Metrolink rolling stock

A Hyundai Rotem cab car of Metrolink

An EMD F125 locomotive of Metrolink

The Metrolink fleet consists of 52 locomotives, 137 active Bombardier BiLevel Coaches (Sentinel Fleet), and 137 Hyundai Rotem bilevel cars (Guardian Fleet).

History

An order for an additional 20 Rotem cars was placed after Metrolink obtained a loan from the LACMTA, although this still leaves Metrolink 34 cars short of its goal to completely replace the entire Bombardier fleet. From 2008-2011, due to an increase in ridership, Metrolink leased 10 cars from the Utah Transit Authority's commuter train FrontRunner. All leased Frontrunner passenger cars were returned once the newer Hyundai Rotem bilevel cars (Guardian Fleet) went into service.

With a sufficient amount of Guardian Fleet cars on hand, former CEO John Fenton introduced new on-board services. All weekday trains now include at least one Quiet Car (designated as the second car back from the locomotive). 35 older Sentinel Fleet coaches were converted to Bicycle Cars by having their seats removed from the lower level. If demand for bicycle cars rise, more cars would be retrofitted. Only the Sentinel Cars are retrofitted due to the Guardian Fleet seats serving as an integral part of the cars’ safety features and therefore the seats cannot be removed. In Summer 2017, Metrolink fitted their Bicycle cars with surf board carriers. Each Bicycle car can now carry up to 5 surfboards for transportation to beaches in between San Clemente and Oceanside.

The extra equipment has also allowed Metrolink to add express service, which reduces travel times up to 45 minutes on the Antelope Valley and San Bernardino Lines as pilot programs. If successful, Metrolink will make the expresses permanent and test express service on other routes.

About 10-30 surplus Sentinel cars are stored close to Union Station on tracks laying parallel to the Los Angeles River. Metrolink's long-term plans for these cars is uncertain as Metrolink's original goal was to replace all of the Sentinel Fleet coaches with the Guardian Fleet coaches, but this is not possible until additional Guardian Fleet orders are placed. The decision of which Sentinel Fleet cars to keep or scrap is complicated. The Sentinel Fleet passenger coaches carry little to no debt, but require major rehabilitation as they are close to the end of their service life. In addition to rehabilitation, the Sentinel Coaches would also require safety features that the Hyundai Rotem Coaches have, such as enhanced seating and break-away tables, but reinforcement of the aluminum alloy body structure isn't needed. (Sentinel Fleet cars lack impact-absorbing horizontal steel side beams and crumple zones.)

On September 3, 2015, Metrolink announced the addition of a second locomotive (leased from BNSF Railway) to each train set to be coupled in front of the Rotem cab car while they undergo a review of their safety features following the 2015 Oxnard train derailment. The cab cars remained in service as passenger coaches. The investigation examined the plow-like attachment under the front of the cab cars that failed to prevent the derailment by allowing wreckage to get under the wheels. On November 1, 2016, the leased BNSF locomotives were returned, as repairs and enhancements to the Rotem cab cars' plows were completed.

Fleet roster

Fleet Numbers	Qty Delivered	Qty in service	Year(s) Built	Make & Model	Notes
Locomotives
800	1	0	1981	EMD F40PH	Former AMTK 396. Used as a spare (for special events, switching, and work trains). 4 units were originally purchased from Amtrak, the other 3, ex-Amtrak 256, 300, and 338, were later sold for scrap. Now retired from Metrolink. Currently stored in Keller Yard with the F59PH's; fate unknown.
851–873	23	3	1992–1993	EMD F59PH	851, 852, 856, 861, 868, 870, & 873 were rebuilt by MPI with an upgraded lower-emission (Tier 2) engine, upgraded cooling system, and an E-bell and designated F59PHR. (Bolded are still in service as of August 2020) 855 was involved in the 2008 Chatsworth train collision and was retired and scrapped. 870 was involved in the 2015 Oxnard derailment but returned to service. All non-rebuilt Locomotives retired as of 2020, many are stored at Metrolink's Keller Yard, while 853, 859, 867, 871, and 872 are stored at SA Recycling pending rebuild and delivery to RNCX. 857 was put back in-service temporarily in early 2020 after being deadlined.
874–881	8	0	1994	EMD F59PHI	877 suffered a turbo failure and has been retired. All retired as of April 19, 2020. 875 suffered an HEP failure and has been retired.
882–883	2	0	1995	EMD F59PHI	Part of the canceled Marlboro train project. 883 suffered a HEP failure and has been retired. All retired as of April 19, 2020.
884–887	4	0	2001	EMD F59PHI	Part of a canceled VIA Rail Canada order. All retired as of April 19, 2020.
888–902	15	14	2008–2009	MPI MPXpress MP36PH-3C	893 suffered a mechanical failure in 2015, and as of 2017, is retired.
903-942	40	38	2016–present	EMD F125	Order for ten locomotives announced in December 2012, with multiple additional options since then. 905 was delivered to Metrolink on June 18, 2016, and entered service on June 10, 2017 All 40 F125s will replace most F59s in the Metrolink fleet. A few F59s will be kept as yard switchers in maintenance facilities. 903 and 904 have not been delivered yet. 928 and 931 were involved in a BNSF derailment in August 2018. Both were repaired and are now in service.
Passenger cars
101–163	63	60	1992–1993	Bombardier Bi-level Generation 1	35 cars converted into bike cars. 113 was involved in the 2002 Placentia collision and has been retired. 133 and 148 were wrecked in the 2005 Glendale crash and have been retired.
164–182	18	0	1997	Bombardier Bi-level Generation 2	All retired. 166, 168, and 174 currently in storage, all others sold to Caltrain
183–210	27	24	2002	Bombardier Bi-level Generation 3	Generation 3 cars with smooth sides (without rivets) and power ports at most seats. 184 was wrecked en route from the factory and number was retired. 185 and 207 were involved in the Chatsworth collision. 185 was retired and scrapped, while 207 was returned to service. 187 is, to date, the only Bombardier coach to have been repainted into the "ribbons" scheme. 197 was involved in the Glendale accident, but was returned to service. 206 was involved in the 2015 Oxnard derailment, and is presumed retired.
211–289	70	70	2010–2013	Hyundai Rotem Bi-level cars	211 and 263 were involved in the Oxnard derailment. Both are presumed retired.
Cab cars
601–631	31	15	1992–1993	Bombardier Bi-level Generation 1	Generation 1 cab cars with only one front window. 608 was wrecked in a collision with a truck in Burbank in December 2003 and scrapped. 617 was involved in the Chatsworth collision, but was returned to service. 623 and 625 were both wrecked in the Glendale accident and retired and scrapped. All retired and replaced by Rotem units. Some converted into regular Bombardier coach cars, with crew compartment gutted. Others remain in storage.
632–637	6	0	1997	Bombardier Bi-level Generation 2	Generation 2 cab cars with 2 front windows and a K2 Horn. 634 was wrecked in the head-on collision in Placentia and retired and scrapped. All retired and replaced by Rotem units. The five remaining units are currently in storage in various yards, out of service.
638–695	56	54	2010–2013	Hyundai Rotem Bi-level cars	666 was renumbered to 695 in late 2014. 645 was the leading cab car on the train involved in the Oxnard derailment, and is presumed retired. 684 was involved in a head-on collision with an RV in November 2019, and was retired as of March 2020. All cab cars were temporarily restricted from leading trains (but still used as passenger coaches) and replaced by BNSF AC4400CWs during the investigation of the 2015 Oxnard train derailment. As of November 1, 2016, the repairs had been completed and all AC44CWs were returned to BNSF, and the cab cars returned to normal service.

References: