This topic will cover construction updates for the new 'Crenshaw' light rail line a.k.a. Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project.
This first build phase started in January 2014 and should 'be completed in 2019'. The line extends from the Expo Line Crenshaw station at the north end to the Green Line Aviation station at the south. When the LAX airport 'people mover' is (eventually, allegedly) built, cross platform direct rail access to airport terminals will finally be available. In the meantime, the Century Blvd station should be served by the LAX Shuttle bus.
The line features segments in tunnels, trenches, and multiple flyovers over major roadways with even a little surface running. At LAX the line will run in a trench at the west east end of the runways with flyovers at both ends!
Due to the extensive below ground work photography is difficult, but I hope to provide some personal ones from the south end of the project.
For more information, see:
Metro project site: http://www.metro.net/projects/crenshaw_corridor/
Metro Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CrenshawRail/
My LACo Metro rail station Google map: http://goo.gl/XQGpY9
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crenshaw/LAX_Line
It is anticipated that the line will be extended north to Wilshire / La Brea station on the Purple Line subway extension, now under construction.
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! ***
The Google Satellite views show significant work along the ROW from the Green Line north along Airport and Florence to Crenshaw.Looks like this is a former freight ROW - do you know the history of that line, and can you relate it?
chutton01The Google Satellite views show significant work along the ROW from the Green Line north along Airport and Florence to Crenshaw.Looks like this is a former freight ROW - do you know the history of that line, and can you relate it?
Forgot to mention in the OP, yes, the line uses the former AT&SF / BNSF ROW from the Green Line north to Crenshaw Blvd. Freight railroad usage was limited to either end after the Alameda Corridor came online in 2002. The 'middle' portion of the ROW was purchased by SCRRA later.
NOTE - added Wikipedia link to the OP.
chutton01 The Google Satellite views show significant work along the ROW from the Green Line north along Airport and Florence to Crenshaw.Looks like this is a former freight ROW - do you know the history of that line, and can you relate it?
The ROW west of Crenshaw is part of the BNSF (formerly ATSF) Harbor Sub, which was once the railroad's access point to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The line ceased to carry through intermodal traffic after the Alameda Corridor opened in 2002, but is still active south of Imperial Highway for local freight customers and for storage of empty intermodal equipment.
The line east of Crenshaw is also still intact and is also used for limited frieght customers, though the line is planned to be converted into a bikepath/greenway. Some transportation advocates though would want to see this line turned into an express line linking the LAX airport and Union Station.
The Crenshaw-LAX Line Back on …
… November 15, 2013
For those interested in time warp-like visuals, a visit to near LAX was made back on November 15, 2013, almost two years ago. This was the situation of the ex-Santa Fe line back then, with photos taken from Arbor Vitae Street, near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Looking north:
Southward:
Above, it looked like the single-track bridge over Century Blvd. was put on an alignment for two-tracks, as the single-track jogs to go up and over the bridge.
The crossing gates were inactive.
A jumbo jet flies over the ex-Santa Fe line, landing on one of two southern runways.
Airplanes were flying over the camera position too, landing on one of LAX’s two northern runways.
But, everything is different now! Aerials show that whole bridge with the track going up and over it is now gone!
LINK:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9454868,-118.3784201,398m/data=!3m1!1e3
That is a radical change from just a couple of years ago. Hopefully, in the next couple of months a visit to the area can be made, and photos can be taken and shared with the forum.
Thanks, MikeF90, for starting this thread!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Man... talk about memories. I remember this line as a kid back in the 80's. I recall seeing a local often on the Harbor Line. I don't know if it was the timing, but when we were in the area. I always saw it running alongside Slauson Ave. Typically late morning/afternoon.
K. P. HarrierBut, everything is different now! Aerials show that whole bridge with the track going up and over it is now gone! LINK: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9454868,-118.3784201,398m/data=!3m1!1e3 That is a radical change from just a couple of years ago. Hopefully, in the next couple of months a visit to the area can be made, and photos can be taken and shared with the forum.
An Onsite Visit!
K.P. was by LAX Saturday, October 24, 2015, and saw the bridging under construction over Century Blvd. in the Los Angeles International Airport area. Sometime soon it is hoped to post photos of the findings.
South of Century Blvd. it looks like the future north-south line, after going southwardly over the Century Blvd. bridging, will nosedive and go UNDERGROUND. At least it looks that way. Maybe it was just the walling foundation that was seen, but is hard to believe the tracks would be raised in a flight path area!
Logistics precluded this forum contributor from photographing that kind of underground trenching in a timely manner, but it looked LIKE the above-ground Colton Flyover (Colton, CA) construction of about three years ago (below), with large, thin-like walling pieces, but BELOW ground level instead!.
An interesting tidbit is that the new bridging over Century Blvd. also has an odd quirk to it, a kind of trend that is being used of late. That odd quirk will be pointed out in the future posting.
Best,
K.P.
PS: To MikeF90:
MikeF90 ... At LAX the line will run in a trench at the west end of the runways with flyovers at both ends! ...
... At LAX the line will run in a trench at the west end of the runways with flyovers at both ends! ...
Don’t you mean the EAST end of the runways?
Photos of that Onsite Visit!
Part I (of I-II)
On Saturday, October 24, 2015 the following photos were taken from Aviation Blvd., just north of Century Blvd.
The construction bridging over Century Blvd.:
Above, while it is hard to see, this bridging is NOT like the previous BNSF up and over bridging, where the bridge was only over Century Blvd., but rather the bridging extends both to the south and north.
The north sloping:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-II)
To the north, at Arbor Vitae Street, a view looking south: That up and over bridging (in Part I) is seen in the distance, on the right-of-way of the old Santa Fe Harbor Subdivision.
Looking west on Arbor Vitae Street, where the north side old crossing gates once was (lower left).
A northward view:
To visually see the old Santa Fe line transformed into a light rail line will make for some fascinating posts in the future.
It is unknown when the area can be revisited, but it should be within three months, hopefully sooner.
chutton01Was the bridge over Century in poor condition? From the old Google aerial and the images you provided, it looked in decent shape. Why waste money on a new bridge?
The old bridge was in good shape but was wide enough for only one track. Also, the approaches may not have worked for the planned station on the north side of Century Blvd.
K.P. HarrierPS: To MikeF90:MikeF90: ... At LAX the line will run in a trench at the west end of the runways with flyovers at both ends! ...Don’t you mean the EAST end of the runways?
Busted!
The Crenshaw-LAX Line
In the Aviation Blvd. Area
Los Angeles, CA
Part “A” (of A-D)
The light rail walling is now being put in south of Century Blvd., the cross street.
On each side of Century Blvd., but especially the north side, bridging is present so as to see through to the other side.
In Santa Fe Railway days, the bridging was only over Century Blvd. and NOT see-through for several hundred feet as it is now.
Continued In Part B
Part “B” (of A-D)
South of Century Blvd. that new walling lowers dramatically (see right).
Above, note the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on final approach to the north side runways on the upper right.
Ramped equipment:
A closer northward look:
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-D)
A northward head-on look:
Likely, the downward ramp will continue to a trench-like arrangement, go under the camera position, and a below ground unaffected by landing aircraft..
There is plenty of north-south room for the light rail line to go under the roadway. Another jet!
Looking southward, the east end of the south side runways are very close to Aviation Blvd. There is another plane!
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-D)
The west area of the trench:
The east side:
Dirt remains in the trench here, like with the San Gabriel Trench presently under construction in San Gabriel, CA.
The San Gabriel Trench will eventually be dug out and track laid below ground level, so likewise the Crenshaw-LAX line will be below ground level, and never have to worry about a plane missing the airport runway for whatever reason and striking a light rail vehicle.
This will conclude the update series.
Some interesting connection work is proceeding at the south end of the Crenshaw-LAX light rail line: http://thesource.metro.net/2015/12/28/update-on-work-to-connect-crenshawlax-line-and-the-green-line/
When the Green LR line was built, provision was made for a future LR connection to LAX. For unknown technical reasons some counterweights were needed and these were just removed. This junction appears to be a wye configuration so that some westbound Green line trains can proceed north to an LAX adjacent station, as well as some Crenshaw line trains can 'deadhead' to the Green Line yard at the Redondo Beach end.
I finally got around to visiting the Crenshaw line construction sites. A few photos will fill in some coverage gaps.
Starting northeast of the airport, a view of the bridge piers for the Manchester Blvd crossing are seen. Note the remaining rails from the former BNSF Harbor line.
South of Arbor Vitae Blvd is the future maintenance yard which is currently staging equipment and concrete ties:
Taken from two blocks north looking south, the Century Blvd flyover appears to be almost complete. Eventually an airport 'people mover' and more rental car space will be located here:
continued ....
Looking southward, the other end of the Century Blvd flyover is seen. Buried steel I-beams for a probable trench suggest that the line will be below ground at 104th Street.
Further south at 111th Street, the line will emerge from a trench and 'fly over':
The I-105 freeway was built about 25 years ago; provision was made for the future LAX light rail line to cross above Imperial Hwy:
Just to the south the line will connect to the Green Line at a wye; here is the western leg running to Redondo Beach:
Here is the eastern leg adjacent to the Green Line Aviation station. Note the 'ledge' for the future connector slab and possibly where a counterweight was.
Just to the east, the existing structure has a temporary support:
Perhaps some CE could explain why the above support was built that way. In earthquake country I would have expected stabilizing rods on both sides of the piers.
Metro has just posted a February status report:
http://thesource.metro.net/2016/03/01/photos-crenshawlax-line-construction-february-update/
Also posted was a video of the TBM 'Harriet' being lowered into the ground next to the Crenshaw/Expo station:
Extension of the LAX/Crenshaw line north is being supported by West Hollywood area residents:
http://www.whamrail.com/
Unline their NIMBY Beverly Hills neighbors who continue to obstruct Purple Line extension, these people see the value of extending light rail north to connect with the Purple Line and the Red Line through a very high density area of the county.
The TBM 'Harriet' has started tunneling from near the Crenshaw Expo station:
http://thesource.metro.net/2016/04/29/crenshawlaxs-tunnel-boring-machine-harriet-begins-tunneling/
After the first tunnel is complete to Leimert Park, parts of the TBM will be removed and the rest towed back to the north end where it will be reassembled to build the second tunnel.
As of Saturday, June 25, 2016
Status of the LAX-Crenshaw Construction
Reference is first made to the “Sunset Route Two-Tracking Updates” thread, about the San Gabriel Trench, Page 239, and this photo therein:
Pipes are used to span the trench’s width, but the distance of length of how many is only a short one.
With the Crenshaw-LAX effort, look what the trench construction looks like as seen through a chain link fence, looking southward!
That piping also was put in to the north, reaching the south slope of the going over Century Blvd.
The status of that going over Century Blvd., northward view:
Looking south again, the side walls are currently “I” beams and railroad type wood (lower left).
When first showing up on scene, those bridging pipes make a strong impression on one, especially how many they are ….
This will conclude the series.
Metro has just posted a video of some TBM related work:
The TBM, named 'Harriet', has just punched into the future MLK Blvd station:
The precision navigation needed to pass through this prebuilt portal is impressive!
The TBM 'Harriet' has just punched through into the Leimert Park station box. See the Metro blog for pictures (warning, high res versions currently linked). The TBM will now be disassembled and brought back to Expo / Crenshaw to begin the second, parallel tunnel.
Here's another photo update from the project south end where the Crenshaw-LAX line will connect with the existing Green line in a wye.
Looking northwest, a view of both legs of the new wye.
Another view of the wye, taken from Hornet Way.
These elevated 'connectors' have two levels of cribbing. The bottom level may support concrete / steel structure that ties into the support pier seen at the right. The ultimate result will be a 'tray' that supports two tracks. I don't recall any more detailed views taken by Metro, perhaps I can badger them into this.
This is the north end of the Imperial Hwy rail bridge. Being constructed to the north is a ramp, probably of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) construction similar to the recently completed Colton flyover. The prefab concrete panels are made offsite. Conveniently, any fill dirt can come from the LAX trench excavation; two large piles are staged nearby.
To be continued ....
The wall is complete about two thirds of the way to 111th Street.
A view of the wall where panels are being added.
The 111th Street rail bridge is complete. More walls will extend north to the trench alongside the LAX south runways.
End of update.
MikeF90The wall is complete about two thirds of the way to 111th Street.
Why does the lower edge of the wall look so ragged?
Electroliner 1935Why does the lower edge of the wall look so ragged?
You mean those green plants?
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