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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The long-delayed LAX People Mover project experienced multiple electrical arc blast incidents last month, according to a report obtained by 7 On Your Side Investigates, adding to a growing list of issues impacting a project that is already years behind schedule.
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A report prepared for project lenders by infrastructure advisory firm Infrata detailed four incidents that occurred in September.
According to the report, “Arc blast incidents occurred at three locations on the Guideway on September 23, and a fourth occurred on September 25. The cause is unknown and investigations are ongoing. The power rail and guide beam were damaged.”
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The People Mover project was first unveiled in 2019. Seven years later, the system has not yet begun carrying passengers.
To better understand the significance of the reported incidents, ABC7 spoke with transportation and railroad expert Tim Borchers, who has more than 40 years of experience in rail transit engineering.
When asked what arc blast incidents are, Borchers said, “Commonly in the industry, we call that a flash over.”
Asked whether that is another term for an explosion, Borchers responded, “It’s an electrical explosion. Yes, I would call it an uncontrolled electrical explosion.”
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Borchers described the number of incidents as unusual.
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“Four arc flash overs or arc blasts is unprecedented,” he said.
“Is it serious? Yes. Could it cause a fire if the vehicle is running over the top of it? Yes, a very good chance of causing a fire,” Borchers said.
LINXS, the contractor behind the People Mover project, said the incidents involved a limited section of the system.
“Recently, incidents occurred involving an electrical arc flash that affected a few feet of power rail. This was not related to the power distribution, and there is no defect in the installed electrical system. There was also no damage to the passenger vehicles, and the system responded as designed,” LINXS said in a statement.
An LAX official told 7 On Your Side that the source of the arc blasts remains under investigation, but that issues related to the incidents have been repaired by the contractor and testing has resumed.
In an official statement, the airport said, “Job one for us right now is making sure the train is safe and reliable before it carries passengers. Routine testing is currently underway, helping us identify and address any issues before passenger service begins.”
The opening of the LAX People Mover has been pushed into next year. When the project began, the target opening date was 2023.
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