Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Construction Progress January 19, 2014

The contractor charged with installing and testing the train control and system signaling system is expected to be done in the first weeks of February. At that time MWAA will hand the project over to WMATA. WMATA will do the final testing and certification that is scheduled to take 90 days. After certification the first phase of the branch will be opened. We can expect WMATA to announce an official opening date with in the next 6 to 9 weeks. I will hazard a guess and say the opening date will be on one of the two early weekends in May.

The cover boxes on the yard lead and turning loop in the Falls Church Yard are done. The cover boxes are finished with corrugated sheet metal. The shop annex is also substantially complete.

City Line Partners, the owners of the property on the north side of Dolly Madison Boulevard between Scotts Crossing Road and Anderson Road has demolished the building on the property in preparation for the paving of the temporary McLean station park and ride lot. City Line Partners will operate the lot and collect the parking fees.

The various contractors doing the final restoration of the curbs gutters and sidewalks along both VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard and VA-7 Leesburg Pike have completed their work. All the remains to be done is the laying of the finishing lift of asphalt in a few areas and the installation of street lights along Leesburg Pike.

It appears all of exposed the third rail power cable chases on the elevated structures will be inclosed sheet metal boxes.

The parking garage in Reston Station at the Wiehle Reston – East station is open for business the bus terminal and bicycle parking there is also done.

Saw WMATA operate a couple of test trains along the route between the junction and the McLean Station. One wrong railed reduced speed on inbound track N1 from the junction to the Plainfield Street interlocking then changed direction and used the yard lead to enter Falls Church yard. The other passed through the junction westbound off the K route from outbound track K2 and proceeded at reduced speed on track N1 to the McLean Station.

Test track and Commissioning Facility

The Commissioning Facility building in Greenbelt Yard has been closed in. Much work on the interior remains to be done. The employee parking garage in the yard has begun to come up out of the ground.

The crossover that connects mainline track E2 to the test track was installed in mid August of 2013. Grading and ground work has begun over most of the length of the test track. The contractor has rented a property on Bellew Avenue south of Greenbelt Road to access right of way. This is the access point used to remove the vegetation and top soil in perpetration for the grading fill.

This will likely be my last post before opening day of Phase I.

Falls Church Yard:

Falls Church Yard loop cover box.Falls Church Yard loop cover box.	Falls Church Yard loop cover box.Falls Church Yard loop cover box.	Falls Church Yard lead cover box.Falls Church Yard lead cover box.
Falls Church Yard lead cover box.Falls Church Yard lead cover box.

Test trains:

VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train wrong railing outbound on inbound track N2.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train wrong railing outbound on inbound track N2.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train wrong railing outbound on inbound track N2.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.
VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on inbound track N2 entering Falls Church Yard at Plainfield Street interlocking.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA I-66, test train on outbound track N1.VA I-66.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.
VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1 south of Magarity Road.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1 north of Magarity Road.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1 south of Old Chain Bridge Road.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.
VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1 south of Old Chain Bridge Road.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-267 Dulles Connector Road, test train on outbound track N1 north of Old Chain Bridge Road.VA-267 Dulles Connector Road.	VA-123 Dolley Madison Boulevard, test train on outbound track N1 east of McLean station.VA-123 Dolley Madison Boulevard.

Tysons Corner station:

Entrance under platform Tysons Corner station.Entrance under platform Tysons Corner station.

South entrance pavilion Tysons Corner station.South entrance pavilion Tysons Corner station.

Bus bays, south entrance pavilion Tysons Corner station.Bus bays.

Greensboro station:

North entrance pavilion Greensboro station.North entrance pavilion Greensboro station.

VA-7 Leesburg Pike, elevated west of Greensboro station.VA-7 Leesburg Pike.

VA-7 Leesburg Pike:

VA-7 Leesburg Pike, new sidewalks west of south entrance pavilion to Greensboro station.VA-7 Leesburg Pike.	VA-7 Leesburg Pike, new sidewalks west of Gosnell Road.VA-7 Leesburg Pike.	Framing for third rail cable chase cover east of Spring Hill station.Framing for third rail cable chase cover east of Spring Hill station.
Framing for third rail cable chase cover east of Spring Hill station.Framing for third rail cable chase cover east of Spring Hill station.

Spring Hill Station:

Kiss and ride north entrance Spring Hill station.Kiss and ride north entrance Spring Hill station.

VA-7 Leesburg Pike:

Framing for third rail cable chase cover under Tyco Road interlocking.Framing for third rail cable chase cover under Tyco Road interlocking.

Tyco Road traction power substation.Tyco Road traction power substation.

Wiehle-Reston East station:

Wiehle-Reston East station south entrance bus bays and pavilion on eastbound off ramp from VA-267 Dulles Toll Road.Wiehle-Reston East station south entrance bus bays and pavilion on eastbound off ramp from VA-267 Dulles Toll Road.	Wiehle-Reston East station.Wiehle-Reston East station.	Bicycle parking adjacent to bus terminal, Reston Station property.Bicycle parking adjacent to bus terminal.
Bicycle parking adjacent to bus terminal, Reston Station property.Bicycle parking adjacent to bus terminal.	East side of bus terminal, Reston Station property north of Wiehle-Reston East station.East side of bus terminal.	West side of bus terminal, Reston Station property north of Wiehle-Reston East station.West side of bus terminal.
Escalators up to plaza from bus terminal, Reston Station property.Escalators up to plaza from bus terminal.	Bottom of escalators up to plaza from bus terminal, Reston Station property.Bottom of escalators up to plaza from bus terminal.	Elevators up to plaza from bus terminal, Reston Station property.Elevators up to plaza from bus terminal.

Dulles International Airport:

Dulles International Airport, rebar cages forDulles International Airport.

Greenbelt Test Track and Commissioning Facility:

Commissioning Facility shop.	Commissioning Facility shop.	Parking structure in Greenbelt yard.
Grading north of Greenbelt Road.	Grading north of Greenbelt Road.	Grading south of Greenbelt Road.
Contractor access to right of way from Bellew Avenue south of Greenbelt Road.	Grading north of Berwyn Road.	Grading north of Berwyn Road.
Grading north of Berwyn Road.	Conduit installation Berwyn Road.	Conduit installation Berwyn Road.
Grading south of Berwyn Road.