RTD Runs Emergency Drills On DIA Commuter Rail Line
DENVER (CBS4)- RTD tested its emergency skills on the new commuter rail line from Union Station to Denver International Airport on Saturday.
The line will carry passengers between downtown Denver to DIA in a little more than four months.
"The University of Colorado A-line is on schedule to open on April 22," said RTD spokeswoman Tara Bettale.
Before the first passengers board the train, the line must go through hours of testing and emergency drills.
"For the past five years we have been designing the commuter rail system itself and now we are in the process of doing all of the testing that goes on," said Denver Transit Partners spokesman Aaron Epstien.
On Saturday, first responders conducted an emergency drill where the scenario was that a commuter rail struck a person and caused injuries.
"We chose an elevated structure here on a bridge because that certainly is one of our worst case scenarios," said Bettale.
RTD said their primary concern is the safety of riders but the drills also show crews how long they may slow things down for the rail line as a whole.
"Anther goal is to get our service back up and running," said Bettale.
RTD and Denver Transit Partners say while trains are already running the tracks at 15-minute intervals, the frequency of checks and drills will increase before opening day.
"We're starting up right now with the testing and commissioning of the trains," said Bettale.
