The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) recently took delivery on its first set of 66 electric multiple-unit (EMU) cars from Hyundai-Rotem. The railcars took their maiden voyage on April 3, 2015, between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport on the East Rail Line—pulled along the new 22.8-mile route by a Trackmobile railcar mover at 10 mph.
The snail’s-pace railcar move with the diesel-powered Trackmobile kicked off a year-long schedule of testing and commissioning prior to the East Rail Line’s opening day in 2016. Four lines electrified with catenary and emanating from Union Station are under construction by a consortium of Balfour-Beatty, Graham and Harmon Constructors: the North Metro, Northwest, Gold and East Rail Lines. Denver Transit Partners will operate the system, part of the FasTracks program, under a 34-year contract with RTD.