Behind the D Line Extension: A son’s sign honors his dad, who helps move LA  

Days after Metro’s D Line extension welcomed its first riders, photos of the new stations, artwork and rider experiences continued popping up on social media. One image in particular stood out: a young boy with a sign honoring his father.   

“Behind this moment are all the bedtime hugs I missed with my dad. I am a proud son of a test train operator.”  

The boy is Martin Macias III, the 11-year-old son of Metro train operator Martin Macias Jr. On opening day, people stopped to look at the sign, smiled and asked to take photos. For many it was a sweet moment that reminded them of the humanity that makes government agencies work.   

For the Macias family, it represented months of overnight shifts, missed family outings and a father helping prepare Metro’s newest rail extension before riders ever stepped on board.   

Martin is a train operator for the B/D Lines. Before the D Line extension opened to the public, he was part of the start-up team helping test trains along the new section of the line. For many months, his work schedule often ran from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. as testing had to happen when regular daytime service would not be interrupted. That meant Martin was often at work while his family was at home, winding down for the night.   

For dad, the sign was emotional. “When I opened my phone and saw his picture, my eyes teared up,” he said. “I immediately stopped and cherished the moment. He was at Wilshire/Fairfax Station celebrating me and expressing that he’s proud of me. That was very rewarding.”  

During the start-up testing, Martin and other operators checked many of the systems riders do not see – signals, train speeds, communications, alarms, station approaches and emergency scenarios.   

The work also involved testing braking distances, emergency ventilation systems, door safety sensors and communication with the Metro’s Rail Operations Center. Operators evaluated how trains handled the curves and how they aligned with the platforms while becoming familiar with new equipment and emergency procedures before service began.  

Testing also meant paying close attention to sounds, vibrations, screeches and grinding, wheel and track interactions and everything that could affect the future rider experience. “We had to pay a lot of attention to detail,” Martin says. “The goal was to make sure that it was safe for the public.”  

Martin’s path to rail started unexpectedly. He originally intended to apply for Metro Micro but accidentally submitted an application to become a bus operator. He decided to continue with the process and started at Division 1 as an operator on Metro Bus Lines 18, 62 and 66.   

In 2023, he moved into rail and first operated light rail on the A Line before transferring to Division 20, where he later became certified on underground rail to operate the B/D Lines. The transition between systems required additional training, studying and learning different sets of rules and responsibilities along the way.   

“It’s a very rewarding job helping the community get around from point A to point B,” Martin says. “It makes me feel part of improvement and progress.”  

But like many jobs, the work can also come with sacrifices. The long hours and changing schedules that come with the job became even more real when Martin read the words on his son’s sign, especially the part about the missed hugs. “It hurt,” he says. “I know every kid needs his parents, but when I see the smile on his face, I know it’s all worth it.”  

At home, Martin and his son spend as much time together as they can. They play video games, build Legos and cheer for the Dodgers. But one thing Martin values most is talking with his son.  

Martin III is on the autism spectrum and receives speech therapy, something his dad says has made conversations especially important at home. “I’m more of a parent that talks and asks about his day and how’s he doing with his emotions.”  

Martin says his family - especially his son and wife, his high school sweetheart - keeps him motivated through long shifts. “My wife is my rock, and I have an amazing support team.” If there is one thing he wants his son to know is that he loves him and that everything he does is for his family.   

As his son started to understand the reasons behind his dad’s long work hours, little Martin wanted to show recognition for his dad. “He takes people all around Los Angeles,” he says. “He helps them get to their job and move safely. I’m proud of him and I think he’s awesome at Metro.”  

He adds that his mom helped with the sign and that his favorite part of opening day was riding the first train and seeing so many people excited about taking transit. “I love LA, I think trains are awesome and through my dad, I get to be a part of both.”  

For Martin, seeing his family experience the extension after months of testing made the work feel complete.   

During testing, he watched the stations slowly come together through the train windows – artwork unfinished one day, another detail added the next. Seeing riders finally experience those same stations felt rewarding. “Seeing all the murals complete, the floor work, every detail, it was nice,” he says.   

Also, operating the extension for the public for the first time also felt different from testing. “It was nerve-wracking,” Martin says. “I was scared I might make a mistake and pass up a station thinking we were still in the testing phase and forgetting the stations were now in service.”  

But once the initial nerves settled, excitement took over. “All in all, it was nice,” he says. “Once I got back to Union Station and saw all the happy people waiting for the train at each station, everything went well.”  

Martin takes his role seriously because his mother also takes public transportation and he knows that every rider on board is someone’s parent, child, friend or neighbor.   

“I compare this to be the lead of a ship,” he says. “I’m the captain and I’m responsible for everyone on board. Making sure everyone gets to their destination is my responsibility.”   

And like Martin, many operators spent long hours helping prepare for the D Line extension long before the trains opened his door to the public. To them, Metro extends a big THANK YOU!  

For Martin, this project was more than new stations and tracks. It was history.   

“Today, my son can point at the stations and say: “My dad was part of that.”