Testing & Commissioning Site

Engineering and construction at the Testing & Commissioning Site began in September 2012 in order to ready the site for the delivery of the District’s three (3) Inekon streetcar vehicles, which had been stored at WMATA’s Greenbelt facility since 2009. The official DC Streetcar testing and commissioning process began on May 1, 2013, when Mayor Vincent C. Gray welcomed the streetcars to Anacostia. The testing and commissioning process ensures that the streetcars are safe for the public and that their drivers are trained and experienced before service begins. Most testing and commissioning activities will take place within District Department of Transportation (DDOT) right-of-way, off the roadway, and behind a secure fence. Occasional crossings of South Capitol Street will be managed by a stoplight or traffic control officers, take place outside of commuting hours, and be publicized in advance. Testing and commissioning activities include:

• First Responder Emergency Training • System Integration Testing • Safety Certification • Vehicle Testing and Commissioning • Operations and Maintenance Start-Up and Employee Training

Eventually, the Testing & Commissioning Site will be part of the Anacostia Initial Line Segment, a 1.1-mile planned streetcar line connecting the Anacostia Metro Station with the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), via Firth Sterling Avenue and South Capitol Street. DDOT will begin the planning process for the line’s passenger service sometime next year.

Vehicles

The District owns three (3) streetcar vehicles manufactured by Inekon of the Czech Republic, now undergoing testing and commissioning at DDOT’s site in Anacostia. Testing and commissioning is a critical step before passenger service can begin on the H/Benning Corridor. Inekon Vehicle Specifications

• Manufactured in 2005 • Operates on a 750 V DC current • Top Speed: 45 mph • Car Height: 11.35 feet • Floor Height: 1.15 feet; Level Boarding with station stops for easy access by wheelchairs, strollers, and

bicycles • Car Weight: 66,200 pounds • Width, Length, and Passenger Capacity, compared by mode:

Width Length Passenger Capacity Circulator Bus 8’6” 40’ 49 Articulated Bus 8’6” 60’ 94 DC Streetcar 8’ 66’ 157 Metro Car 10’ 75’ 120 Vehicle Maintenance

• WMATA/LTK/Virginkar exercised the Inekon vehicles at the Greenbelt facility every 4-6 weeks since 2009

• Vehicles were “revenue-readied” in Fall 2012 • Inekon inspectors traveled to DC from Europe in March and September 2012 to inspect the vehicles

and make repairs • Inekon arrived again in April 2013 to assist with the vehicle transfer to the Testing & Commissioning

Site, provide technical support where needed, and initiate final post-delivery testing and acceptance United Streetcar Vehicles The District also has three (3) streetcar vehicles on order from United Streetcar, which will give DC a full fleet of six cars. The United Streetcar cars are expected to begin arriving in DC in September 2013.