Entire Metrorail system to operate automatically starting this weekend
Not only will ATO roll out to the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, but Metro is also returning to the original speed of the system, up to 75 mph, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) .
'This is a major milestone for Metro, and it has been a long time coming. I want to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to making this happen,' said Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. 'This is a win for customers and staff who will experience safer, more reliable rides. Meanwhile, Metro is saving money as ATO is more cost efficient.'
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Metro gets green light to introduce automatic train operations on Yellow, Green lines
ATO controls the train's acceleration, deceleration and speed, getting signal and speed commands from equipment located between the tracks. This creates a smoother ride, enhances safety and improves on-time performance, officials said.
Train operators will still work in the cab and will be responsible for the safety of passengers. Operators are still responsible for monitoring track conditions and closing the doors when people are safely on board.
WMATA added that ATO is not used when there is inclement weather, single tracking or when workers are on the tracks.
Metro said there have been no safety issues or red signal violations since ATO was implemented on the Red Line in December last year. Since then, travel times have been reduced by eight minutes.
By June 22, Metro will reduce end-to-end times by about three minutes on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines.
The Yellow and Green lines — which began using ATO in May — will also see decreased travel times of a couple of minutes.
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