Hundreds of commuters, train enthusiasts, mass-transit advocates, and curious residents turned out on Saturday morning for the inaugural run of the long-awaited Dallas Area Rapid Transit Silver Line, undeterred by cloudy skies and a forecast calling for rain later in the day.
The first train departing from the northeastern end of the line at the Shiloh Road Station in Plano left promptly at 10:23 a.m., with every seat filled and many more riders standing between the rows. At each successive stop, more riders crammed into the aisles. Despite the crowded conditions, a noticeable camaraderie and festive spirit prevailed among these commuters, sparking lively chatter.
“I’m glad to see so many people excited about the train,” one passenger told The Dallas Express.
The ride was smooth and comfortable, at least for those fortunate enough to find a place to sit. Each Silver Line vehicle has 230 vinyl-covered seats, including fixed, flip-up, and multi-directional. Some rows of seats share a table, and all aisle seats have sturdy handles for standing passengers to grasp to steady themselves.
Each vehicle can accommodate 485 riders at full capacity.
The vehicles also include USB charging ports at each seat, overhead luggage racks, LED lighting, and an inside rack for storing bicycles. The trains are equipped with closed-circuit television systems that DART police can monitor remotely.
Unlike the light rail trains on the Red, Orange, Green, and Blue Lines, which are powered by an overhead catenary system, the Silver Line vehicles are electric diesel multiple units (DMU). The state-of-the-art vehicles, manufactured by Stadler, Inc., meet the “strictest EPA regulations and they are the most environmentally friendly trains on the market,” according to a video posted on social media by DART.
Each DMU is self-propelled and includes one engine module, two coach cars, and two cab cars. The vehicle can be operated from either end of the DMU, eliminating the need for a turnaround.
The DMUs operate very quietly, as they are equipped with noise-absorbing polyethylene foam in the wheel assembly area. In addition, DART has added wheel skirts, HVAC bafflers, and variable-speed cooling fans to dampen the noise.
The Silver Line’s 26 miles of track cuts across three counties — Collin, Dallas, and Tarrant — and serves the cities of Plano, Richardson, Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, and Grapevine.
The southwestern terminus of the Silver Line is at DFW Airport near Terminal B. In all, there are 10 stops on the route, with some offering connections to TEXRail, various light rail lines, DFW Terminal Link buses, and DART buses.
In the near future, the Silver Line will serve as a convenient on or off-ramp for hikers and bikers utilizing the Cotton Belt Regional Trail, which is currently under construction. When completed, 26.2 miles of the 56.9-mile trail will follow along the same path as the Silver Line.
“The Silver Line is a centerpiece of our Point B vision to make DART your first-in-mind mobility partner,” Nadine Lee, DART president and CEO, said about the $2.09 billion project. “By connecting key employment centers, neighborhoods, and the world’s third-busiest airport, this project will be a catalyst for economic growth, provide access to opportunity, and a seamless mobility experience that helps our region thrive.”
Riding the entire Silver Line route takes about an hour, one-way. On opening day, the trains were running every 30 minutes. Going forward, the Silver Line will run from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day, with service every 30 minutes during weekday peak hours and every 60 minutes off-peak and on weekends.
Opening-day festivities at the 10 Silver Line stations included live music, food and merchandise vendors, cultural performances, family-friendly activities, and community programming.
DART is offering free Silver Line rides through November 8. Schedules and rail maps can be found here.