METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Denton County 'A-train' begins final testing

Vehicle and equipment testing and crew qualifying are the first phase of operations in preparation for revenue service and began in April in the southern segment between Lewisville and Carrollton. System testing of the segment north of Lewisville Lake will begin in mid-May.

April 28, 2011
2 min to read


Texas' Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) continues to make progress on the A-train and expects to launch service on June 20, 2011. In anticipation of the opening, the agency has begun testing in order to finalize its operating schedule and be ready to host a community-wide celebration on June 18.

Construction for the A-train project is largely complete with minor work continuing in Denton at the stations and intersections. Vehicle and equipment testing and crew qualifying are the first phase of operations in preparation for revenue service and began in April in the southern segment between Lewisville and Carrollton. System testing of the segment north of Lewisville Lake will begin in mid-May.

Ad Loading...

Since testing has begun and a portion of the system is now active, DCTA has increased its efforts to discourage trespassing along the rail corridor. DCTA has a full-time Denton County Sherriff's Deputy patrolling the corridor and is working with municipal police to enforce the "no trespassing" signage.

While DCTA has not finalized its rail schedule and will not do so until run times between stations are tested with trains, the Authority has outlined service parameters and operating hours. Pre-revenue testing will begin in late May and a detailed schedule will be released to the public in early June.

DCTA will optimize its schedule to meet as many Green Line trains at the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Trinity Mills station. DCTA will operate at a 25-minute frequency during peak periods and 60-80 minute frequencies during the off-peak.

More Rail

RIPTA, APTA, and federal officials at the launch of the agency's new Frontrunner vehicles
Technologyby Alex RomanSeptember 4, 2026

Biz Briefs: RIPTA Unveils New Frontrunners, Clevland RTA Adds New Siemens, and More

In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Siemens, Prevost, Dodge, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.

Read More →
The CATS Gold Line in service with the city skyline in the background.
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 3, 2026

CATS Gold Line Marks 5 Years of Service, 2.8M Passenger Trips

With a six-mile expansion planned, the Charlotte streetcar is positioned to connect more neighborhoods and major transit hubs across the region.

Read More →
Designing Stations Around the Passenger
RailSeptember 2, 2026

Why Simulating Pedestrian Movement Has Become Essential for Modern Rail Stations

Pedestrian microsimulation is helping rail planners identify bottlenecks, test station designs, and prepare complex transit hubs for growing passenger volumes.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Amtrak Sunnyside Groundbreaking
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 2, 2026

Amtrak Begins Major Construction at New York’s Sunnyside Yard

The new maintenance facility will support Amtrak’s Airo trainsets while improving maintenance efficiency and turnaround times in New York.

Read More →
O'Hare Flyer Rendering
Railby Staff and News ReportsAugust 27, 2026

Chicago Leaders Unveil Plans for O’Hare Airport Express Train

The privately developed project would offer a 15-minute trip between downtown and O’Hare’s Terminal 2, with trains operating every 15 minutes on a dedicated track. The service would use battery-electric trains and three existing freight rail rights-of-way.

Read More →
An OCTA coastal rail line train.
Railby Staff and News ReportsAugust 27, 2026

OCTA Maps Out 30-Year Strategy to Protect Coastal Rail Corridor

The draft feasibility report identifies strategies to protect the coastal rail line for decades as the agency continues near-term stabilization and sand placement efforts.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Ray Melleady and industry leaders on Capitol Hill
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 24, 2026

The Business Voice Behind Public Transportation

As chair of APTA’s Business Members Board of Governors, Ray Melleady explains how more than 850 business members are partnering with transit agencies to advance funding, innovation, and industry-wide collaboration.

Read More →
An Amtrak Cascades Airo Trainset at a station.
Railby Alex RomanAugust 14, 2026

FRA Announces $5.3B in Rail Investments, Including $2B for Amtrak

Funding will support grade-crossing improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and new Amtrak equipment in 23 states.

Read More →
Finding the Right Balance: Optimizing Transit Maintenance
ManagementAugust 14, 2026

Finding the ‘Happy Medium’: Optimizing Maintenance Without Sacrificing Reliability

The key to maintenance optimization isn’t doing less work—it’s doing the right work at the right time on the right assets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An pink and white OKC streetcar moves down a street.
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 7, 2026

OKC Streetcar Makes Zero-Fare Service Permanent

Ridership increased an average of 71% compared with the same period a year earlier during the fare-free pilot.

Read More →