Narrative:

Cleared for takeoff runway 36R dfw from intersection B. All normal. Heavy weight; approximately 121.0 pounds. Strong crosswind from 330 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. As we rolled down the runway at approximately the 80 KTS call; we observed the red centerline 'thl' lights momentarily come on. A B777 under tow had just crossed the runway under tow and was well clear. No other vehicles of aircraft were observed. We could see the entire takeoff area of the runway. I quickly assessed the situation and decided it prudent to stop; but the lights went out which meant any conflicting traffic if there was any was clear. We continued with no power reduction or abort sequence of any kind. The lights were on for about 2 seconds. The lights were out well before we reached them. The ATIS indicated a 'rwsl' test may be in progress. We departed normally and climbing through FL180; we radioed dispatch and asked them to ask dfw tower if they had tested the lights during our takeoff roll. We thought this would be odd and unsafe so we wanted to make sure this was not the case. Dispatch radioed us back that dfw had not been testing the lights at that time and it must have been a momentary 'glitch.' flight continued uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW DEPARTING RWY 36R AT DFW RPTS MOMENTARY ILLUMINATION OF RWY STATUS LIGHTS.

Narrative: CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 36R DFW FROM INTXN B. ALL NORMAL. HVY WT; APPROX 121.0 LBS. STRONG XWIND FROM 330 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. AS WE ROLLED DOWN THE RWY AT APPROX THE 80 KTS CALL; WE OBSERVED THE RED CTRLINE 'THL' LIGHTS MOMENTARILY COME ON. A B777 UNDER TOW HAD JUST CROSSED THE RWY UNDER TOW AND WAS WELL CLR. NO OTHER VEHICLES OF ACFT WERE OBSERVED. WE COULD SEE THE ENTIRE TKOF AREA OF THE RWY. I QUICKLY ASSESSED THE SITUATION AND DECIDED IT PRUDENT TO STOP; BUT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT WHICH MEANT ANY CONFLICTING TFC IF THERE WAS ANY WAS CLR. WE CONTINUED WITH NO PWR REDUCTION OR ABORT SEQUENCE OF ANY KIND. THE LIGHTS WERE ON FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. THE LIGHTS WERE OUT WELL BEFORE WE REACHED THEM. THE ATIS INDICATED A 'RWSL' TEST MAY BE IN PROGRESS. WE DEPARTED NORMALLY AND CLBING THROUGH FL180; WE RADIOED DISPATCH AND ASKED THEM TO ASK DFW TWR IF THEY HAD TESTED THE LIGHTS DURING OUR TKOF ROLL. WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE ODD AND UNSAFE SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. DISPATCH RADIOED US BACK THAT DFW HAD NOT BEEN TESTING THE LIGHTS AT THAT TIME AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MOMENTARY 'GLITCH.' FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.