Hübner supplying rubber gangway systems to LA metro

Kassel, Germany – Rail and bus components supplier Hubner Group has been awarded a contract to supply rubber gangway systems for the Los Angeles metro, ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in the city.

The German company has been commissioned by South Korean rail vehicle manufacturer Hyundai Rotem to deliver 91 gangway systems for use in the new HR5000 two-car trainsets, each with a capacity of 245 passengers.

In total, Hyundai Rotem is to produce 182 railcars for LA metro, Hubner announced 27 March.

The gangway systems enable multiple trainsets to be coupled together and allow passengers to move seamlessly between cars.

The systems will be designed by Hubner USA at its Mount Pleasant site in South Carolina, with production taking place in Dunlap, Tennessee.

Manufacturing is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2025.

Each gangway unit will feature "a pressure-stable, pressure-tight double-corrugated bellows and combi-bridge, enabling gap-free, step-free movement across train sections," according to Hubner.

The HR5000 cars will run on the Los Angeles metro, the second busiest light rail system in the US, which is undergoing major expansion ahead of the games.

Los Angeles is set to host the summer Olympics from 14–30 July 2028, followed by the Paralympics from 15–27 Aug.