Metrolink Plans System Upgrades During Service Suspension Dec. 26-29

LOS ANGELES – Metrolink will pause service systemwide from Dec. 26-29 to complete infrastructure upgrades, maintenance and repairs. Trains will not run on any of Metrolink’s seven lines, and Arrow service will also be suspended during this time. Planned work will help Metrolink provide safer, more efficient service as the Los Angeles mega-region prepares to host high-profile international events, including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in the coming decade.

Modernization work at Union Station will replace 1930’s-era signal relay technology with a state-of-the-art, microprocessor-driven signal system, allowing Metrolink to simultaneously run multiple trains on multiple tracks as they enter and depart the facility. The increased capacity will decrease delays, while the updated technology will improve safety through this heavily trafficked corridor.

Metrolink will perform additional maintenance at Union Station to create a better customer experience. Planned projects include repairing concrete on platforms, freshening paint, cleaning canopies and gutters, adding more lighting tied to emergency power in the tunnel, and servicing high-voltage components to reduce the likelihood of power outages. 

Teams will also leverage the systemwide service suspension to advance priority maintenance and repair projects on multiple lines. Most notably, Metrolink will replace end-of-service-life rail on the curvy and mountainous Antelope Valley Line, reducing the need for slow orders, which can lead to passenger delays, on the newly laid sections of track. On the San Bernardino Line, crews will replace a series of culverts that divert rainwater and storm runoff underneath the tracks to prevent flash flooding.  

To minimize the disruption to customers, the upcoming four-day service outage was scheduled during a period of historically low ridership with schools out of session and many employers providing time off for the holidays. The agency will not be providing alternative transportation but has created a repository of transit options to help Southern Californians reach their destinations while Metrolink trains are out of service.

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will continue to operate between Dec. 26-29 on a modified schedule. Pacific Surfliner trains will bypass Union Station using track not impacted by the Metrolink service suspension.