Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is in the process of recovering from a significant disruption caused by a fire aboard one of its trains, which was carrying 40 passengers on Wednesday.
On Friday, DART’s CEO, Nadine Lee, provided an update during a board workshop regarding the agency’s ongoing recovery efforts and an estimated timeline for restoring normal operations.
DART operations faced major disruptions as a result of the incident, which occurred partially in the light rail tunnel under Ross Avenue at Central Expressway.
Emergency responders, including Dallas Fire-Rescue, evacuated passengers from the train and provided medical assistance.
A total of 15 individuals received evaluations on-site, and six were transported to the hospital for issues related to anxiety, breathing difficulties, and minor burns.
As of now, DART is working diligently to repair damage in the rail system and the tunnel, which has been more extensive than initially expected.
The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a go-team to Dallas to help ascertain the cause of the fire and the subsequent damage.
In a bid to recover swiftly, DART has mobilized all available resources and is striving to restore service throughout the central business district.
DART’s management announced plans for all trains to return to schedule by Monday, with an all-hands-on-deck approach ensuring crews are working around the clock to expedite repairs and service recovery.
“Our incredible operations, maintenance of way, and maintenance teams have been working diligently in 12 to 16-hour shifts to keep service moving and accelerate repairs,” Lee stated.
To mitigate inconveniences for passengers, DART implemented bus shuttles to support customers affected by service disruptions.
Temporary changes to DART’s rail service include the restoration of power to the Central Business District, with train shuttles operational between key stations such as Victory and Pearl/Arts District and between EBJ/Union and Pearl/Arts District.
Bus bridges are also available to connect Pearl/Arts District with SMU/Mockingbird, and Pearl/Arts District with Deep Ellum.
DART staff are stationed at various locations, including EBJ/Union, Victory, Deep Ellum, and throughout the CBD, to assist riders during this challenging time.
Service is being modified across all DART lines to adapt to the ongoing situation.
For instance, the Red Line offers services from Westmoreland to EBJ/Union and requires a transfer to train shuttles and bus bridges for further travel to SMU/Mockingbird.
Meanwhile, the Blue Line continues normal operations with minor adjustments, while the Orange Line and Green Line services are also being adapted accordingly.
In closing, DART aims to resume full rail service by Monday morning, allowing them to return more closely to conventional services and manage typical operational challenges.
DART expresses gratitude for the hard work and dedication of its employees through this tumultuous period, as they hope to provide improved service soon.
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