|
|
Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Mar 22, 2012 9:12:37 GMT -8
I am almost sure the Blue and Green line's track is connected at the 105 freeway, but it seems iffy looking at Google maps - with just a one track ramp that doesn't look powered ( See link here). If not, does anyone know why not? While I recall that the Green line was initially supposed to be completely different technology with driverless trains, what got put in was the same technology as the Blue line (correct?). There is enough space to engineer a transition between the lines and doing so would increase flexibility allowing Long Beach to El Segundo or other combinations once the Regional Connector is built. Has anyone heard any discussion of such a thing? |
|
|
|
Post by bzcat on Mar 22, 2012 9:40:17 GMT -8
Green line started service with trains "commuting" from the Blue line so there are service tracks that connects them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin Walker on Mar 22, 2012 9:53:20 GMT -8
I am almost sure the Blue and Green line's track is connected at the 105 freeway, but it seems iffy looking at Google maps - with just a one track ramp that doesn't look powered ( See link here). If not, does anyone know why not? While I recall that the Green line was initially supposed to be completely different technology with driverless trains, what got put in was the same technology as the Blue line (correct?). There is enough space to engineer a transition between the lines and doing so would increase flexibility allowing Long Beach to El Segundo or other combinations once the Regional Connector is built. Has anyone heard any discussion of such a thing? There is indeed a "non-revenue connector track" connecting the Blue and Green Lines at Imperial/Wilmington. The NRC track is powered and is used by Metro to transfer vehicles between the two lines. For example, Metro's heavy maintenance facilities are located at the Division 11 yard on the Blue Line and Green Line vehicles can be sent there using the NRC track. Track connections that could be used for through revenue service, however, could not be built without major property acquisitions and structural modifications to the freeway structure. Even if we could easily operate branching services through Imperial/Wilmington, we wouldn't want to because we can provide more useful service with transfers between high-frequency trunk lines than with many lower-frequency branching lines. |
|
|
|
Post by James Fujita on Mar 22, 2012 17:51:40 GMT -8
Honestly, I'm glad that there isn't a better connection between the two.
Given a limited supply of rail cars, plus the limits to how many trains you can reasonably have on any given given, and the confusion and added wait time that would result from every other train being a Long Beach to Norwalk or a 7th/Metro Center to El Segundo train... I just don't see the advantage.
With the Expo Line we're already going to have a lot of trains coming in and out of 7th/ Metro as it is. Too many branches would be too complicated and I'm glad that Metro is planning to have just a limited number of routes through the Regional Connector for the same reasons.
|
|
|
|
Post by gatewaygent on Mar 22, 2012 20:38:09 GMT -8
Now that ideas are being thrown out; and with the imminent opening of the Expo Line, was there ever any thought given to running the Blue and Expo Line as one continuous line until the Connector is finished? It would require a more complicated crossover track system at Flower/Washington, but in the interim [years], a bus bridge at Grand Station could be used for those that require transport to the Red/Purple Lines at 7th/Metro.
|
|
|
|
Post by James Fujita on Mar 23, 2012 14:35:35 GMT -8
sorry, but I don't think Metro is going to want to hear about "a more complicated" Washington/Flower crossing for a while  And for a less snarky answer, see my above post... |
|
|
|
Post by gatewaygent on Mar 23, 2012 17:42:37 GMT -8
LOL, your snark amuses me. But anyways, I agree. Let's take what we can get and roll with it.
|
|
|
|
Post by matthewb on Mar 24, 2012 2:36:24 GMT -8
LOL, your snark amuses me. But anyways, I agree. Let's take what we can get and roll with it. Construction feasibility aside, why would you want to reduce service to DTLA? It's the biggest job center and transfer point in the whole county. I think it will serve more people better to make people looking to go from the Blue line to the Expo line transfer at Pico, but then keep good service on both lines to 7th St./Metro Center. |
|
|
|
Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Mar 24, 2012 5:46:45 GMT -8
What about the possibility of a chartered fan trip from El Segundo to Culver City on the same train? We could sell tickets!  |
|
elray
Junior Member
Posts: 84
|
Post by elray on Mar 24, 2012 14:08:00 GMT -8
Honestly, I'm glad that there isn't a better connection between the two. Given a limited supply of rail cars, plus the limits to how many trains you can reasonably have on any given given, and the confusion and added wait time that would result from every other train being a Long Beach to Norwalk or a 7th/Metro Center to El Segundo train... I just don't see the advantage. Ah. You and GHWB. Not getting the "vision thing". Transfer requirements deter ridership. Especially that gawd-awful Blue-Green station. Mass transit needs to serve the public, not vice-versa. The car inventory can be addressed. Track space is more difficult, and again illustrates how myopic our rail system design has been from the start. |
|
|
|
Post by Transit Coalition on Mar 24, 2012 14:14:57 GMT -8
Honestly, I'm glad that there isn't a better connection between the two. Given a limited supply of rail cars, plus the limits to how many trains you can reasonably have on any given given, and the confusion and added wait time that would result from every other train being a Long Beach to Norwalk or a 7th/Metro Center to El Segundo train... I just don't see the advantage. Ah. You and GHWB. Not getting the "vision thing". Transfer requirements deter ridership. Especially that gawd-awful Blue-Green station. Mass transit needs to serve the public, not vice-versa. The car inventory can be addressed. Track space is more difficult, and again illustrates how myopic our rail system design has been from the start. Elray: Here is your assignment: You are given $500 million to build a project. You find out that in reality that it will cost close to $600 million to build. Then the elected officials and others jump in and throw out betterments and improvements that could add another $150 million to the cost of your project and they don't want to increase your budget. What do you do? |
|
|
|
Post by spokker on Mar 24, 2012 17:31:45 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by gatewaygent on Mar 25, 2012 14:27:00 GMT -8
MatthewB: I keep reading about the mythical LRV shortage; I don't believe that is the case. However, if it is the case, wouldn't it just make more sense to run the Blue/Expo Lines as one continuous Blu-po Line so that there is uninterrupted service with a combined Blue/Expo LRV fleet? It would also eliminate a pile-up of layover trains @ 7th/metro. Throw me bone, but can the tracks beyond 7th/metro hold six (6) cars each? Of course, the pitfall in the bus bridge connector is that it would have to run on Figueroa or Olive since traffic on Flower runs one way south. Even as a simulator through onto 2nd St. to the Little Tokyo Gold Line station, I keep making the pit deeper. So...never mind....
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin Walker on Mar 25, 2012 17:29:57 GMT -8
Throw me bone, but can the tracks beyond 7th/metro hold six (6) cars each? Each tail track can hold three cars. |
|
|
|
Post by gatewaygent on Mar 26, 2012 14:26:26 GMT -8
Justin, thank you for that. Anyway, this has degenerated into something it shouldn't have. So moving on....
The non revenue Green/Blue line access track only goes east (from the Blue Line stand point) and, if I remember correctly, south (from the Green Line stand point). So a Long Beach/Norwalk "special occasion" Line may work, though I don't envision droves of people in Long Beach or Norwalk heading to the others' location.
|
|
|
|
Post by bobdavis on Mar 26, 2012 18:20:22 GMT -8
Regarding the Blue-Green non-revenue connector. If a fan group could persuade Metro to run an excursion that included the connector, it would appeal to a special sub-set of railfans known as "rare mileage collectors", who like to travel on freight-only lines and other routes where normal people don't venture unless they're railway employees.
|
|
