PHOENIX - No steering wheel. No gas pedal. No brake pedal. Driving a Valley Metro light-rail train was even harder than I thought!
Of course, there’s also the challenge of maneuvering the 100,000-pound beast with potentially hundreds of people’s lives in your hands. Then, there’s traffic, pedestrians and other obstacles to dodge.
But let’s just stick with the basics; those are difficult enough!
I got a crash course (pun intended) on How to Drive the Light Rail 101. Then, I actually took it for a spin! It was just around the yard, but still I can say I drove an LRV! That stands for light-rail vehicle, by the way.
There’s a screen which displays just about everything you’d want to know; whether doors are open or closed, which end of the train is operating and the speedometer, just to name a few.
You’ll also find several cameras which are sort of like your car’s side and rear-view mirrors.
There’s a switch on the left that puts the train in neutral so the train doesn’t roll, even if you’re moving the controller.
There’s a big red emergency brake too, which I had my eye on.
There were also a lot of other colored buttons, but we didn’t go there.
The controller is how you drive the train. It’s kind of like a videogame joystick, only it gives your arm a workout! The driver has to constantly be pushing down on it while moving it past “coast” position for the entire drive. If the operator lets up, the LRV brakes.
In all the trains, the controller is on the left side which I found difficult being a righty. Not to mention your arm gets tired and I can totally see how it could cramp up!
On the controller are two buttons. One is a horn which can be blasted when needed. The other is a softer sound you usually hear rung twice before the LRV begins moving.
Just going 5 mph felt fast; think about all the weight you’re moving! On average, the train travels at speeds of 35 mph or below. They can go 40 mph westbound over Tempe Town Lake bridge.
After completing the lap around the yard, I had a whole new appreciation for all of the smooth light-rail rides I’ve been on.
So the next time you see an LRV operator, tell him or her thank you and great job!