Photos from today's testing show the test car passing under the I-405 freeway - the pantograph is way, Way down!
More photos at http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/38585520
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! ***
JL ChicagoCan't wait for this to open. I love to visit Santa Monica but it's awfully pricey to stay there.
It's hard to find an 'in between' priced room, the only places I find near LR are dives or very high priced hotels. Check out the Hilton Garden Inn at the west end of the Green Line. Now back to topic ....
The Expo construction authority is finally starting testing to downtown Santa Monica: http://www.buildexpo.org/wp-content/uploads/070915-Expo-Phase-2-Notice-TRAIN-TESTING-Santa-Monica.pdf Good to expand driver awareness of other vehicles that will always be victorious in a collision.
Yesterday the first 'clearance' test train reached the downtown Santa Monica station platform; it was pushed by the usual hirail truck. Metro reports that this was the first passenger train this far west since 1953.
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7joth0Wp0mg
Like those clearance gismoes. What Atlanta and a few other lines needs to do is install same on a regular train and anything hit by them ( cars & trucks mainly ) be a very expensive ticket. Word would soon get out and maybe not so many sideswipes.
The construction authority has not yet proclaimed 'official completion', nor has Metro announced a planned start of service date in 2016.
Meanwhile, the ExpoLineFan site shows more of the usual finish work like planting landscaping. Hopefully the new bike / walking paths along the ROW will be open to the public soon - they are really needed in this densely populated part of the county.
Update as of Friday, November 27, 2015
The Expo Line
The End of the Line Area
Santa Monica, CA
Part I (of I-III)
On the above date at twilight the Expo’s end of the line area was visited in Santa Monica (CA). Construction workers were onsite.
Approaching and just before the end of the line the two-tracks become three:
Reminiscent of the beginning of Disneyland’s Space Mountain ride and the rotating red light, the Expo line has red lights too. It is just that they are not gyrating.
Above, don’t look at the mesmerizing red light for too long or its ‘power’ might take over your mind! (Hehehe.)
Continued in Part II
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 II (of I-III)
K.P. found the universal crossover arrangement (two opposite crossovers) NOT the light rail traditional ‘X’ type, but of the back to back freight railroads type.
One city block to the east the universal crossover has a city cross-street going through it, with the counterpart crossover in the next city block (right, in the distance).
Back over by the station stop, an eastward view.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-III)
The crosswalks are obvious.
The end of the line is NOT exactly on a straight alignment, but the line angles noticeably as it goes into the stop.
Back a block to the east, looking southward, Santa Monica’s transit bus yard is present.
In theory, some bus drivers when the Expo line is running could get off their bus and ride the Expo Line home.
K.P. is not exactly familiar with the history of the area’s specifics. For those that may be familiar … Is the light rail street running here a carryover from the trolley days of the old Pacific Electric of a century ago? A mile or two to the south also is the basically east-west Venice Blvd., and that road has a strip of lawn between traffic direction sides, an obvious carryover from the long gone PE days. Back then there were two lines with a common origin that reached the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Is the line shown herein that other line?
This will end the series.
K. P. HarrierK.P. is not exactly familiar with the history of the area’s specifics. For those that may be familiar … Is the light rail street running here a carryover from the trolley days of the old Pacific Electric of a century ago? A mile or two to the south also is the basically east-west Venice Blvd., and that road has a strip of lawn between traffic direction sides, an obvious carryover from the long gone PE days. Back then there were two lines with a common origin that reached the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Is the line shown herein that other line?
As mentioned at the beginning of this topic, the Expo Line mostly follows the ROW of the original SP/PE 'Air Line'. The street running on Colorado is necessary as the original ROW west of 16th Street has long been sold for newer development.
The median of Venice Blvd was indeed the ROW of the Venice Short Line, converted to bus service in 1950. On Google Maps you can follow the original ROW from Venice Bl northwest along Electric (!) Ave, Main St and Neilson Way to DTSM. This ROW section was still in evidence thirty years ago but no more.
The VSL connected with the Westgate line (Ocean Ave & San Vicente to Brentwood) and the line along Santa Monica Blvd to Beverly Hills. Quite a few alternatives between DTLA and the ocean back then!
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ....
Anyone out riding today on the Expo line extension?
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 .........
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 ......
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.
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.
-----------------
A Look at the Expo Line …
… Out of Santa Monica
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
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 “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 “D” (of A-E)
A few last looks at the 17th and Colorado area:
Continued in Part E
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.
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.
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