Category Archives: Service Alerts

Repairs to Blue Line power supply nearing completion

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Repairs on Metro Blue Line are nearing completion but service remains at trains every 20 minutes until further notice. Check back here this afternoon for a report on the status of repairs and schedule of service.

Damage to the overhead catenary wires and a section of track Monday afternoon stalled a Blue Line train at the Gage Avenue crossing between the Florence and Washington stations.  Trains are using a single track between the Washington and Florence stations, causing 20-minute delays in the normal weekday schedule.

Crews are continuing to work to complete the repairs, as weather conditions allow. Once all repairs are made, a series of tests will need to be completed before the section of track / overhead power supply will be allowed to return to service, reports Bruce Shelburne, a rail operations director.

Passengers are encouraged to use the Silver Line, Lines 450x and 460 and Green Line as alternate routing. Express zone charges for Harbor Transitway services are being waived until disruption is over. (See service advisory for current Blue Line schedule and alternate route details.)

Daily transit forecast for Wednesday, Dec. 22

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For a complete list of planned service advisories please visit the Service Advisories page on Metro.net. And for the latest service alerts follow @MetroLAalerts on Twitter.

Blue Line

Due to the heavy rains, a stalled train and damaged overhead wires at the Gage Avenue crossing, delays are expected to continue today on the Blue Line. Please see this previous post for more information and alternative ways for Green Line passengers to reach their trains.

Here’s an updated list of Blue Line’s modified schedule, plus alternate travel options.

Service updates are also available at @metroLAalerts on Twitter.


Repairs to Blue Line underway; trains running every 20 minutes

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Due to damage to overhead catenary wires that power the Blue Line trains, service will remain at trains every 20 minutes until further notice. Peak periods will have two trains running back-to-back in the same direction, followed by two trains in the opposite direction.

Passengers are encouraged to use the Silver Line, Lines 450x and 460 and Green Line as alternate routing. Express zone charges for Harbor Transitway services are being waived until disruption is over. (See service advisory for current Blue Line schedule and alternate route details.)

Weather conditions throughout the night delayed attempted efforts by Wayside Traction Power personnel.  As of this time, there is no anticipated completion time, due to weather conditions expected for the next 24-36 hours. Plan on modified service levels  for Wednesday, December 22.

Full report from Rail Operations director Bruce Shelburne after the jump.

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Daily transit forecast for Tuesday, Dec. 21 — Blue Line update

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For a complete list of planned service advisories please visit the Service Advisories page on Metro.net. And for the latest service alerts follow @MetroLAalerts on Twitter.

Blue Line

Due to the heavy rains, a stalled train and damaged overhead wires at the Gage Avenue crossing, delays are expected to continue today on the Blue Line. Please see this previous post for more information and alternative ways for Green Line passengers to reach their trains.

Here’s an updated list of Blue Line’s modified schedule, plus alternate travel options.

Service updates are also available at @metroLAalerts on Twitter.

Blue Line delays likely to continue through Wednesday

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The Overhead Power System failure was caused by a broken section insulator, but the support wire and the train contact wire did not break. The train came to a stop on the Slauson Station grade. Photo by Luis Inzunza

The Overhead Power System failure was caused by a broken section insulator, but the support wire and the train contact wire did not break. The train came to a stop on the Slauson Station grade. Photo by Luis Inzunza

UPDATE: 9 p.m. Here’s a complete rundown of Blue Line’s modified schedule for tomorrow, Dec. 21, plus alternate travel options.

UPDATE 10 p.m. Repairs underway after the jump.

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m. – Report from Rail Operations Director Bruce Shelburne:

The Overhead Power System failure was caused by a broken section insulator. This caused the next passing train to take down the hanger support wires for approximately 2000 feet.

Good news. The support wire and the train contact wire did not break. At this time, only the hanger support wires, connecting the main support and train contact wires were damaged.

Bad news. The train came to a stop on the Slauson Station grade. The constant rain will require significant safety precautions to be in place before the train can be prepared to move.

Once the train is prepped for towing back to the Maintenance Yard, each car will have to be uncoupled and moved individually with a hi-rail truck, designed for the specific purpose of moving rail cars.

The primary problem with this operation is weight of the cars needing to be moved over wet rails on a grade. This action may need to be delayed until weather conditions improve, to provide for extra, wet weather safety measures to be in place.

Continue reading →

Expect 25-minute delays on Blue Line; damage to overhead wires stalls train at Gage Ave. crossing

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Blue Line train stalled by damage to overhead catenary wires sits on overhead bridge about 100 yards south of Slauson Station. Photo by Luis Inzunza

Blue Line train stalled by damage to overhead catenary wires sits on overhead bridge about 100 yards south of Slauson Station. Photo by Luis Inzunza

Work crews are en route to repair damage to overhead catenary wires that have stalled a northbound Blue Line train at the Gage Avenue crossing located between the Florence and Washington stations.

Rail Operations director Bruce Shelburne issued this report detailing cause of Blue Line delays and offers alternate routes for the afternoon commute:

At 2:45 p.m., a Metro Blue Line train became entangled with the Overhead Power Supply lines at Gage Ave. Power lines are down, removing one track from service. For this evening’s peak period service, only one track will be used between Washington and Florence Stations (Vernon, Slauson and Florence Stations). 

Board all trains on the southbound side. Service will be approximately every 20 minutes through this area until further notice.

Passengers are encouraged to use the Silver Line , Lines 450x and 460 and Green Line as an alternate route. 

  • UPDATE: Scroll down for alternate routes to Green Line

Southbound passengers at 7th St./Metro Center Station can board Silver Line on Flower, at 7th St., next to the Coffee Bean. Ride to the Harbor Green Line Station. Transfer to the Green Line “Norwalk” eastbound trains. Upon arrival at Imperial/Wilmington Station, exit the train and transfer to the Blue Line to continue south.

Northbound passengers can exit Blue Line trains at Imperial/Wilmington Station and transfer to the Green Line “Redondo Beach” westbound trains. Ride to the Harbor Green Line Station. Exit and transfer to the northbound Silver Line, Lines 450X and 460 buses on the freeway bus level boarding platform. Ride to downtown, exiting on Figueroa at 7th St. (7th St./Metro Center Station).

Updates will be issued as necessary throughout the afternoon and evening.

UPDATE: 4 p.m. For Green Line-bound passengers looking to avoid Blue Line delays, they may board these buses at 7th/Flower (in front of Coffee Bean).  Express zone fares will not be charged.

  • To Green Line: Use Silver Line, 450X, or 445
  • To Norwalk Green Line Station: Use Line 460 Disneyland
  • To Aviation/LAX: Use LADOT Commuter Express 438
  • To Long Beach Green Line Station: Use Line 760 (in front of Macy’s Plaza)
  • To Hawthorne Green Line Station: Use Line 442 or 740 (on Broadway btwn 5th-6th)

Daily transit forecast for Monday, Dec. 20

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For a complete list of planned service advisories please visit the Service Advisories page on Metro.net. And for the latest service alerts follow @MetroLAalerts on Twitter.

Gold Line

Due to damage inflicted on power substations over the weekend riders should expect 3 to 5 minute delays between the Fillmore and Southwest Museum stations due to reduced speeds.

Dates: until further notice.


Rail communique details Gold Line delays; final repairs may take up to two weeks and cause 5-minute delays

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Here’s a report from Bruce Shelburne, a Rail Operations director, that explains the loss of traction power last night and the repairs underway that may continue for a couple of weeks but cause only minor delays:

At 9:28 p.m. on Saturday night, the Pasadena Water and Power Department incurred a power service interruption, in turn impacting multiple Metro Gold Line Traction Power Substations.  Significant damage was sustained to one of the substations.

Gold Line service was suspended between Southwest Museum Station and Del Mar Station, with buses used to travel between the two stations, including service to Fillmore, Mission and Highland Park Stations.

Metro Wayside Department crews were able to repair power systems adequately to restore service to northbound Track 1 at midnight, allowing trains to share one track in the area with speed restrictions.  The time between trains was 30 minutes.

Still, a significant amount of work needed to be completed to repair additional damage to allow for the power system to support the return of power to Track 2.  With the opening of revenue service this morning, trains continued to run every 30 minutes at reduced speed.

At 2:45 p.m., power was restored to Track 2.  Trains were added to service and the regular Sunday service frequencies have been restored.  However, all service between Del Mar and Southwest Museum Stations will be operated at reduced speeds until further notice, as all repairs have not been completed.  Final repairs may take up to a couple of weeks, as additional Power Systems specialized components need to be acquired from the supplier.

Passengers using the Gold Line should plan for and expect delays that will be at least 3 to 5 minutes in each direction.

Should power supply conditions change before the morning peak period, additonal information will be posted on www.metro.net as necessary.  Likewise, staff will be assigned to stations in the morning if necessary.

We apologize for the inconvenience to all of our passengers.

Gold Line returns to normal operations; crews resolve power issue that restricted service

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Gold Line trains returned to normal operations and schedule at 3 p.m. today after maintenance crews repaired a loss of traction power that de-energized tracks between Southwest Museum and Del Mar stations and delayed service on the entire Gold Line since Saturday night.

Update 4 p.m.: Two additional trains were added to restore service to every 15 minutes today. Normal weekday service will resume on schedule for Monday.

What was happening: Gold Line trains were running every 30 minutes from Altadena to East Los Angeles. Passengers were advised to allow extra travel time. The loss of traction power de-energized tracks between Southwest Museum and Del Mar stations at 9:30 p.m. Saturday night, requiring trains to single track at reduced speed in the Mount Washington area.

Allow extra travel time on the Gold Line today while crews work to resolve loss of traction power in Highland Park area

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Passengers are advised to allow extra travel time today as maintenance crews continue to work to resolve a loss of traction power in the Highland Park to Pasadena area. Gold Line trains are running every 30 minutes from Altadena to East Los Angeles. Take note to board on the north to Pasadena track at Highland Park, Mission and Fillmore stations as trains must use the northbound track to single track at reduced speed through that area. The loss of traction power de-energized tracks between Southwest Museum and Del Mar stations at 9:30 p.m. Saturday night.