Metro's new subway cars enter service

It took a few years longer than expected, but Metro's HR4000 heavy rail subway cars finally entered service last week.

Built by CRRC, these cars which are slowly being rolled out on the D Line are part of an order of 64 vehicles approved by the Metro Board in 2016. The cost of the new cars is $178 million.

In addition to being shiny and new, the HR4000s have several noticeable differences from the Breda A650 vehicles that currently comprise the B and D Line's rolling stock. Most notable, the new vehicles have switched from row seating to middle-facing benches, something that reduces the total amount of seating, but increases total capacity. Similarly, trains now come in paired sets linked by open gangways - another change that increases standing capacity.

Less visible, but still helpful for navigating a growing rail transit network, are the addition of new electronic signage and display boards - something that will make it easier to distinguish between trains bound for North Hollywood and trains bound for the Westside.

Although the HR4000s will be put into service on the forthcoming subway extension from Wilshire/Western Station to Beverly Hills (and eventually the VA Campus on the Westside), there will not be a second order coming, as a result of changing federal regulations preventing the purchase of additional vehicles from the Chinese state-owned CRRC. Instead, Metro will phase out the A650s with new HR5000s, built by Hyundai-Rotem, with the aim of debuting the new trains before the 2028 Olympics.

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