A leading domestic company has secured the contract for the Los Angeles (LA) Metro train refurbishment project in the United States. Their technological expertise was recognized amid efforts to upgrade the railway ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Woojinsanjeon, a specialized railway vehicle manufacturer, announced on the 20th that it has recently finalized a sole contract for the A650 train refurbishment project commissioned by the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA). The contract, awarded through an international bidding process, is valued at approximately $210 million (about 285 billion KRW).
This project involves upgrading the currently operating aging railway vehicles with new systems. It also includes restoring 14 cars that foreign train manufacturers had abandoned midway through refurbishment. With this contract, Woojinsanjeon will be able to supply its products for train propulsion control, auxiliary power, train control monitoring, public address and display devices, and heating and cooling systems to LA Metro.
LA Metro subway cars supplied by Ansaldo Breda in Italy. Woojin Industrial Systems was in charge of the modernization project for these vehicles. [Photo by Woojin Industrial Systems]
Additionally, the project encompasses type testing of newly manufactured parts, system-level performance testing, as well as integrated testing and management of refurbished vehicles and mainline trial runs. LA Metro initiated this extensive refurbishment of aging trains ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics to enhance passenger convenience and extend the service life of the trains.
The LA Metro train refurbishment involves upgrading various systems of 74 train cars that have been in service for over 25 years by applying the latest information technology (IT) over a period of 4 years and 8 months. The company explained that since the project requires modifying existing vehicles and applying new systems, it is technically more challenging than manufacturing new trains.
A Woojinsanjeon official stated, "We have achieved the great feat of being recognized by the U.S. client not only for our existing electronic system hardware but also for our software integration capabilities, leading to securing other critical systems as well. Based on over 10 years of experience in the U.S. railway vehicle market, we will continue to secure additional business opportunities."
For this contracted project, the company decided to build a new factory capable of refurbishing and manufacturing complete vehicles in addition to its existing plant. The company also announced that it has received approval from the client for the ‘Buy America’ plan regarding the systems to be produced going forward.
Previously, Woojinsanjeon was selected as the preferred negotiator in April this year for the auxiliary power unit refurbishment project, following its June last year contract for upgrading the aging electronic systems of the light rail in Seattle, Washington. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Woojinsanjeon currently operates a local subsidiary and production plant in LA and has supplied public address display devices, driver’s cab equipment, and auxiliary power units to transportation authorities in Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Utah.
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