Project

South Korea, August 2026 – Korea National Railway has completed and opened a 5-kilometre extension of the Osong comprehensive railway test track to support higher-speed rolling-stock performance verification. The expansion is intended to facilitate domestic testing of railcars being supplied for the Los Angeles Metro heavy rail system.

The extended section raises the maximum testing speed from 80 km/h to 120 km/h. The existing test area was largely made up of curved sections, restricting higher-speed trials. The upgraded facility allows manufacturers to conduct more comprehensive running and performance assessments while maintaining the project schedule.

The facility is supporting the approximately 1.2 trillion won LA Metro upgrade project secured by Hyundai Rotem and Woojin Industrial Systems. The first trainset is scheduled to undergo about 3,000 miles of running tests and performance verification through November before being transported to the United States within the year.

The accelerated test-track development involved coordination between Korea National Railway, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Railroad Research Institute. Additional personnel and streamlined testing procedures were used to shorten the extension's construction period, demonstrating the importance of coordinated public-sector support when domestic manufacturers are pursuing international rail contracts.

The project highlights the strategic role of specialised railway testing facilities in supporting export-oriented rolling-stock manufacturing. As Korean rail companies expand into overseas markets, access to dedicated infrastructure for high-speed verification, systems testing and regulatory compliance can help reduce delivery risks and strengthen the competitiveness of the country's rail industry.

Source: Seoul Economic Daily