Train News

DART begins testing trains for new Silver Line service across north Dallas

DART Silver Line train

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) fans can get a sneak peek of a new train line coming on board: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has begun running trains on its new Silver Line tracks for the first time.

The Silver Line is a 26-mile route that will run from Plano to DFW Airport, crossing seven cities (Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Richardson, and Plano). It's scheduled to begin in late 2025 to early-2026.

DART worked with Trinity Metro, its partner on the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), to secure track availability to exercise the vehicles and test train operators and vehicle systems. The Silver Line trains will run full routes, following the same travel path as the TRE, from 10 am-6 pm with brief stops at each of its stations.

According to a release, the Silver Line trains will run on the TRE service route every Sunday for the next few weeks. The test runs will only be on Sunday since TRE does not offer service on Sundays.

This will only be a test run; no passengers will be allowed to board the Silver Line trains at any of the TRE stations. So you can look but cannot touch.

DART is more than 60 percent complete with the Silver Line project overall and will begin to fully test the trains in segments on the Silver Line tracks later this summer. In segmented testing, the trains are tested on a specific segment of the track on the project. They'll start on the segment that runs between the Shiloh Road Station in Plano and CityLine/Bush Station in Richardson, in late July or early August.

Testing will continue in the fall between the Knoll Trail Station in Dallas and Terminal B Station at DFW Airport. Segmented testing will wrap up in early 2025 with Silver Line trains running between the CityLine/Bush and Knoll Trail stations.

Segmented testing is necessary to ensure each portion of track along the alignment functions as needed and the vehicle responds accordingly. End-to-end testing of the entire Silver Line corridor is planned for summer of 2025.

Designed by Swiss manufacturer Stadler and assembled in Salt Lake City, the Silver Line vehicles are powered by electric diesel multiple-unit-powered (DMU) engines that meet strict EPA standards. With seating for 235 passengers and updated amenities like multidirectional seats, overhead storage and internal CCTV cameras, the trains are similar to Trinity Metro’s TexRail vehicles, and will provide a quiet ride with passenger safety and comfort.

transportation

Holiday News

American Airlines expects record-setting travel on Thanksgiving 2024

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines ready for takeoff.

The holidays are looming and American Airlines is ramping up. Over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Fort Worth-based airline expects to process nearly 8.3 million customers across more than 77,000 flights.

According to a statement from American's COO David Seymour, the airline is having a good fall season and canceled fewer flights than its peers during October.

“Thanks to the hard work of our 130,000 team members, we canceled fewer flights than any of our major competitors this October and beat our own records for on-time departures and arrivals,” Seymour says.

That's surely good news. One hates to rain on their parade, but in June 2024, the only flight I booked this year, my flight was canceled less than 24 hours before take-off. I had made hotel reservations, scheduled a pet sitter, planned events, and arranged for a friend to pick me up at the destination airport. One employee speculated that it may have been "insufficient crew." Their only solution offered was: Feel free to reschedule your flight.

Thanksgiving facts and figures
The travel window runs from November 21 to December 3, and the airline expects to carry more than 500,000 more customers than it did last year.

The most-traveled day will be Sunday, December 1. The second most-traveled day will be Monday, December 2.

The peak of peak: 1,035 mainline and regional aircraft will be enroute at 10:45 am on Sunday, December 1 — the highest number of flights handled at any given time during American’s travel period.

The airline expects to serve more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board from November 21 to December 3.

Travel tips
Download the American Airlines app and check in for your flight, noting added any bags to your trip. This will save you time at the airport.

If traveling internationally, download the Mobile Passport Control app, which can speed up your entry into the U.S. Global Entry members can download the Global Entry app, which allows you to submit your entry and go straight to the officer.

Upon arrival at the airport lobby, scan your mobile boarding pass to print bag tags quickly at a kiosk. If you’re not checking bags, go straight to TSA security with your mobile boarding pass.

holidays