This information is preliminary and subject to change.
On July 30, 2025, about 3:33 p.m. local time, northbound Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Train 81 came in contact with an overhead catenary wire, resulting in electrical arcing and fire on the Orange Line train in Dallas, Texas.[1] Of the 20 passengers on board, 11 suffered minor injuries, including 3 who were transported for treatment at local hospitals. Visibility conditions at the time of the accident were clear with no precipitation; the temperature was 100°F.
Train 81 consisted of two light rail vehicles and was traveling from Dallas Fort Worth Airport Station to Parker Road Station. At the time of the accident, a traction electrification system (TES) and overhead catenary system (OCS) provided 850 volts of direct current for train propulsion power. The OCS power was supplied from two TES power substations at the ends of each segment of track. When the catenary wire contacted the train, it began arcing and started a fire. The arcing lasted about 11 minutes. The catenary wire remained energized until a DART employee de-energized the electrical circuit breakers that were supplying the OCS with power. The train operator stopped the train when he saw the arcing and passengers self-evacuated to the walkway adjacent to the track. Injured passengers were triaged by Dallas Fire Rescue and transported to local hospitals for treatment.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators’ review of onboard video recorders from trains that previously traveled through the area showed that multiple hangers which support the overhead catenary wire had become disconnected before the accident.
While on scene, NTSB investigators examined the track, train, and OCS; reviewed the outward-facing onboard image recorders and reviewed video from wayside cameras; conducted interviews; and requested and reviewed DART policies, procedures, and event logs.
The NTSB’s investigation is ongoing. Future investigative activity will focus on DART’s procedures and training related to TES and OCS maintenance, change management, and train controller operations.
Parties to the investigation include:
- the Federal Transit Administration,
- the Texas Department of Transportation,
- Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and
- Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1338.
[1] A
catenary wire is a thin copper wire hanging 20 feet above the tracks that feeds power from the
substations to the train. The wire is part of a larger system of power distribution wires referred to as the
overhead catenary system.
