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Post by Gokhan on Apr 2, 2010 19:01:53 GMT -8
I saw the bridge on the way home tonight. Looks to me like all of the falsework above the street was removed. There are still a number of steel and wood structures along either side of the street and on the approaches to the station. As seen in Darrell's picture, there is still a support in the median of the street.
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Post by darrell on Apr 3, 2010 19:46:07 GMT -8
Here's another good photo from Thursday night, a last view of the falsework with the full-height Jefferson Blvd. MSE wall.
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Post by Justin Walker on Apr 3, 2010 21:16:07 GMT -8
This weekend is yet another milestone for the Expo Line. As you know, the Blue Line is again completely closed north of the Washington station. This time, however, Expo has finally begun installation of the Expo Line-Blue Line junction. Here's some pics from earlier today: Here, the crossing diamond is being lifted into place: View of the crossing diamond being maneuvered into position: One more: You can see a little glimpse of one of the turnouts in my third picture. Both were already installed when I took these pictures. Also, according to the crews there, four more weekends of Blue Line closures are planned.
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Post by darrell on Apr 3, 2010 21:58:18 GMT -8
Wow, thanks, Justin! Gotta go see that.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 8:23:29 GMT -8
Glad to hear that the junction with the blue line is being installed. I think that the last couple of months have been painful for blue line riders but Metro has done pretty well with all of the interruptions. I'm sure that everyone will appreciate the new service in 12-18 months. I still wonder why they couldn't use twice as many workers and do it in half the time, but it could be that the contractor doesn't have enough to do that.
Also, anyone taking pictures through a window should hold their camera close to the window or even right up against it to reduce the glare and the smudges from dirt.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 4, 2010 8:53:27 GMT -8
Thanks Justin! We have been waiting for this crossing for a long time. That means, now, we have continuous track from 7th and Flower Streets to Buckingham Road and Exposition Boulevard. Here is the current list of the rail crossings already installed, shown in Green: Washington 21st 22nd 23rd Adams 28th 30th Jefferson Trousdale Watt Menlo Vermont Raymond Normandie Halldale Denker Western Gramercy Arlington 7th 11th Crenshaw Buckingham Farmdale HauserSo, 22 have been installed and three are left among Expo Phase 1's 25 grade crossings (not counting the existing Blue Line shared track). Buckingham and beyond will be installed after the grand approval of Farmdale Avenue Station FEIR on April 22 at the CPUC commission meeting to be held at 10 AM in the Ronald Reagan State Building in Downtown Los Angeles or the CPUC approval of this crossing a few months later.
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Post by LAofAnaheim on Apr 4, 2010 11:48:05 GMT -8
With the Expo Line about a year and a half away from full operation on Phase I (up to Culver City), it gets me thinking about the future use of the Pico-Rimpau transit center. Do you think Pico-Rimpau should exist once the Expo Line opens? I think this transit center should be moved to Venice/Robertson in Culver City. Metro should continue buses 30, 31, and Rapid 730 to Venice/Robertson to replace the bus service east of Rimpau, west of Robertson; which is primarily the Big Blue Bus. This could be the new prime "transit center" for the westside. The space is there. Or else, we get spanking brand new parking garages. Let's use the space for connecting bus service, kiss-n-rides, bike parking, etc..
What do y'all think about the future of Pico-Rimpau?
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 13:37:03 GMT -8
Actually the Washington crossing is far from complete. It's barely started. The work this weekend added a junction to the blue line, but the tracks not only don't cross Washington but I think that they stop right at Washington.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 13:42:57 GMT -8
Did anyone listen to the board meeting yesterday? (This is not a rhetorical question. Usually the staff members present crucial information to the board members at these meetings. It would be nice to know what they said about the Phase 2 lawsuit, Phase 1 and 2 design and construction, and Farmdale.) I didn't and wouldn't even know how, but I did notice that the agenda for the 2011 budget mentioned that trains would likely begin testing in mid-2011 (dec-10, jan-11, etc) so that chart that you showed a while back was correct.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 13:51:06 GMT -8
I'm sure that everyone will appreciate the new service in 12-18 months. I still wonder why they couldn't use twice as many workers and do it in half the time, but it could be that the contractor doesn't have enough to do that. I thought about this while watching the construction today. They had about 35-40 people working at this junction at noon. I think that the answer may be that after a certain point adding more people becomes inefficient. IOW they could have had 70-80 people today, but would not have been able to get the work done twice as fast. Maybe this was obvious to everyone else.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 14:01:21 GMT -8
What do y'all think about the future of Pico-Rimpau? I don't know much about it. It's far from me and I've only used it once and I was underwhelmed at its location and functionality as it is. I agree that the interim end of Expo needs better transit options, both temporary and permanent, but I'm not sure about a permanent bus center. Admittedly I'm not a fan of bus centers to start with. I think that having buses all go to the same place is what you do when you don't have decent enough bus service to make more natural routes and transfers. Transit Malls are good when you have lots of people going to the same destination like Del Amo, downtown LA, or even downtown Long Beach.
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Post by Justin Walker on Apr 4, 2010 14:19:36 GMT -8
Actually the Washington crossing is far from complete. It's barely started. The work this weekend added a junction to the blue line, but the tracks not only don't cross Washington but I think that they stop right at Washington. According to crews I spoke with at the junction earlier today, the plan was to install the junction AND the Expo Line tracks across Washington Blvd. this weekend. They would have been able to do both had they not unexpectedly hit a water main yesterday. Another pic of mine (2:30pm today)
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 15:28:42 GMT -8
Being able to post pics before you take them must save you lots of time! Too bad that they couldn't get everything done this weekend. To me they looked like they were winding down when I was there earlier this afternoon. They were adding ballast back to the blue line tracks. I guess hitting the water main cut short the tie necessary since they only did a portion of the work. The good thing is that the delay shouldn't add on to the expected blue line service interruptions. I would guess this means that ATS won't be an issue. I'm would think that ATS would be included with the new tracks and I'm would also think that some of the previous weekends work involved adding ATS between Flower and Grand (or San Pedro).
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Post by darrell on Apr 4, 2010 15:34:37 GMT -8
And here are some of my photos from around 11:30 today (guess we all visited at different times). The first three are in reverse order than I took them. Lot of work to install two switches and a crossing. Overall view, after the (ballast spreader?) moved through the switch to the right. The clamshell on the left was dropping ballast on the trackwork. Workers on the southbound switch (left), and others carrying big electrical jumpers. It looked like they were installing OCS wire for the new crossovers on Flower north of Venice, taking advantage of the Blue Line closure. Here's a nice view north by Trade Tech of the downtown skyline and nearly-completed embedded track. Looking south from the same driveway you get a good view of the complexity of switch construction in embedded track. Note the light blue electrical jumpers.
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Post by darrell on Apr 4, 2010 15:42:52 GMT -8
Farther west we also see... West of La Brea (bridge on the left) sub-ballast and OCS pole footings are in, getting close to laying track by Clint Simmons' house (in the area right of the wall). A nice shot of the Culver City columns lit against a dark sky. And the completed CIDH pilings for the abutment.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2010 16:04:52 GMT -8
Thanks for the super clear photos Darrell. It's actually clearer than being there! Also, another item from the 2011 budget was that not much at all will happen on Expo Phase II between now and June 2011. IIRC no construction money will be allocated and only a minor amount for utility relocation. It's basically all for design work and securing errors and omissions bonds. proposed budget
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Post by Justin Walker on Apr 4, 2010 17:36:01 GMT -8
Yes, absolutely fantastic pictures, Darrell! Thank you. (They make me want to buy an actual camera.)
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 4, 2010 19:52:28 GMT -8
Thanks for these great pictures. I really like seeing the trackwork. Poor rail antagonists like Fix Expo, United Communities Association, and NFSR. They must be feeling so bad about tracks being laid all across. I was looking at the historic aerials. It turned out that Santa Monica Blvd used to be an industrial railroad right-of-way corridor like the Expo corridor. On this day there are still remnants of spur rail tracks in the sidewalk leading to the lumber yard just east of Las Palmas! Now, Santa Monica Blvd is the most happening street in Los Angeles. These historic rail corridors are a great potential for redevelopment. And the Santa Monica Air Line (Expo) corridor might turn out to be an as much happening place in 50 years. See the historic aerials here: historicaerials.com/Regarding the Rimpau terminal, it's by the junction between the old San Vicente and Venice lines, like the Expo terminus is at the Culver Junction (old Venice and Air Lines). It might be useful when the Crenshaw Line is extended on Venice and San Vicente to La Brea. I don't know how much necessity there is for a bus terminal at the Culver Junction. Still waiting for Balfour Beatty to start working on the Culver City superstructure. There is a phone number to listen to the board meetings. It's listed under the board-meetings tab at buildexpo.org. It's good to listen to them, as they give crucial information about the progress. I missed the last one.
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Post by jamesinclair on Apr 4, 2010 22:01:13 GMT -8
Also, anyone taking pictures through a window should hold their camera close to the window or even right up against it to reduce the glare and the smudges from dirt. Doesnt work when the window is double-paned. Also impossible to do in a moving car. The dirty window was the result of a 4 hour highway drive. I promise you the windshield is usually much cleaner.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 4, 2010 22:15:12 GMT -8
Also, anyone taking pictures through a window should hold their camera close to the window or even right up against it to reduce the glare and the smudges from dirt. Doesnt work when the window is double-paned. Also impossible to do in a moving car. The dirty window was the result of a 4 hour highway drive. I promise you the windshield is usually much cleaner. Some cameras have also harder time focusing through glass. With smaller apertures (more basic cameras), you get more focus depth, meaning everything on the way is focused, including the glass. The best way to take a picture from inside a car is to hold the camera outside through the open window in front of the glass and shoot from there; although, that might be difficult to do depending on driving conditions. But make sure to do so when you spot Godzilla or such, as you don't want to miss a lifetime opportunity thanks to windshield reflections and blur.
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Post by darrell on Apr 4, 2010 22:22:52 GMT -8
Yes, absolutely fantastic pictures, Darrell! Thank you. (They make me want to buy an actual camera.) Thanks, guys! Although the main thing my new camera does much better for posting here is photos at night. Its images are also sharper, but even today's typical 8-12 MP pocket camera has enough resolution to look sharp when reduced to 800 pixels wide. The other thing I usually do is rotate, crop, adjust brightness, and sharpen in Photoshop Elements. You're not seeing right out of the camera.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 4, 2010 22:29:45 GMT -8
The other thing I usually do is rotate, crop, adjust brightness, and sharpen in Photoshop Elements. You're not seeing right out of the camera. Hmm, I've never been a fan of sharpening. It gives an artificial feeling. I would also adjust brightness only if necessary, as I like to keep things original. But your SLR is certainly taking great pictures. Although, I sometimes miss film. Somehow some film brands and types used to produce very interesting colors -- kinda like old Technicolor movies.
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 4, 2010 23:21:11 GMT -8
Thanks for the photos of the junction installation. I was in the area about three weeks ago after a "first-day" ride on Angels Flight and it seemed like cutting in the "specialwork" would be quite a ways in the future. Time to put on my "sidewalk superintendant" hat and take another look.
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Post by wad on Apr 5, 2010 4:03:53 GMT -8
I don't know how much necessity there is for a bus terminal at the Culver Junction. Really, Gokhan, really? Culver Junction is in an area where Venice, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Robertson, Culver and National come together. This would be the logical meeting point for about 10 bus lines run by three separate carriers. What, you want bus riders to continue to wait underneath the freeway? If yes, why?
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Post by wad on Apr 5, 2010 4:05:40 GMT -8
What do y'all think about the future of Pico-Rimpau? Down with the Crackton Turnaround!
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Post by darrell on Apr 5, 2010 9:54:05 GMT -8
Hmm, I've never been a fan of sharpening. It gives an artificial feeling. I would also adjust brightness only if necessary, as I like to keep things original. But your SLR is certainly taking great pictures. Although, I sometimes miss film. Somehow some film brands and types used to produce very interesting colors -- kinda like old Technicolor movies. I agree about not over-sharpening. I find a small amount of Unsharp Mask helps web images, via Enhance | Adjust Sharpness... | Amount: 10% Radius 1.0 pixels . On brightness, I first try Enhance | Auto Levels. If I don't like the results, Enhance | Auto Contrast or manual Levels adjustment via Enhance | Adjust Lighting | Levels... . Finally I may lighten shadows or darken highlights via Enhance | Adjust Lighting | Shadows/Highlights... . (Note these are all menu options of Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0.) I also posted two sample South Pasadena Gold Line images as a demonstration of my 15-85mm lens here.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 5, 2010 9:56:41 GMT -8
Really, Gokhan, really? ?? Neither Adams nor Jefferson go through the Culver Junction. I was asking a question, not giving an answer. I'm not sure what the exact need for the West LA Transit Center and Rimpau Terminal is either. I've always thought that they were both in the middle of nowhere and were an inconvenient transfer for bus riders. I have the feeling that a bus terminal at the Culver Junction would have the same problem. Expo doesn't seem to have studied a bus terminal there. I don't know why. I also don't know what is wrong with changing the routes so that the bus lines will have stops at the Culver Junction instead of building a bus garage there.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 5, 2010 10:17:56 GMT -8
I also posted two sample South Pasadena Gold Line images as a demonstration of my 15-85mm lens here. Poor marathoners, look so exhausted... LOL Gold Line is looking good. Expo Line will look better because the right-of-way is significantly wider at most places. They should have a better paint job for these Breda trains -- gray is so very dull. How about aqua, turqoise, rose, or even red?
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 5, 2010 11:34:22 GMT -8
Also impossible to do in a moving car. The dirty window was the result of a 4 hour highway drive. I promise you the windshield is usually much cleaner. Well for people that can take pictures from a moving car by holding the camera closer to the window or want to take them from moving trains with dirty windows/glare, the advice stands.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 5, 2010 11:38:29 GMT -8
Doesnt work when the window is double-paned. Also impossible to do in a moving car. The dirty window was the result of a 4 hour highway drive. I promise you the windshield is usually much cleaner. Some cameras have also harder time focusing through glass. With smaller apertures (more basic cameras), you get more focus depth, meaning everything on the way is focused, including the glass. The best way to take a picture from inside a car is to hold the camera outside through the open window in front of the glass and shoot from there; although, that might be difficult to do depending on driving conditions. But make sure to do so when you spot Godzilla or such, as you don't want to miss a lifetime opportunity thanks to windshield reflections and blur. Well I guess we can all do what works best for us. When I take pictures in my car I usually take them through the front window, not the side so that I can get a better angle and distance. I may not be quite coordinated enough to do anymore than that! In general for every camera that I've ever had whether on automatic or a desired aperture/speed setting closer to the glass has worked better than farther away. Your mileage may vary.
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