There will be light rail cars running on a mile-long track of the Purple Line in Maryland as “dynamic testing” begins.
The testing will be adjacent to the project’s operations and maintenance facility along Veterans Parkway in Glenridge, Maryland, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration.
It will include, to begin, all eight vehicles currently on-site and is expected to last through 2026 as more cars arrive. It’s the next step before the transit administration hopes to start passenger service in late 2027.
“This is a monumental moment for the Purple Line as the project begins systems testing and brings us closer to service,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld.
“With the project at 76% complete, seeing the light rail vehicles on the tracks is a welcome sight that shows our continued progress. Thank you to the team for their hard work and the public for your continued patience as we move closer to finishing the Purple Line.”
During the testing, MDTA said that it, for now, will be confined to the rails and not on public roadways as the 142-foot light rail vehicles go back and forth over the one-mile track.
They will be assessing onboard components including braking, propulsion, electrical, signaling and communication systems, according to the transit administration.
“As the project transforms from primarily heavy construction into the testing phases, we are closer to our goal of connecting Maryland communities of Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and the region,” said Holly Arnold, the administrator at the transit administration.
The testing is the next major step for the Purple Line project, which has had numerous delays and increasing costs.
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