Anyone know which yard they are currently stored at?
Currently at Greenbelt
Are they being tested on the Silver line?
Chargerdodge9
Anyone know which yard they are currently stored at?
The acceptance and testing program is based at Greenbelt Yard, when not out on the railroad they are stored in Greenbelt Yard. All of the testing is being done between Collage Park and Greenbelt.
Are they being tested on the Silver line?
It would make no sense to conduct tests on the cars along the Silver line because the signaling and train control system has not been certified by the contractor and has not been certified by WMATA's start up team as OK for passenger revenue service.
No your eyes are not deceiving you.
Saw them from the Beltway. When I went behind USDA to get a closer look I noticed the 5th car. Was unable to see the number.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-USS6xG4vsd8/U0itaP-pymI/AAAAAAAALu8/HEfueyOIU3A/s1024/DSC_6387crop.JPG) (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-USS6xG4vsd8/U0itaP-pymI/AAAAAAAALu8/HEfueyOIU3A/s1500/DSC_6387crop.JPG)
I am not even going to speculate as to why it is there.
This is pure speculation on my part but I believe the 5th 7k car is the first car of the initial option of 64 cars. I base that on the fact that the prototypes testing and evaluation program was scheduled to run about 3 months. It began shortly after the prototype set arrived on the property back in late December 2013 early January 2014.
More pictures at cambronj.blogspot.com Greenbelt Test Track and Commissioning Facility (http://cambronj.blogspot.com/2014/04/test-track-and-commissioning-facility.html).
PS
WMATA's connection to the common carrier railroad network at Greenbelt Yard is now fully restored. Looks like it has seen traffic recently. I think the track work contractor that did the Silver line used the connection to bring in take out their track work building equipment.