June. The commission has indicated that it would be able to quickly add its concurrence to Metro's plan within hours or days, according to a release.

Metro officials do not consider the final Silver Line safety certification a barrier that will stop them from opening the rest of the Silver Line to passenger service before Thanksgiving. However, Metro needs more trains to make that happen.

On Monday, WMSC rejected the latest Return to Service Plan for the 7000-series rail cars, even after Metro submitted additional data on Friday.

“Metro recognizes the important role safety oversight plays and we are absolutely committed to compliance,” said Brian Dwyer, Metro's EVP and chief operating officer, in a release. “Respectfully, after a year-long investigation, we would welcome a directive based on a root cause finding. Meanwhile, we have developed an industry-leading inspection process in which we have high confidence. At the end of the day, all we’re asking is for our customers to be able to ride on the same trains as our employees.”

Metro needs WMSC's concurrence this week so that it can begin to safely transfer trains to its various yards, align real-time communication systems, and finalize other details. That's the only way it will be able to support the start of passenger service at Dulles Rail Yard and restore service for stations south of National Airport.

Local bus providers have also asked Metro for three weeks notice so that they could connect bus service to the new rail stations.