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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates six rail lines as part of its Metro Rail system. This system includes 4 light rail lines and 2 heavy rail lines.
Contents
Metro's heavy-rail lines (the Red and Purple Lines) run 75-foot (22.86 m) electric multiple unit cars, powered by electrified third rail. These trains typically run in six-car consists. All of Metro's heavy-rail cars are A650's built by Breda in Italy. The acceleration for cars #530 and up is similar to that of the cars used by the Washington Metro because they both use General Electric traction motors.
Metro's light rail lines (the Blue, Green, Gold, & Expo Lines) utilize 87-foot (26.52 m) articulated double-ended cars, powered by overhead catenary lines. Trains run in sets of 1 to 3 cars, as needed.
Rail vehicles
Metro Rail has used several types of rail vehicles since its first line opened in 1990.
Notes:
1 Car 109 is in a silver livery. This car and Car 148 were originally painted red for the anniversary of the Pacific Electric Railway (109, 148) As of August 2013, Car 148 debuted a new livery featuring "bold reflective yellow markings and white super-graphics overlaid onto painted cool greys … intended for the entire rail fleet."
2 The P2020 vehicle was originally purchased for the Green Line, and although carrying a different model number than the P865 they are nearly identical, except for the difference in age. These cars were added to the Metro Blue Line in 2000.
3 Originally intended to run on the Green Line, it is capable of fully automated operation which is only possible on the Green Line since it is fully grade separated.
4 As of March 6, 2010, cars 701, 704–731, 736, and 737 have been delivered and are in service.
5 Metro Blue Line (added in 2006), Green Line, and Gold Line (added in 2004) trains feature automated station announcements while operators announce stops on some Red and Purple Line trains as the system is slowly being installed on the subway cars.
6 Cars 603 and 604 are in new livery, which is all silver and has the white "Metro Rail" printing on the cars. These cars are similar to Metro Rail vehicles 105, 302, and the 700 series cars.
7 Car 243 sustained burns from an accident on September 21, 2007 while operating on the Gold Line but has returned to service onto the Green Line.
8 The deal for the option order has been signed. (Date?) (See section "P3010 contract", below.)
P3010 contract
Metro's option with Breda for additional P2550 vehicles was not exercised. Metro claimed Breda vehicles from the base contract were overweight, and delivery of the vehicles was approximately three years behind schedule. The remainder of the base contract (50 LRVs in total) was completed by Breda at the end of 2011.
Metro is planning to complete two rail projects in the next few years: Crenshaw/LAX Line, and the Regional Connector. Metro also hopes to build many more projects in the following years, according to its Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Measure R and 30/10.
Anticipating a large need for LRVs, Metro requested bids for a new LRV contract. Metro estimates that the new vehicles, collectively known as the "P3010" series, will cost $4.3 million per car (the actual cost will depend on the bids). The base P3010 contract will order 78 cars: 63 cars for the Expo and Blue lines, and 15 cars for the Gold Line Foothill Extension. (Expo Phase 1 will use P865 cars from the existing fleet until the P3010s are ready.) Metro completed a contract on April 30, 2012, with delivery of the first LRV projected for 30 months later, in 2014. The contract includes options for an additional 157 cars.
Metro awarded the contract for the first 78 cars to Kinki Sharyo for $299 million. They are projected to be delivered between 2014 and 2016, with the first 28 delivered before 2015. The remaining cars are split into four options with 28, 39, 21 and 69, respectively. If all the options are exercised, the number of LRVs would total 235 valued at a total $890 million.
On July 25, 2013, Metro exercised two options (69 + 28) totaling 97 additional cars for $396.7 million. This brings the current total of ordered cars to 175. As part of the option, Kinki Sharyo is to construct a manufacturing plant in the LA region. Kinkisharyo, the El Segundo-based U.S. arm of Kinki Sharyo Co. Ltd. of Osaka, announced in December 2014 that they would retrofit an existing space in Palmdale to build the vehicles. Final assembly work was being performed in hangar space the company leased in Palmdale from Los Angeles World Airports. The first car was delivered to Metro in October 2014 for testing before series production begins.
Current rail facilities
Rail vehicles are maintained at several facilities across Los Angeles County.
Planned rail facilities
Metro is planning to build new rail facilities over the next few years.