LOS ANGELES | Public Transport

[Kenny]

Originally Posted by greg_christine

The concern should be capacity as well as safety. Los Angeles is building a network of light rail lines that will very quickly be at their design capacity. The Blue Line is already considered to be at capacity during rush hour. The Expo/Aqua Line is expected to be at capacity the day it reaches Santa Monica. This could also be the case with the Gold Line as it is extended eastward at both ends.

You're right.

I've shun my car many times and taken the METRO, and the Blue Line is almost at that point, hmm the Red Line too at rush hour.

I read that the Blue Line is only second nationwide to Boston's Light Rail in passenger numbers.

[zaphod]

Plus, Boston's LRT is more like a network of several lines, while the Blue is a single route. If anything it should take the title of being the busiest light rail.

[Slartibartfas]

Originally Posted by greg_christine

The concern should be capacity as well as safety. Los Angeles is building a network of light rail lines that will very quickly be at their design capacity. The Blue Line is already considered to be at capacity during rush hour. The Expo/Aqua Line is expected to be at capacity the day it reaches Santa Monica. This could also be the case with the Gold Line as it is extended eastward at both ends.

One should be glad about the success of a network. Having that said, your point is of course valid but I think the only logical response to such a thing is new additional lines. These could be if possible built as subways as well.

[dl3000]

True, LA is "starting small" as it were on the capacity side. I think they really want to get coverage in first and only do heavy rail service in the busiest areas like Wilshire. Then down the road the light rail lines can be upgraded to grade separated heavy rail service where feasible. That way the initial investment isn't such a shocker. Yes you end up paying more overall, but LA has to warm up to using rail gradually.

[Westsidelife]

^ Bingo. The current focus is solely on getting as many lines up and running as soon as possible. Only when capacity becomes an issue will grade-separation be considered. That being said, I'm concerned about the Expo Line reaching its capacity once it's extended all the way to Santa Monica by 2014-2015. The Purple Line won't reach Santa Monica for a long time.

[Kenny]

I agree with both of you.

Do you guys think that the Expo line will reach capacity that quick?

[dl3000]

Originally Posted by Kenni

I agree with both of you.

Do you guys think that the Expo line will reach capacity that quick?

When you tap into another college campus, I know that increases ridership significantly. Give them more places to go like the beach, and the numbers go up. Reaching capacity I don't know but I'm not so well informed.

[Westsidelife]

Originally Posted by Kenni

Do you guys think that the Expo line will reach capacity that quick?

Well, maybe not in its first year of operation, but definitely by 2020 when the Regional Connector and Crenshaw Corridor are up and running. But even then, the Purple Line to Santa Monica will still be a ways off.

[soup or man]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

Well, maybe not in its first year of operation, but definitely by 2020 when the Regional Connector and Crenshaw Corridor are up and running. But even then, the Purple Line to Santa Monica will still be a ways off.

I don't know..the Orange Line reached it's 2020 projected capacity estimate in like 2 months. Yeah it's a bus but that's still quite a lot of people.

[Kenny]

image hosted on flickr

LA Wad, Flickr

A Siemens train on the Gold Line departs the Del Mar Station to east Pasadena. The building around the station is the Archstone apartment transit-oriented development. This station also has the restored Santa Fe depot, now a mid-price restaurant.


image hosted on flickr

So Cal Metro, Flickr

The METRO Gold Line about to enter Union Station on an elevated rail, while Amtrak deprts.


image hosted on flickr


METRO Red Line (Subway)


LA is getting the point, and getting out of their cars!
image hosted on flickr

GarySe7en, Flickr

[dl3000]

i remember riding the red line because im a geek and just rode it to ride it since i was in town, train was packed. made me proud of LA.

[tampasteve]

I have always liked the simply "M" for the metro symbol. Great to see people riding. I really hope to get out again some time to ride the system.

Steve

[BoulderGrad]

Since the US is re-focusing on adding bike commuting to go with new transit, perhaps we could try something like bicycle cars? i.e. one side has seats removed and bike racks attached to the walls in their palces?

[Kenny]

Originally Posted by dl3000

i remember riding the red line because im a geek and just rode it to ride it since i was in town, train was packed. made me proud of LA.

That makes me a geek too. I drive, but sometimes on my days off I like to go to Downtown on the Metro (Green, Blue, then Red to either Hollywod or Union Station). I walk around, have lunch, maybe meet my friend who's a member of SSC also, then ride back home.

I want to see a Metor light rail hug tha coast tho, like the old Red Cars used to do. That would be incredible.

Some of my pics...

Hollywood and Vine Station. The actual platform is still another flight down.
image hosted on flickr


Red Line Station under Union Station.
image hosted on flickr


Westlake/MacArthur Park Station (Red Line)
image hosted on flickr

[Westsidelife]

Originally Posted by Kenni

Hollywood and Vine Station. The actual platform is still another flight down.
image hosted on flickr

This is Pershing Square.

[soup or man]

The Hollywood and Vine station has those 50 million film reels everywhere.

[Kenny]

Oops, you guys are right, I labeled it wrong in my Flickr account.

I have a pic of the REAL Hollywood and Vine Station,

Bad quality.
image hosted on flickr

[Billpa]

[QUOTE=Kenni;46498501]image hosted on flickr


That is superb.

[Slartibartfas]

It is indeed. I had a look on maps.live, because I am a geek too I am really impressed how nice middle density developments are being done all around most of the stations and if they integrate the rail that nicely as the one above it makes the neighborhood looking really human sized.

[dl3000]

Originally Posted by Kenni

That makes me a geek too. I drive, but sometimes on my days off I like to go to Downtown on the Metro (Green, Blue, then Red to either Hollywod or Union Station). I walk around, have lunch, maybe meet my friend who's a member of SSC also, then ride back home.

haha i think it is geekier to ride the metro for a distance, get off, cross the platform, and ride back just to see how the metro is. that is what I did lol.