DART begins testing Silver Line train in Plano and Richardson
PLANO, Texas - Starting this week, Plano and Richardson residents will get a glimpse of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s new Silver Line train.
Beginning on Monday, the new train will make test runs from the Shiloh Road Station to the UT Dallas Station at Coit Road.
Train operators will test the onboard mechanical systems while project engineers will monitor the track and the enhanced safety measures at each crossing.
There will be no passengers during this testing period.
"We’ve been able to get exercise on the TRE tracks, but now it’s time for us to see how the trains operate on their home turf," said Trey Walker, vice president of capital design and construction. "We want to ensure everything is operating as it should and be able to catch any little thing that can improve safety and performance. The goal is to get to where people can start buying tickets and ride the Silver Line as quickly and safely as possible."
The Silver Line will eventually run for 26 miles through Plano, Richardson, Addison, Carrollton, Dallas, Coppell, and Grapevine. It will connect the Shiloh Road Station in Plano to DFW Airport.
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In May, DART tested the new Silver Line train on portions of the Trinity Railway Express track.
It will run tests between the UT Dallas and Knoll Trail stations in early 2025, and end-to-end testing for the line is planned for the summer of 2025.
DART hopes to have the Silver Line in service by late next year or early 2026.
The project is now about 65% complete.