Metrolink, Amtrak prepare for four-day shutdown of tracks at LA Union Station

LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink has offered more details on its upcoming four-day service shutdown to accommodate major track and signal work at Los Angeles Union Station, and has developed a list of transit options for riders during the rail outage set for Dec. 26-29.

The work at Union Station will also affect Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliners, as well as long-distance trains serving the station — the Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Sunset Limited.

All seven Metrolink routes will be suspended during the work at Union Station — including the Inland Empire-Orange County Line, which does not serve the station — as will San Bernardino County’s Arrow service.

“Placing our system temporarily out of service was necessary to complete the final phase of a three-year modernization project at LA Union Station, which connects six of our seven lines and serves as the agency’s central hub,” said Justin Fornelli, Metrolink chief of program delivery, in a press release. “We’ll be upgrading the signal system where trains enter and exit the station, but we’re not stopping there. This unique break in service will allow us to tackle state-of-good-repair projects across multiple lines, as we work to deliver the safest, most reliable passenger rail experience possible.”

The primary work at Union Station involves replacing signal relay technology dating from the 1930s with a modern microprocessor-driven signal system, which Metrolink says will allow it to run multiple trains simultaneously on multiple tracks, decreasing delays and improving safety. At the same time, Metrolink will perform station maintenance including platform repairs, repainting, cleaning of canopies and gutters, increasing lighting, and servicing high-voltage equipment to reduce the likelihood of power outages.

Elsewhere, projects during the four-day shutdown will include rail replacement on the Antelope Valley Line and replacement of a series of culverts on the Antelope Valley Line.

Metrolink says the shutdown was scheduled during a period when ridership is historically low, with schools not in session and many employers providing additional time off for the holidays. While the agency will not provide alternative transportation, it offers information on transit options on its website.

Amtrak plans for Dec. 26-29

The Amtrak trains that normally use Union Station will address the station project in different ways.

— Pacific Surfliner service during the four-day period will include a mix of cancellations (for trains 580, 587, and 591), reroutes with shuttle-bus connections L.A. Union Station and Glendale, and trains terminating or originating in Fullerton, Calif. [see “Pacific Surfliners to require reservations …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 17, 2023]. Details are also available in this Amtrak advisory or on the Surfliner website.

— The Coast Starlight will originate or terminate in Van Nuys, Calif., with a bus connection to and from Union Station.

— The Southwest Chief will originate or terminate in Fullerton, with a bus connection to and from Union Station.

— The Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle will originate and terminate in Ontario, with a bus connection to and from Union Station, but skipping the stop in Pomona.