DC Metrorail switches to LED Platform Lights
The nation’s second busiest rail system, the Metrorail in Washington DC, is leaning green with the installation of more than 33,000 LED platform bulbs.
The red lights at the edge of the boarding area are a safety feature intended to warn passengers of approaching trains. Previously, the system’s incandescent platform bulbs cost just $1.50 each, but required many maintenance hours, as they burned out every few months. At $76 per bulb, the new LEDs require a higher initial investment, but are expected to save money over the long run– each should last ten to twelve years. The new LEDs will also save the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) energy costs, as they will use just over a third of the energy required for their incandescent predecessors.
Top photo by Chris Metcalf.
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