With another SoCal summer on the horizon, we have much to celebrate and even more to look forward to. Last week, we were honored to co-host a delegation of esteemed visitors from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in collaboration with CalSTA and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). I joined the group at Los Angeles Union Station for the Metrolink train trip to San Bernardino to learn more about our new Zero-Emission Multiple Unit (ZEMU), which will enter service along our Arrow corridor later this summer.
The visiting MLIT contingent was particularly interested in rail decarbonization, and the SBCTA project team, along with representatives from ZEMU manufacturer Stadler Rail, provided insights into how the hybrid-hydrogen-and-battery-powered vehicle is setting a new standard for clean transportation. The technology was on full display as the group took a demonstration trip between San Bernardino and Redlands. We look forward to welcoming the community aboard ZEMU in the coming months.
Members of the Japanese MLIT delegation and event organizers receive a tour of the Arrow Maintenance Facility in San Bernardino.
Elsewhere on our system, at Metrolink’s direction and in partnership with our colleagues at the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), crews are working diligently to complete several preventative coastal stabilization projects in the San Clemente area. Passenger rail service has been suspended south of our Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station since late April to allow for necessary infrastructure improvements and coastal protection measures, including the placement of nearly 6,000 tons of ‘rip rap’ (large boulders used to protect against shoreline erosion).
I’m happy to report that this critical work will be wrapping up this week, while Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service is set to resume this weekend, just in time for the start of summer. I’m grateful for the progress taking shape across our region and the strong partnerships making it happen. Together, we’re turning our shared commitment to building a more connected and sustainable future into tangible wins for our riders and the communities we serve. Here’s to a summer of continued momentum, collaboration and the everyday joys that make this time of year so special.