The 2025 Railway Technology Excellence Awards recognized Metrolink with distinctions in innovation, marketing and safety.
Metrolink received industry distinction at the 2025 Railway Technology Excellence Awards, earning top honors in the Innovation, Marketing and Safety categories. The annual awards program celebrates the forward-thinking organizations that are driving positive change in transportation.
The Innovation Award highlighted Metrolink’s Wireless Crossing Nearside Station Stop (WCNSS) technology, which reduces unnecessary gate activations at rail crossings, shortening traffic delays while improving safety in local communities. The Marketing Award recognized Metrolink’s Student Adventure Pass campaign – a layered and collaborative outreach effort that leveraged unique partnerships with local schools and colleges to reach a new generation of riders. Metrolink was also selected as the winner of the Safety Award for our cutting-edge integration of U.S. Geological Survey ShakeAlert technology with our Positive Train Control system, enabling trains to automatically slow or stop in the event of an earthquake, based on the intensity of localized shaking.
Beyond the accolades themselves, these initiatives reflect a larger transformation Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle calls Metrolink Reimagined: a long-term vision rooted in the agency’s evolution from a commuter rail system into a true regional rail provider that connects communities and expands access to opportunity. This shift is reinforced by efforts like Metrolink’s ongoing fare restructuring pilot, designed to simplify pricing, promote equity and make rail service easier to use for everyone.
“Receiving recognition across multiple categories is a powerful validation of the work our team has done to modernize and reimagine regional passenger rail in Southern California,” Darren said. “Our focus remains on delivering a safer, smarter and more connected experience for our customers and communities.”
These awards also spotlight the culture of innovation that has defined Metrolink as an “organization of firsts,” from powering our fleet with renewable fuel to pioneering real-time earthquake detection and operating North America’s first hybrid hydrogen-and-battery passenger train. As Darren explained in a recent interview with Railway Technology, “Innovation is never about technology alone; it’s about building a mindset that puts the customer first and is willing to evolve.” Darren’s full interview is available here.
This recognition affirms the simple promise of Metrolink Reimagined to turn innovation into everyday value, including better service, safer trips and clearer fares. The result is a network that opens doors, linking communities to jobs, education, health services and cultural life throughout Southern California.