The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is allowing Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to fully operate in Auto Door mode on the Red Line after weeks of certifying operators to use Automatic Door Operation on some Red Line trains.
Auto Door mode allows doors to open within three to five seconds after the train stops on the station platform. The time saved per stop is around 10 to 15 seconds.
“Auto Doors will allow customers to exit trains faster to catch a connecting train or bus or quickly reach escalators and elevators to leave the station and be on their way,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “In addition to the convenience customers will experience, Auto Doors is also safer, reducing the opportunity for human error and wrong-side door openings.”
While train doors will open automatically, operators will still close train doors manually. Auto Doors are controlled by technology already onboard trains that ensures trains are safely stopped at the platform before the doors open. Before departing, operators will close the doors manually after checking outside the driver’s side cab window to ensure all customers have cleared the platform.
The restoration of Auto Doors on the Red Line is possible after safely testing more than 2,500 automatic door-opening exercises. Additionally, Red Line train operators have completed additional training and certification to operate trains in Auto Doors mode.
While the Red Line is the first to reinstate Auto Doors, other lines could see Auto Doors in the future. WMATA is currently testing Auto Doors on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow lines.
WMATA says upgrading and restoring the technology for Auto Doors will enable the authority to safely automate 20,000 daily door openings systemwide.
