If you’ve driven along the Dulles Toll Road or flown out of Washington Dulles International Airport recently, you’ve likely seen the telltale signs that a rail line is being built: the giant piles of dirt, the gaping holes, the construction equipment and oh yes, the giant orange crane.
Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, who are overseeing construction of the $5.8 billion rail line, estimate that passenger service will begin in 2020, roughly 13 months behind the originally scheduled opening. We recently took a tour of progress along the rail line, stopping at four of the six stations. (Heavy construction has not yet begun on the two stations in Loudoun County). Here are some photos.
First, here’s a shot of the three segments that make up Phase 2.
On a #silverline phase 2 tour today. Here's our route. pic.twitter.com/TAqy5i6HNO
— lori aratani (@loriara) November 9, 2015
Here’s a shot of the first station after you leave Wiehle Avenue, the current end of the Silver Line
The next stop is Innovation Station. Of the six currently being built, this is the one that is furthest along.
Welcome to Innovation Station. #silverline pic.twitter.com/8amKrDzwTd
— lori aratani (@loriara) November 9, 2015
Here’s a partial shot of the impossible to miss giant crane that’s being used to build the Silver Line. Expect to see more of these along the Dulles Toll Road as work continues.
Moving right along – from Innovation Station, the line will head to the Dulles Airport stop. That giant piece of construction equipment in the middle of all that red dirt? That’s where the station’s elevator will be built.
Here is a shot from the aerial guide way. Trains will run along these tracks on their way to and from Loudoun County.
A rail yard will be built on nearly 90 acres of land west of Dulles Airport. Those woods you see? They’ll be leveled to make room for trains.