Naud Junction (Los Angeles)

Naud Junction is a rail junction located in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is a key point on the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, where the tracks of the Gold Line (now part of the A Line) and the tracks used by freight trains and Amtrak's Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner services intersect.

The junction derives its name from the nearby Naud Street. The physical configuration of the junction includes multiple tracks and switches allowing trains traveling on different lines to converge or diverge. It's a critical infrastructure component for managing train traffic in the region.

Operationally, Naud Junction requires careful signaling and dispatching to ensure the safe and efficient movement of both passenger and freight trains. The complexity of the junction necessitates coordination between Metro Rail, freight railroads, and Amtrak. It is a known chokepoint for rail traffic due to the volume of trains utilizing the converging routes. Service disruptions or delays at Naud Junction can ripple through the entire rail network in Southern California.