Baltimore Metro To Close For Weekend As MTA Tests New Railcars

Baltimore’s Metro line will be out of service this weekend as the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) continues testing its new fleet of railcars. Service will be suspended starting at 8 p.m. Friday and resume at 5 a.m. Monday, with adjusted operating hours moving forward.

As part of the schedule change, the Metro will close an hour earlier each night. On weekdays, the final eastbound train will leave Owings Mills at 10:57 p.m., while the last westbound train will depart from Johns Hopkins Hospital at 11:18 p.m.

Weekend and holiday schedules will see the final eastbound train departing at 11:05 p.m. and the last westbound train at 11:15 p.m. Morning service remains unchanged, beginning at 5 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. on weekends.

The MTA plans to return to its standard schedule by October 1 but will make temporary adjustments for special events like Orioles games and Preakness.

These changes allow for ongoing testing of the Metro’s brand-new railcars, which are expected to improve service on the aging system. The $500 million state and federal investment includes 78 new railcars and an updated train control system.

Since the Metro opened in 1983, it has relied on its original fleet of 100 cars, many of which are now out of service. Officials say the aging trains contribute to delays and reliability issues, further discouraging ridership amid concerns over cleanliness and passenger safety.

The MTA has previously shut down weekend service for testing and will use the additional non-service hour each night to accelerate preparations for the new trains, which are set to debut later this year.

Baltimore Metro To Close For Weekend As MTA Tests New Railcars  was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com