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The new Dallas Area Rapid Transit Silver Line is nearly three-quarters completed, which has yielded a visible sign of progress toward the promised east-west regional connections of the new train.
The transit agency recently began running test trains on a completed portion of the line between Richardson and Plano, a significant step toward preparing for riders in the next year or two.
The testing is primarily to ensure the trains' on-board systems are working correctly, according to DART. It also allows engineers to monitor the track as well as test out updated safety measures. No passengers will be riding the trains during the testing, the agency said.
"We want to ensure everything is operating as it should and be able to catch any little thing that can improve safety and performance," Trey Walker, DART vice president of capital design and construction, said in a statement. "The goal is to get to where people can start buying tickets and ride the Silver Line as quickly and safely as possible."
After about five years of construction, the nearly $2.1 billion Silver Line project is around 70% complete, said Mario Zavala, a spokesperson for DART. Additionally, four Silver Line stations in Plano and Richardson are about three-quarters done.
The project speaks to the evolving mobility needs of the Metroplex as it zooms toward replacing Chicago as the third-largest metropolitan area in the country — a milestone expected by 2030. Transportation and transit are top of mind for many business leaders, and many real estate developers are attracted to the density offered by new trains.
DART said that segmented testing will last until early 2025. The 26-mile Silver Line is segmented into three parts: segment A runs from the airport to the Addison area, segment B stretches from Addison to North Dallas and segment C runs from Richardson to Plano. "End-to-end" testing of the line should take place by summer 2025, Zavala said.
The Silver Line will add 10 stops to the DART network and will offer connections to other DART lines as well as other transit systems. For example, the Denton County Transportation Authority aims to add a bus connection to the DART train station in Carrollton where the Silver Line will stop.
The Silver Line has been in the works for a few decades, Zavala noted. Initial conversations around the project, once referred to as the Cotton Belt Rail Line, began in 1989 and came to fruition around 2016.
Construction finally commenced in 2021 after DART secured a $908 million U.S. Department of Transportation loan. The rest of the project is being funded in part by other local and state grants as well as contributions from DART member cities.
The line was initially slated to open by March 2023, but pandemic-related supply chain issues, labor shortages and jurisdictional disputes caused delays, Zavala said. DART now expects the Silver Line will start servicing riders by late 2025 or early 2026.
In total, the Silver Line will traverse seven cities and pass through Collin, Dallas and Tarrant counties.
Zavala added that the Silver Line marks DART’s first project that doesn’t pass through downtown Dallas. Every other line on the DART system makes at least one stop in the urban core, but the Silver Line strives to serve the northern suburbs of the Metroplex, where the population has increased significantly in recent years and which are now seeing increased density.
Adding another regional line also aims to provide more connectivity and accessibility to employment hubs, especially in Collin County, as well as educational opportunities, including the University of Texas at Dallas.
Salt Lake City-based railroad manufacturer Stadler US is responsible for building the new Silver Line trains. Each train is powered by electric diesel engines that meet federal low-emission standards and can seat more than 230 passengers. The train cars will feature USB outlets and overhead storage for luggage and bikes, and some seats will have tables.
