Four electrical arc-blast incidents damaged parts of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) People Mover’s power rail and guideway in September, raising fresh questions about the safety and readiness of the long-delayed transportation project. Newly released video obtained by FOX 11 Los Angeles shows a large electrical flash erupting along the tracks shortly after a test train passes, adding urgency to concerns already raised by specialists reviewing the incidents.
The incidents were documented in a report prepared for project lenders by infrastructure advisory firm Infrata, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Three blasts reportedly occurred at separate locations on September 23, followed by a fourth on September 25. The cause remains under investigation, although the project contractor, LINXS, says the affected area was limited and repairs have been completed. With passenger service delayed for years, the findings create another hurdle for an airport project intended to improve access to terminals and regional transit.
Four Electrical Incidents Damaged The People Mover’s Power Infrastructure
The four incidents involved electrical arc blasts, also described as flashovers, on the People Mover’s elevated guideway. According to the Infrata report, the power rail and guide beam sustained damage, while the underlying cause had not been determined at the time of reporting. Transportation and railroad expert Timothy Borchers, who has more than four decades of experience in the field, told ABC7 that four such incidents were unprecedented in his experience. He characterized an arc blast as an uncontrolled electrical explosion and warned that a similar event occurring as a train passed over the affected area could potentially cause a fire.
Video published by FOX 11 provides a closer look at one of the incidents. The footage, recorded during testing in late September, shows a test train passing before a substantial flash erupts near the track, followed by visible sparks and smoke. Borchers told the station that the event was among the most severe flashovers he had witnessed.
Contractor Says Repairs Are Complete As Safety Questions Persist
Los Angeles World Airports
LINXS, the consortium responsible for designing, building, and operating the People Mover, said the incidents affected only a limited section of the power rail. In a statement reported by ABC7, the contractor said the damage involved a few feet of rail, was not related to the power distribution system, and did not indicate a defect in the installed electrical system. It also reported no damage to the passenger vehicles and said the system responded as designed.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), which operates LAX, said the source of the incidents remained under investigation but that the related issues had been repaired. Officials also confirmed that testing had resumed. The airport has also reportedly referred local news agencies to an informational website explaining that arc flashes can occur during testing.
Testing is intended to expose technical problems before passengers are carried, but repeated electrical failures raise questions about the system’s reliability and the effectiveness of its safeguards. The immediate challenge for project officials is to demonstrate that the system can operate consistently and safely before opening it to the public. Neither the footage nor the statements released so far provide a complete public explanation of the cause.
The electrical incidents come amid years of delays for the Automated People Mover, also known as SkyLink. The project was originally expected to open in 2023, but passenger service has repeatedly been postponed. The system is designed to connect airport terminals with parking facilities, the rental car center, and the LAX Metro Transit Center, reducing reliance on vehicles circulating around the airport.
Project costs have also risen substantially, with a price tag of approximately $3.3 billion, well above the original budget. Separately, the contractor and city have been involved in disputes over delays and responsibility for additional costs, adding financial and legal pressure to an already troubled undertaking. Until officials provide clearer findings on the cause of the four blasts and demonstrate that the corrective work has resolved the problem, the incidents are likely to remain a significant concern for a project already under scrutiny.
