RTA to conduct trial run of Dubai Metro

The technical trial run of Dubai Metro on the test track at Jebel Ali, in a sector extending 11km from Ibn Battuta Station to JAFZA Station will be conducted soon, according to a senior official of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which is carrying out the AED15.5-billion Dubai Metro project, said "the train will undergo full tests to monitor noise; wobbling and electromechanical compatibility for early detection of any trouble to address these before passenger service is provided starting September 9, 2009."

He also said that a direct electrical current of 750v will be connected and the train can run at a maximum speed of 90 kilometres per hour on the test track.

"These tests follow the technical trial run conducted at the test track at Wadawaki Factory at Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan, where the train readiness was checked to ensure functionality of all control systems under various operational circumstances", he added.

Tayer pointed out that the trial runs in Japan lasted for several months before the cars were shipped to Dubai. The first batch of Dubai Metro carriages, consisting of 10 cars, arrived in Dubai recently.

After the test run for two months, three to four trains will start arriving every month from June onwards. Around 44 trains will run on the Red Line at the time of its launching. Once fully operational, a total of 79 trains will run on both the Metro lines, including 62 on the 52.1-km- long Red Line and 17 trains on the 22.5km Green Line, reports published by the UAE dailies said today.

Dubai Metro is the world's first driverless metro line constructed 75 Kilometres as one unit. The total length of the two lines is about 75 kilometres, 52 kilometres of which are under the Red Line, and 23 kilometres under the Green Line. Total number of stations is 47, of which 29 stations under the Red Line (four underground and 25 elevated stations) and 18 stations under the Green Line (six underground and 12 elevated stations). WAM