RTD ends speed restrictions on sections of E, R lines
9news.com2 days ago
Trains have been restricted to 10 miles per hour on portions of the light rail between Colorado Boulevard and the Denver Tech Center since May.
DENVER — The Regional Transportation District has eliminated speed restrictions on some parts of the E and R lines as crews make progress on repairing the track.
RTD said they have eliminated speed restrictions in the following areas:
Belleview Station to Orchard Station: All speed restrictions have been lifted.
Orchard Station to Arapahoe at Village Center Station: All northbound speed restrictions have been lifted, and approximately two miles of southbound speed restrictions have been lifted.
Arapahoe at Village Center Station to Dry Creek Station: All northbound speed restrictions have been lifted.
Trains have been restricted to 10 mph on portions of the light rail between Colorado Boulevard and the Denver Tech Center since May. The speed restrictions came after RTD inspections uncovered railhead burn in parts of the track between the Colorado and County Line stations.
According to RTD, railhead burn is a surface defect on the top side of the track where light rail vehicle wheels make contact with the rail. The top surface of the rail is known as the "railhead."
Dave Jensen, RTD Assistant General Manager, said fixing the rail can mean replacing the rail by cutting out the bad sections and putting in new rail, putting up rail bars around the damaged sections or grinding the rail and sanding it down to be smooth.
Crews have been working to make the necessary repairs. RTD said as additional repair work is completed, speed restrictions will continue to be lifted.
RTD said late night and early morning E and R line service will be impacted between July 7 and July 12 as crews make additional repairs. Details about those impacts are available on the agency's website.
RTD said in late June that it could be at least September before light rail returns to full speed over the entire southeast corridor.