First Light Rail Train Pulls into Downtown Station

A light rail train has pulled into downtown Phoenix for the first time during a test of the new regional commuter rail system.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon met the train at the downtown Washington Street/Central Avenue station. He told onlookers that he hopes the train will usher in a new era for the auto-friendly city.

The rail line is expected to open in December. During the summer and fall, officials plan to test the $1.4 billion system, checking electrical connections, switches and the cars themselves.

The 20-mile line stretches from the city's northwestern neighborhoods through the heart of downtown Phoenix and east to Tempe and Mesa.

Trains have been tested along eastern parts of the route for the past several months. The rail line is expected to open in December.