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Denver RTD to power up East Rail Line
Would any of the experts out there help explain why they need a year to test a system using what appears to be fairly conventional technology? Is it PTC-related?
No criticism of the people in Denver is intended. Just curiosity at work.
Thanks!
Eric
Good question. I live in Colorado and don’t see why it needs a years test. It is an overhead catenary system that has MU cars and will be crewed with humans. Not exactly rocket science.
While the track and catenary will be operational, I believe there is still much to be done including completing station construction along the line, especially at the terminus at DIA.
A “yearlong” testing program? Why? They should start limited service immediately. Beaureaucrats!
I would point out in the San Francisco bay area BART took 6 years from when they first were running trains (1967) to when they started taking passengers, and long to open the transbay tunnel to passengers. And even then BART still had all sorts of problems that no one had thought about.
(Like put dynamic brake grids directly under foam floors and see what happens when the grids overheat. Don’t run trains at nite and the computer looses the first trains of the morning because of dew on the rails. Or something simple like providing for crew entry and exit at yards where there are no high level platforms.)
I think the point is that the track is ready for trains, but the stations and other infrastructure (especially at the airport) will not be ready for another 11-12 months. So why NOT test it from now until it is ready for passengers? That way you run through all the different weather we have here in Colorado.