A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for performing data write and data read operations on a tape storage medium. A dual head/tape actuator assembly, comprising two head/tape actuator assemblies, is implemented to perform data write and data read operations on a tape medium. Each of the head/tape actuator assemblies comprises a set of data writer elements and a set of data reader elements. During data write operations, the data writer elements on one head/tape actuator assembly are used to write data to a tape medium and the data reader elements on the other head/tape actuator assembly are used to read the data from the tape medium. During read operations, half of the data readers on one head/tape actuator assembly are used to read data from half of the written data tracks on the tape medium and half of the data readers on the other head/tape actuator assembly are used to read the other half of the written tracks.