Houston's METRO to start testing on North/Red Line extension

Starting today, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) will test the North/Red Line extension by using a special rail-car mover to tug a train along the 5.3-mile line.

Because the line does not yet have electric power, the train will be moved by a shuttle wagon during a clearance test to be performed over the next week, METRO officials said in a press release.

The train will travel at about 3 mph while crews monitor progress to ensure track, poles, and underground and overhead wiring are in order before electrical testing begins in summer, they said.

More than 80 percent complete, the North/Red Line extension project is ahead of schedule and slated for a December opening. The North/Red Line is the first of three new lines under construction in Houston as part of a METRORail expansion, which calls for adding 15.3 miles and 24 stations to the existing 7.5-mile Main Street/Red Line.