An example of light rail done right. The expo line's extension riders are 70% new riders and not just extensions. Maybe that's why the trains are so crowded ?
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/LA-Metro-70-percent-of-Expo-Line-Extension-riders-are-new--49485
I've ridden Expo several times and, in my small sample, trains are usually close to full. No question SRO level is reached during rush hour. As stated above, Expo seems to have priority for new P3010 cars and I've seen mostly three car (maximum length) trains.
mvsImagine how much better the ridership would be, if the Expo Line had signal preemption, i.e. it didn't have to wait for the cars at intersections.
The full story about 'preemption' is a little muddled. Metro states that Santa Monica approved it, so trains usually don't have to stop at intersections west of I-405. Some riders notice that westbounds are often stopped at 5th St (DTSM) waiting for a light change.
OTOH the segment from 7th/Flower to USC obviously does not have preemption. I've been on trains that are forced to stop coming out of the tunnel at 12st St - arrgh! Things are usually stop-and-go until Jefferson Blvd. West of USC trains seem to move right along.
Metro says that LADOT refused preemption for the Blue and Expo lines, and LADOT says that Metro won't fund the extra equipment needed, oh well.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
blue streak 1It probably would be difficult but if some of our LA posters could ride and comment on loads and equipment shortages ?
I might ride for the Thursday night USC game in a few months. In the meantime, I also lurk/read a message board of LA-area transit advocates (http://transittalk.proboards.com/board/25). It seems as though these trains are sometimes standing room only.
Imagine how much better the ridership would be, if the Expo Line had signal preemption, i.e. it didn't have to wait for the cars at intersections.
It probably would be difficult but if some of our LA posters could ride and comment on loads and equipment shortages ?
I probably should not defend the NY Times, considering the really lousy and distorted job they often do about events near where I live. But just consider the environment of its writers and editors, where just about anything on steel wheels is subway.
50 yeas ago my many Brooklyn relatives, of all ages, still spoke of taking the train to the City," remnants of the days when the open-air lines, now the B/Q, D, F, and N, were all steam railroads, and Brooklyn was a separate City. Today, the few New Yorkers that know that PATH actually does exist speak of it as "the subway to New Jersey."
And Hudson and Bergen County Light Rail and its success might as well be in California. Oh well, maybe the Brooklyn Waterfront light rail lien will change that.
Geez. You'd think that the New York Times would know what a subway is! They refer to the Expo line as the long promissed "subway to the sea". First of all, it clearly isn't a subway, being mostly at grade, sometimes elevated light rail. Secondly, the "subway to the sea" promoted by our former mayor Antonio Villaragosa is the extension of the heavy rail Purple Line.
The Pruple line now terminates at Western Avenue. An extension to La Cienega Blvd. is under construction. The next phase of construction would bring the subway to Westwood. After that, the final phase is supposed to bring it to Santa Monica, aka the sea. But I'd say we are at least 20 years from that being open for service.
While the Expo line is nice for what it is, it remains:
1. Slow. It has to contend with traffic lights for a fair amount of its route, and some of the stops are rediculously close together.
2. Away from the most dense part of the Westside. The Expo line was built where it is because it was a former right of way of the Pacific Electric and later SP, which was relatively easy to acquire and didn't involve tunneling or displacine many homes or businesses.
3. The "reverse" nature of the cummuters has been know for decades. Back in 1983, when I was in the hospital with a view of the Santa Monica Freeway, I recall noticing that the traffic going towards downtown LA was ligheter in the mornings and worse in the evenings. Back then, nobody lived downtown, thus my conclusion that they were coming from beyond downtown to jobs on the Westside.
Oh well. What do you expect from a newspaper without a comics section?
blue streak 1NY Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/18/us/la-metro-expo-line-santa-monica.html?_r=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/18/us/la-metro-expo-line-santa-monica.html?_r=1
IMO the article doesn't add any meaningful insight, typical glossy NYT overview of LA. BTW the ridership stats show that Expo Line ridership is up about 50% over last year (!) and even more on the weekends (not unexpected).
A car shortage has impacted both the Expo and Gold Lines after both have been extended this year. Most Expo trains seem to be three car consists, which may be why Gold Line riders are complaining more about crowding. Ongoing car deliveries should stabilize the situation about years end.
NY Times article
K. P. HarrierBefore we start taking photos upon our arrival, we notice an abandoned track that may have been an old Pacific Electric track a century ago. View has a westward slant:
Good catch, K.P.! If you follow the lot lines in Google Maps the path of the ex-PE (SP, LA&I) right of way crosses 16th Street where your photos were taken. By the 1970s I don't think local freight service extended west of the concrete plant and lumber yard near Sepulveda Blvd.
A Look at the Expo Line …
… Out of Santa Monica
Part “E” (of A-E)
The line goes eastward through a variety of scene and types of routing, and eventually come to a “flyover” type place, at Bundy Drive and Exposition Blvd.
Beyond the turnstiles one must have some type of fair in non-monetary form.
Looking eastward, the flyover gets to ground level quickly.
We now head to the freeway to take care of other things on the itinerary.
This will end the series.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
Part “D” (of A-E)
A few last looks at the 17th and Colorado area:
Continued in Part E
Part “C” (of A-E)
By the last car, a station RED overhead sign reads “Must Validate Fare Here.”
An outbound train soon comes.
Before we start taking photos upon our arrival, we notice an abandoned track that may have been an old Pacific Electric track a century ago. View has a westward slant:
The old right-of-way is built upon. East slant:
Did PE trains and passengers ride those rails long ago?
Continued in Part D
Part “B” (of A-E)
One of the NEW Metro train sets shows up from the beginning of the line in Santa Monica.
Continued in Part C
Part “A” (of A-E)
As most know, the new Expo Line out of the end of the line stop runs northeastward on Colorado Ave. to a stop by 17th Street, where the right-of-way curves away from street running.
There is a station stop there.
An inbound to Los Angeles arrives and soon zooms away.
Continued in Part B
Post script - better videos
A much more professional cab ride video has been posted.
As mentioned previously, the bike / pedestrian path is a welcome addition for both commuting and personal activities. This video shows the entire phase II path.
-----------------
The Expo Line stations have better seating than other lines, in the style I call 'Stainless Steel Graffiti Resistant Moderne'.
The bike/ped path east of Sepulveda station runs next to Exposition Blvd and a quiet residential neighborhood; most of the old trees that were preserved probably saw the passage of the original Red Cars.
In the coming weeks we will see how commuting patterns using Expo work out.
-------------------------------
HISTORICAL UPDATE
For some reason I just remembered the first video 'tour' of the phase II right-of-way before construction began. I believe that it aired locally on PBS in 2010. It shows how important the preservation of this transit corridor was.
For the 'after' views here are two 'so-so' cab ride videos, hopefully someone will get permission for a proper one.
The first one shows Culver City to Santa Monica at about 8x (!) normal speed. Dramamine may be required.
The second one shows the reverse direction. At about 3:52 the train crosses Barrington Ave. at grade, followed by the Pico/Sawtelle flyover and the I-405 undercrossing. Notice how close the catenary comes to the west edge of the freeway.
End of post.
I walked between 17th Street and Bergamot stations to check out the bike path and other sights. At 20th Street a train approached and the short pedestrian gate came down into the back of the longer road gate.
The Olympic Blvd flyover and others have a lower speed limit but the 55MPH maximum is achieved elsewhere.
The new Olympic Blvd bike/pedestrian crossing occupies the street median for a short distance.
To be continued ......
081552Anyone out riding today on the Expo line extension?
Phase 2 opening day - Friday May 20I transferred to the Expo Line from a bus at the Crenshaw station. Extra trains had been added to handle the 'free riders', so there were delays as trains westward ran close behind others. On the regular M-F schedule trains will run every 12 minutes during peak periods.Arriving at DTSM, all three platforms were in use and a long departure waiting line was in place.
Some objectives of the trip:
After a walk around the pier and DTSM, I departed on one of the original Blue Line P865 cars; note the old style controls. Most of the cars in the new yard appear to be the P2550 models rotated from the Gold Line.
To be continued .........
Anyone out riding today on the Expo line extension?
Metro has posted a 'preview' video of a cab ride through the new stations:
If you want to see the VIP ride video, you're on your own ....
The Expo Line Fan site on ipernity.com has just received a very complete posting of bike path and station photos; many locations have not been seen before.
The phase 2 bike path route extends along the (mostly south) ROW edge from 17th St in Santa Monica to Venice Blvd in Culver City. Due to the narrow I-10 tunnel and adjacent ROW, there is a gap between Overland Ave and Palms Blvd.
spsffanIn any event, Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines) has added new routes and changed some existing ones in anticipation. I'm willing to bet that the (relatively) new line that now connects downtown Santa Monica by freeway to the current end of the Expo line will cease running once the trains are online.
I couldn't find this line, but I did find the BBB page that describes upcoming changes: http://www.bigbluebus.com/About-BBB/Evolution-of-Blue/The-Evolution-of-Blue-has-begun--Ride-with-Us-.aspx
Looks like they will provide the high frequency connection from Expo to UCLA. Their changes have been well communicated, unlike any upcoming Metro bus changes. Apparently the transit empire boundary (except for Expo rail) is a line roughly from UCLA southeast to Culver City.
MikeF90 IMO this extension will be unique as it will support 'reverse' commutes to downtown Santa Monica, a very congested and high employment area. I hope that Metro and the other agencies will get their 'connecting bus' act together.
IMO this extension will be unique as it will support 'reverse' commutes to downtown Santa Monica, a very congested and high employment area. I hope that Metro and the other agencies will get their 'connecting bus' act together.
Actually, I'd say that there's more traffic on the reverse commute (West in the morning, East in the evening) than there is going into downtown LA from the Westside these days. In fact, way back in 1983, when I was in the hospital with a view of the I-10 from my window, I noticed traffic backed up easastbound in the afternoon and vice versa.
I think a lot of the traffic come from beyond downtown LA out to the Westside.
In any event, Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines) has added new routes and changed some existing ones in anticipation. I'm willing to bet that the (relatively) new line that now connects downtown Santa Monica by freeway to the current end of the Expo line will cease running once the trains are online.
Recently the Santa Monica maintenance yard has been accepted by Metro and opening day for phase 2 is now set for May 20:
https://www.metro.net/news/simple_pr/metro-expo-2-line-extension-opens-friday-may-20-20/
Up to 48 cars may be stored at this yard. Kinkisharyo is under contract for 78 new cars with options for more. New deliveries will be used first for the Gold and Expo line expansions and later for replacing older Blue line cars (disposition unknown).
Metro has just announced the turnover of the main line from the construction authority: http://www.santamonicanext.org/2016/01/extra-metro-takes-control-of-expo-line-to-begin-pre-revenue-service/ Official 'pre-revenue' service will begin which includes operator familiarization and running on a regular schedule. Once the new Operations yard construction is completed and accepted, an opening date should be announced.
Due to a recent study by Metro of pedestrian 'trespassers' on the Expo phase II ROW, the City of Santa Monica may be reversing its previous decision to not install fencing along Colorado Blvd: http://thesource.metro.net/2016/01/05/how-we-roll-jan-5-keeping-people-off-the-expo-line-tracks/ Previously the city viewed fencing as 'obtrusive', probable code for 'visually unaesthetic'. Hopefully fencing will be accompanied by more locals educating their 'bubble children' about the special hazards of moving trains.
The Expo Line extension has suffered its first train - vehicle collision in downtown Santa Monica. Apparently the truck driver made an illegal left hand turn and didn't see the test train with Big Headlight coming up behind him. Some expensive 'driver training' in action.
The locals that comment seem to be pretty clueless about LR street running.
http://www.smmirror.com/articles/News/A-Bad-Sign-Of-Things-To-Come-Expo-Line-Test-Train-Crashes-Into-Truck-At-Colorado7th-Street/44749
Elsewhere in the county (most) drivers have adjusted and collisions are uncommon.
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