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!
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! ***
Update as of Friday, November 27, 2015
The Expo Line
The End of the Line Area
Santa Monica, CA
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.’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 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
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.
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.
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
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.
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
Some views from the cab of a test train have recently been posted, starting at this one: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/38133668
Press left arrow / key for the rest of this sequence. Note that track 3 is the south track and track 4 is the north (why I have no idea).
UPDATE: split up photo postings to reduce loading issues.
A closeup a of switch motor, will be harder to get when operational:
A few sections of the bike path have finally been paved ....
More progress photos have been posted on the Expo Line Fan site. An 'after' shot to my post above looks west under the I-405 freeway, showing the OCS messenger wire is in place with inches to spare:
Looking east from Sawtelle Blvd at the tight fit under I-405:
Here's a drone-filmed aerial tour of the Metro Expo Line Phase II extension from Culver City to Santa Monica:
Judging by the extensive postings on the Expo Line Fan site, the contractor team accomplished a lot in their first day of testing. A Peterbilt hi-rail truck pulled the test consist with the well known foam 'wedgies' to check clearance:
Most of the clearance testing was done under OCS power! Here the train has passed under I-10 heading west:
They used the crossover east of Military to head back in the other direction:
Testing west of Military will wait for another day:
Now I'm stimulated to go out and see this in person ....
The Expo Line project office announced that phase 2 'train testing' will begin on Monday, April 6.
http://www.buildexpo.org/wp-content/uploads/033015-Expo-Phase-2-Notice-Expo-Phase-2-TRAIN-TESTING.pdf
Contractor testing of train clearance, OCS, signals and grade crossing protection should take 'several months' prior to turn over to Metro for pre-revenue acceptance and training.
Unusual marker seen at one station, perhaps part of the 'art':
The concrete around the rails is often poured without rebar, making it easier to break up if repair or replacement is required. The "Concrete Breaker" was a common piece of work equipment for street railways in days gone by.
MikeF90 (3-5):
Wow! You are right! The rail IS in the concrete.
The designers of such rail in concrete must be expecting the end of the world to come before the rail needs to be replaced.
Best,
K.P.
Girder rail embedded in concrete has been standard construction for in-street track since the cable railway era. In the streetcar era the concrete pour often extended only half way up the rail, with bricks or stone pavers making up the top layer. Girder rail stands higher than ordinary rail, and usually has the flangeway rolled as part of the rail. In the photos here, it looks like ordinary T-rail is used with the flangeway cast into the concrete.
K. P. HarrierIn reviewing the photo at the link in the post just above, it looks like that ‘in the concrete’ track is not in the concrete at all, but merely panels on the track that can be replaced as needed.
The only panels I've seen are at grade crossings. OTOH the street running and platforms are a 'continuous pour'. Here are links to a few examples:
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213672
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213650
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213518
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213504
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213616
I've seen few expansion joints in the concrete, so everything must be anchored down real securely ala CWR. At 6th Street they have a crossover cast flush:
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213476
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/expo-line/37213474
The LR concrete pad appears to be higher than the remaining 'rubber tire' lanes.
MikeF90 (2-25):
In reviewing the photo at the link in the post just above, it looks like that ‘in the concrete’ track is not in the concrete at all, but merely panels on the track that can be replaced as needed.
Looking at some of the latest construction photos, I'm still wondering about future track maintenance. It appears that from 17th Street west to line end the rails are totally 'cast in concrete':
When / if the rails get worn enough to need replacing, isn't jackhammering all of that concrete out going to be very time consuming and disruptive (and of course expensive)? To the LR construction experts - if I'm overlooking something, please advise.
The 25 year old Blue Line has been receiving some upgrades recently including replacement of 'corroded rail' from Willow St to downtown Long Beach. I don't remember if they used a similar rail anchoring technique.
This article about Expo line 'precursors' has a good collection of historical photos:
http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/rail-to-the-westside-the-expo-lines-historical-precursors.html
It is hard to believe that the Westside once looked like this!
Meanwhile the Expo Line Fan site gets almost daily construction photo updates:
More photo updates of Expo Line construction from the 'Source' Metro blog:
http://thesource.metro.net/2014/11/03/new-construction-photos-of-expo-line-phase-2/
Metro Red LineBut the NIMBY alternate routing would have only applied in the area between the current Culver City station and the 405 Freeway. Everything west of the 405 followed the original plan,
BTW ground was just broken for the downtown 'Regional Connector' that will convert the existing Blue, Gold and Expo LR lines into two lines (one east - west, one south - northish).
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-regional-connector-20140930-story.html
http://thesource.metro.net/2014/09/30/ground-is-broken-for-regional-connector-project-to-link-blue-expo-and-gold-lines/
This will eliminate the need to use the Red Line as an intermediate connection. Sticking with 'the grid' should also improve bus connection options.
Thinking out loud, somewhere down the road many stations will have to 'change color'.
UPDATE: Here is a link to an early Edison video of the Santa Monica end of the line. It appears that the former LA&IR route is now the end of Interstate 10 turning into Pacific Coast Highway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA18L5Tu99g
The Insert Video dialog for the new forum style has yet to be completely decoded.
UPDATE 2 - the Insert Video button now seems to work, but click both tabs first to fill in the dimension fields.
MikeF90 Metro Red LineThat was the case several years ago, but long story short, the NIMBYs lost the battle! The NIMBY alternate route through Venice would have ended up costing more, with a lower ridership and a slower travel time.IMO the route tradeoff is still debatable. Venice and Lincoln Blvd have huge apartment density offset by lack of employment hubs. Bundy and 26th St stations have good nearby employment hubs but it remains to be seen if more of the 'professional' demographic will / can take public transit to there. I agree that for the short term the better route was chosen.
Metro Red LineThat was the case several years ago, but long story short, the NIMBYs lost the battle! The NIMBY alternate route through Venice would have ended up costing more, with a lower ridership and a slower travel time.
But the NIMBY alternate routing would have only applied in the area between the current Culver City station and the 405 Freeway. Everything west of the 405 followed the original plan,
I predict that the downtown SM station could be the #1 Metro Rail destination. Weekday pedestrian traffic is phenomenal there even today. OTOH Expo could show a major Metro weakness - north south bus service west of La Brea. Now more back to topic.
East of Military Ave trackwork looks almost complete and they are making great progress with the catenary - need to energize it and keep those s******* copper thieves away.
Metro Red Line vsmith I thought the extension was going to bypass the PE ROW through Cheviot Hills because they were making a major NIMBY stink up? Glad it is going through there, makes reuse of the old PE route. That was the case several years ago, but long story short, the NIMBYs lost the battle! The NIMBY alternate route through Venice would have ended up costing more, with a lower ridership and a slower travel time.
vsmith I thought the extension was going to bypass the PE ROW through Cheviot Hills because they were making a major NIMBY stink up? Glad it is going through there, makes reuse of the old PE route.
I thought the extension was going to bypass the PE ROW through Cheviot Hills because they were making a major NIMBY stink up? Glad it is going through there, makes reuse of the old PE route.
That was the case several years ago, but long story short, the NIMBYs lost the battle! The NIMBY alternate route through Venice would have ended up costing more, with a lower ridership and a slower travel time.
Wow logic actually prevailed, that is something to cheer about.
Watch in a couple years they will be be-hitching about how inadequate their service is and that they need a bigger station
Have fun with your trains
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