Nippon Sharyo P865
| Industry | Rail vehicle manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Products | Light rail vehicles (P865 and P2020 models) |
The P865 and P2020 models are retired articulated light rail vehicles that were once part of the Los Angeles Metro Rail fleet. Built by Nippon Sharyo, these trains operated on the A, C (exclusively the P2020), and E routes.
Equipped with air conditioning, emergency communication systems, designated wheelchair areas, and automated announcements, these vehicles utilized an air-electric system. This included air-driven doors, friction-based braking mechanisms, and pantographs to collect electrical power.
Operational history
The P865s marked the return of urban rail transit to Los Angeles County following the discontinuation of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1965. The first units were delivered in May 1989. A total of 54 cars, numbered 100 through 153, were procured at a cost of $1.17 million each. Prior to entering service, each car was ceremonially named after cities within Los Angeles County, akin to maritime naming traditions. For example, Car 100 bore the name Long Beach while Car 105 was called Bell.
Nippon Sharyo P2020
The P2020 represented an advancement of the P865 model, incorporating automated control panels designed for the Green Line, which was originally intended to operate fully autonomously. Fifteen units, numbered 154 to 168, arrived in 1994 and began service on the Green Line in 1995. In the early 2000s, these vehicles were transferred to the Blue Line fleet after newer Siemens P2000 LRVs replaced them on the Green Line.
Overhaul
In late 2013, Metro contracted ORX under a fixed-price agreement lasting five years to refurbish the powered axle components of these railcars, which had been in operation for approximately 23 years at that time.
Retirement and preservation
After nearly three decades of service, the P865s were fully withdrawn from operation in September 2018 and succeeded by Kinki Sharyo P3010 models. Most units were dismantled for spare parts and scrapped; however, Cars 100, 108, and 144 were preserved. Car 100, known as Long Beach and painted in the original Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC) colors, is planned for static exhibition in Downtown Long Beach. Car 144, named South Gate, was donated to the Southern California Railway Museum located in Perris, California. Meanwhile, Car 108 found a new purpose supporting chemical defense training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
The P2020 fleet was retired in 2021 due to limited rail yard space after the arrival of the final batch of Kinki Sharyo P3010 trains. All fifteen cars were removed from service by April 23, 2021. Earlier that year, they were transported to Division 16 in Westchester, California using the C and K lines with assistance from P865 Car 100 during this move. The majority of these vehicles were scrapped; nonetheless, Car 164 has been preserved at the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, California.
As of 2025, Car 100 remains stored pending installation as a static display in Downtown Long Beach.
In popular culture
The P865 has been featured in numerous films including Lethal Weapon 3, Heat, Virtuosity, The Italian Job, Collateral, and Captain Marvel.