D.C.'s Metro Bringing Back Computer-Driven Trains

Five years after the transit agency's worst disaster ever, Metro is bringing back computer-driven trains. But the transition from manual to computer-controlled operations will take years.

After nine people were killed in 2009, the transit authority shut down its Automatic Train Operation system (ATO), leaving the acceleration and braking of trains to the herky-jerky hands of humans. But now that Metro has overhauled its track circuitry system and put in place technology to prevent a repeat of the deadly crash, it’s ready to return to ATO.

Some riders are looking forward to the smoother ride.

“Other than just being unstable, I think it can make you feel quite queasy," said commuter Ben Harris. "It is not just a very comfortable or pleasurable ride.”

Rob Troup, Metro’s deputy general manager, said ATO will resume on a few Red Line trains next month.

“The new ride will obviously be a lot smoother, because of the predictability that ATO provides and the acceleration and deceleration, particularly regarding the station stops," Troup said.

Metro hopes to have all Red Line trains operating automatically by March. Automatic operation will return to all other Metro lines by fall 2017.