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9/21/2026
Metro Transit-St. Louis will launch a pilot program next month to study the feasibility of operating single-car MetroLink light-rail trains, instead of the current two-car trains, in select situations.
The single-car pilot will be conducted in phases until spring 2027. The initial phase, starting Oct. 3, calls for one single-car train operating on both MetroLink’s Red and Blue lines as part of normal service for two weeks.
During the pilot, Metro Transit will use operational performance data, customer feedback and ridership numbers to evaluate the efficacy of one-car trains in specific areas and conditions, agency officials said in a press release. Initial analysis indicates single-car operations have the potential to generate annual maintenance cost savings between $800,000 to $4.8 million.
“We know many riders remember trial periods with single-car trains in the past and have concerns,” said Ron Forrest, chief operating officer of Metro Transit. “But we are taking a very deliberate approach with this pilot so that we can thoroughly study the impact to operations, customer experience and possible savings to make the best decision for long-term service.”
The pilot does not involve a service frequency reduction. MetroLink will suspend the single-car pilot during special events when peak ridership is expected and during planned track maintenance, when trains in both directions must share a single track at affected stations during weekday service, officials said.