Metrolink restores some service, certifies new Tier 4 locomotives

Metrolink today reinstated two Ventura County Line trains as vehicle traffic in the San Fernando Valley and Venture County, California, returns to pre-pandemic levels. 

Ventura County Line trains 101 and 110 have been restored to serve stations connecting Los Angeles to Glendale, Burbank, Northridge, Van Nuys, Chatsworth, Simi Valley and Moorpark.

The eastbound service provides the first morning connection from Los Angeles to Ventura County since the pandemic forced temporary service reductions in March, Metrolink officials said in a press release.

“Our service and schedules are all centered around the needs and safety of our customers,” said Metrolink Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Wiggins. “We are heartened to see our ridership beginning to rebound and will continue to restore service in a measured and strategic fashion based on need, our ability to socially distance and available funding.”

Meanwhile, the California Air Resources Board last week issued a Tier 4 Verification Certificate for Metrolink’s 37 new diesel locomotives after emissions verification testing. 

The certification confirms Metrolink’s locomotives continue to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 standard for diesel engines — the most stringent emission-reduction designation for engines, Metrolink officials said in a press release.

The Tier 4 certificate is a requirement to receive previously awarded grant funding from South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for Metrolink’s 40 new locomotives, which cost $280 million. The final three locomotives will be placed into service this fall.