The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) ordered 64 cars from CRRC in 2017, with options for a further 218 cars. Construction of the trains began in 2021, with the first train entering service only on the D Line on December 20, 2024, due to testing on Section 1 of the D Line Extension.[1]
History
As of 2024[update], the Breda A650 subway fleet is at least 26 years old, having been built in two batches between 1988 and 1997.[4] New trains will allow for future replacement of all Breda A650 trains, expanded train service including a four minute train frequency, and extensions of the D Line over three phases.[5][6]
In December 2016, it was recommended that the contract be awarded to CRRC,[9] and the contract was signed in April 2017.[10] CRRC was awarded the contract as they had the lowest price, the "highest technically rated proposal" and a U.S. content of 65%.[11] The contract had a base order of 64 HR4000 cars – 34 cars for Section 1 of the D Line Extension and 30 cars to replace the older Breda A650 trains (cars 501-530) – at a cost of $178 million. The contract also contained options for 218 additional cars at a total cost of $647 million.[12]
To accommodate the order for additional subway cars, yard expansion work started in 2019.[13] As of August 2023, yard expansion is scheduled for completion in 2026.[14]
As of May 2023, the first cars were scheduled to be delivered in early August.[19] On July 29, 2023, the first pair of cars (4005 and 4006) were delivered to Division 20, with the cars expected to enter revenue service sometime in 2024.[17][20] Testing began in December 2023.[21] The trains entered service on December 20th, 2024.[1]
Options
There were 4 option orders totalling to 218 cars; 112 cars for general service expansion, 20 cars for Section 2 of the D Line Extension, 12 for Section 3 of the D Line Extension, and the remaining 74 to replace the second batch of Breda A650 trains (cars 531-604).[7] Following construction delays, and the passing of the Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act by Congress in 2019 which prevents the use of further federal funding for CRRC,[22] Metro decided not to exercise the options in the CRRC HR4000 contract.[18][23] In January 2024, Metro ordered 182 HR5000 cars from Hyundai Rotem.[24]
Design
Front view of the CRRC HR4000
A mockup was completed in 2019 to allow for feedback from Metro.[25] The final design was unveiled in July 2021.[26][27] The exterior design shows full-color LED destination signs, compared to the green monochrome dot-matrix flip-dot signs used with the A650s. Internally, it features more longitudinal seating than its predecessors to increase capacity[18] (although early renders depicted against such),[10] as well as open gangways between cars, which come in married pairs.[20][18]
^Hymon, Steve (December 1, 2016). "Actions taken today by the Metro Board of Directors". The Source. Retrieved February 9, 2024. The Board approved a $178.4-million contract with China Railways to manufacture 64 new subway vehicles for the Red/Purple Line by a vote of 12 to 0. There is an option to buy another 218 subway cars.
^"Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Section 7613 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020". Federal Transit Administration. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2024. Section 7613 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA 2020), Pub. L. No. 116-92 (Dec. 20, 2019), added new subsection 49 U.S.C. § 5323(u) to federal public transportation law. Section 5323(u) limits the use of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds, and in some circumstances local funds, to procure rolling stock from certain transit vehicle manufacturers.
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