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Post by Gokhan on Nov 29, 2011 13:55:27 GMT -8
So, when are they going to crop the parking lots of the apartment buildings adjacent to the right-of-way west of Motor Avenue?
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Post by rajacobs on Nov 29, 2011 14:28:20 GMT -8
The place I'm waiting with baited breath to vacate and be demolished is Quicksilver Towing at 2254 S. Barrington. The name describes their approach; was nabbed by them once; cost me an arm and a leg. Oddly, despite all the demolition along Exposition, QS remains and continues operation.
Regarding the contaminated soil... I presume some of that is east of the Palms National bridge. I wonder if the rocks along the side are "infected" as well!! ...Great garden additons.
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Post by rajacobs on Nov 29, 2011 16:01:12 GMT -8
It's not just their small office, but their acre or so of confiscated cars that sits on the Expo right-of way.
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Post by darrell on Nov 29, 2011 21:50:54 GMT -8
Here are four photos from this afternoon of progress from Bundy to Pico: Just the facade of the stone yard remains. The west side of Barrington is clear, except for the tall hedges. A graffitti mural east of Barrington. And just the end gable remains of a metal shed toward Pico.
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Post by joshuanickel on Dec 1, 2011 11:33:44 GMT -8
At the Sepulveda Blvd Yard there is a Foundation Drilling Machine Wow, already? Are we talking about these giant drills? You should post a pic. The drill that is there is for the 405 HOV project. They are retrofitting the structure under exposition and pico. You can see on pico under the freeway where they have dug away the dirt and concrete from around the pillars. The drill is there for that project. You can see in this photo from expolinefan, the Kiewit truck parked next to the drill. Kiewit is the company doing the 405 project: www.flickr.com/photos/expoline-part-2/6427639993/in/photostreamThis document talks about closures including a future closure on exposition blvd. See page 7: www.metro.net/projects_studies/I405/images/I-405_CAC_meeting_2011_Oct_Detailed.pdf
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Post by Gokhan on Dec 1, 2011 11:50:20 GMT -8
Thanks. That drill rig and bit is obviously for small piles, such as those used for abutments, retaining walls, etc. The drill bits and rigs used for drilling the 12-plus-ft-diameter holes for the LRT-bridge columns are gigantic.
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Post by carter on Dec 27, 2011 17:42:12 GMT -8
Starting January 9th, Phase 2 the contractor will begin removing the existing tracks from the ROW between Bagley and Military Avenues. Here's the PDF of the advisory -- t.co/QFu9Ft1L
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Post by RMoses on Dec 29, 2011 16:06:05 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 3, 2012 13:37:41 GMT -8
We are in 2012 now, about a year from the opening of Expo Phase 1. LOL They have just readjusted the Phase 2 schedule and added a schedule contingency. The new Phase 2 revenue-operation date is Sunday, November 6, 2016. Don't forget and write it down so that you don't miss the grand-opening ceremonies. LOL In case you don't want to do the math, it's five years from now.
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Post by metrocenter on Jan 3, 2012 14:14:49 GMT -8
I'll be sure to write that date down, so that, in January 2018, when the line still hasn't opened, I can begin the wringing of hands and the gnashing of teeth.
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Post by rajacobs on Jan 3, 2012 15:44:00 GMT -8
Finally, an updated project schedule from the Expo Construction Authority! Thank you, Gokhan. Now, I'd love to see the milestones...
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Post by bzcat on Jan 4, 2012 14:26:19 GMT -8
Seems like the key date here is July 2015...
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 5, 2012 21:40:55 GMT -8
The biggest risk for delay for Expo Phase 2 is the procurement of new light-rail vehicles. No new light-rail vehicles = no Expo Phase 2. I think it's unlikely that they will arrive before 2016.
Also, soon, we'll hear about the Kenter Canyon storm drain (that runs below Colorado and opens to the ocean south of the Santa Monica Pier). Let's hope it doesn't need reconstruction, which would introduce delays.
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Post by rajacobs on Jan 11, 2012 13:12:47 GMT -8
Today, crews are pulling up old rails between Motor and the National/Palms intersection with the Expo Line.
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 11, 2012 15:37:38 GMT -8
As rajacobs mentioned, Phase 2 construction is about to start. I don't think they've quite started pulling out the year-1916 (stamped on them) rail tracks yet, but they are now surrounding the area with K rails for track removal and right-of-way work (grading, track installation, etc.) following that. This is at Exposition Blvd and Bagley Ave: This old sign is one of the very few artifacts of the old railroad, other than rail and ties. It's at Bagley Ave, looking west:
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 11, 2012 15:44:40 GMT -8
I also asked Expo Authority if they could preserve some sections of the old track and have them as art displays at some Phase 2 Stations. These tracks have 1916 stamped on them. It will be just about 100 years when the line opens!
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 16, 2012 18:30:33 GMT -8
Alan K. Weeks, whose pictures of the Air Line (former Expo Line) in action from the early 1950s are posted in the historical-photos thread, and I walked along the tracks in Palms today and took pictures. These are from my camera. I hope you enjoy the Expo Line Phase 2 photos taken in Palms today. They have now removed the fences from the National Boulevard and Motor Avenue bridges as well as from the Palms Overhead freeway box-structure tunnel. This is the very first time I saw the tunnel with both portals wide open! National Boulevard bridge (circa 1930s) will be used for the westbound track. Motor Avenue bridge (circa 1963) will be replaced with a double-track bridge. Palms Overhead freeway box structure will be used as it is for double-track operation. National Boulevard bridge looking east: National Boulevard bridge looking east: National Boulevard bridge looking east: Looking west from National Blvd bridge at the future Palms Station site. Note that a few trolley-wire poles from the Air Line are still left orphaned along the right-of-way on the left side past where Alan is standing: National Boulevard bridge looking east: Right-of-way near Clarington Ave, looking west: Year 1916 removed tracks in Palms: Year 1916 removed tracks in Palms: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west: Near Motor Ave looking west. The retaining wall for the parking lot of the apartment building on the left side will be set back to widen the right-of-way for double tracks: Looking west west of Motor Ave: Looking west west of Motor Ave: Looking west west of Motor Ave: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel southeast portal: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel southeast portal: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel southeast portal: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel northwest portal: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking northwest: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking southeast: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking southeast: Palms Overhead freeway tunnel looking southeast: Utility work near southeast portal of Palms Overhead freeway tunnel: Looking east west of Motor Avenue: Looking east west of Motor Avenue: Looking east west of Motor Avenue: Looking east west of Motor Avenue: Looking east east of Motor Avenue: Pink property-line flag for the Metro-owned Expo right-of-way behind Price Self-Storage, immediately at the wall of the building: Looking east near Vinton Avenue at the side of the former Pacific Electric Railway Palms Depot. The Palms Depot stood on the right side, facing the tracks, and there was a station rail siding in front of it: This picture from 1976 shows Disney animator Ward Kimball in front of the Palms Depot. He lead among others the effort to save the Palms Depot, which was condemned by the fire department. Palms Depot was moved to Heritage Square Museum that year and renovated. Tree trimming behind Price Self-Storage in the freeway right-of-way: Tree trimming behind Price Self-Storage in the freeway right-of-way: Former lower siding serving the Great Depot Grounds building (replaced by Price Self-Storage building five years ago) from the behind:
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Post by jamesinclair on Jan 17, 2012 1:33:24 GMT -8
Excellent pics as always. Im not liking that tunnel 1 bit.
2016: 'Expo Phase 2 delayed by 3 years as engineers determine tunnel is not safe after all, do to a .25 inch clearance issue."
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Jan 17, 2012 7:16:55 GMT -8
Fantastic pics as always Gökhan! Thanks much for posting. In looking at these pics, did Alan point out exactly where the old Palms depot building was?
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 17, 2012 8:28:12 GMT -8
Fantastic pics as always Gökhan! Thanks much for posting. In looking at these pics, did Alan point out exactly where the old Palms depot building was? Thanks, guys. Railfan memories from six decades ago can be a little foggy but fortunately we know exactly where it was then (Vinton Ave, across the now vacant fire station) and is now (Heritage Square Museum welcome center). How do we know? Check out first this 1951 parcel map and then this 1953 aerial photo: Pacific Electric Railway Palms Depot is the little house facing the tracks behind the northwest corner of the big, long building (Great Depot Grounds, replaced by Price Self-Storage five years ago). This picture from 1976 shows Disney animator Ward Kimball in front of the Palms Depot. He lead among others the effort to save the Palms Depot, which was condemned by the fire department. Palms Depot was moved to Heritage Square Museum that year and renovated. You can also see the Great Depot Grounds building (replaced with Price Self-Storage five years ago), situated at a lower elevation on National Boulevard, in the background on the left. The access to the Palms Depot was by a ramp from National Boulevard on the west side of the station. This ramp now roughly coincides with the private upper-deck access ramp for the new high school (Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, opened two years ago) on National Boulevard:
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 17, 2012 15:14:53 GMT -8
Our my way (San Gabriel Valley) Ward Kimball was a major player in rescuing the Santa Fe Santa Anita depot when it was threatened by the construction of I-210. The depot is now at the south end of the Arboretum on Baldwin Ave., a few thousand feet south of its original site.
Regarding the tunnel under the Santa Monica Fwy: Good thing Metro light rail cars are narrower than PE "Blimps". It's going to be a tight squeeze to run double track operation through that hole.
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Post by bzcat on Jan 17, 2012 18:43:13 GMT -8
Excellent pics as always. Im not liking that tunnel 1 bit. 2016: 'Expo Phase 2 delayed by 3 years as engineers determine tunnel is not safe after all, do to a .25 inch clearance issue." I'm very concerned as well. I can't picture how 2 trains could pass in this tunnel.
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 17, 2012 20:30:41 GMT -8
Excellent pics as always. Im not liking that tunnel 1 bit. 2016: 'Expo Phase 2 delayed by 3 years as engineers determine tunnel is not safe after all, do to a .25 inch clearance issue." I'm very concerned as well. I can't picture how 2 trains could pass in this tunnel. Here is a picture of the cross section of the Palms Overhead freeway box structure then -- CPUC-approved for construction of the rail tracks: Light-rail-vehicle cross sections shown are dynamic (accounting for motion and curved tracks). Note the shaded 2'-8"-wide walkway in the center for a 6'-8" man.
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Post by jdrcrasher on Jan 17, 2012 22:24:46 GMT -8
Woah. I don't know..... that sure is cutting it close, don't you think? Hopefully the NIMBYs or Fix Expo won't go apeshit about it and justify it as a reason for Metro to make this a subway instead of using the tunnel.
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Post by davebowman on Jan 18, 2012 11:44:55 GMT -8
If a tagger gets caught in the Palms tunnel with a train coming through it could get messy.
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Post by rubbertoe on Jan 18, 2012 11:55:56 GMT -8
If a tagger gets caught in the Palms tunnel with a train coming through it could get messy. Yeah, the blood stains would probably ruin what would otherwise be a nice piece of graffiti. But that might then fall under the category of "performance art"... RT
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 18, 2012 12:59:52 GMT -8
If a tagger gets caught in the Palms tunnel with a train coming through it could get messy. Yeah, the blood stains would probably ruin what would otherwise be a nice piece of graffiti. But that might then fall under the category of "performance art"...RT Here is advice: - Never enter this tunnel to begin with while the trains are in operation.
- If you're somehow caught between two trains, there is a 2'-8"-wide squeeze space in the center.
- If you somehow get caught between the train and the wall, there is a 3'-3"-high squeeze space at the bottom. Lie down as close to the wall as possible. If you stand up, there is definitely not enough squeeze space and you won't survive it alive.
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Post by Gokhan on Jan 18, 2012 13:28:21 GMT -8
Note in the figure that the tracks are banked 1" / 4'-8.5" = 1.77%. This compensates the centrifugal acceleration due to the curved track by 1.77% of g (gravitational acceleration). Given the radius of curvature there is 400 ft and the centrifugal acceleration is v^2 / r, passengers would not feel centrifugal force until the train goes 10 MPH or faster. The current speed limit there is 25 MPH. At this speed, the passengers would feel about 17% less centrifugal acceleration than with no banking.
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Post by azndevil97 on Jan 19, 2012 0:32:17 GMT -8
Oh yes, the wonderful Mr Ward Kimball. He was such a great guy. I grew up about a mile down the street from him, and my cousins literally lived a few houses up the street. I remember he would let us come over to his property anytime we wanted (and it was huge!) and let us sit on his train. He was such a fan of trains and I really had no idea how passionate he was about it! It gave me chills to see him in that pic! I remember we also joked about how we were "related" somehow because my last name is Kim. LOL Our my way (San Gabriel Valley) Ward Kimball was a major player in rescuing the Santa Fe Santa Anita depot when it was threatened by the construction of I-210. The depot is now at the south end of the Arboretum on Baldwin Ave., a few thousand feet south of its original site. Regarding the tunnel under the Santa Monica Fwy: Good thing Metro light rail cars are narrower than PE "Blimps". It's going to be a tight squeeze to run double track operation through that hole.
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Jan 19, 2012 11:01:16 GMT -8
Oh yes, the wonderful Mr Ward Kimball. He was such a great guy. I grew up about a mile down the street from him, and my cousins literally lived a few houses up the street. I remember he would let us come over to his property anytime we wanted (and it was huge!) and let us sit on his train. He was such a fan of trains and I really had no idea how passionate he was about it! It gave me chills to see him in that pic! I remember we also joked about how we were "related" somehow because my last name is Kim. LOL Interesting guy this Ward Kimball (March 4, 1914 – July 8, 2002) - one of the original Disney animators. Funny how his preservation efforts back in the 1970's led to keeping a significant touchstone to the Expo line's predecessor: The Los Angeles & Independent's Palms Depot. Who knows? Perhaps the new Palms depot can acknowledge the old depot in some way. Does anyone know if the design has been finalized? The last I heard was that the Palms council asked for a slight name change to the historical 'Palms' instead of 'Palms/National' - but no word on what happened. P.S. Ward Kimball had some connection to some of the other projects we follow here as well: "In recognition to his love of railroading and support of the Orange Empire Railway Museum, the Perris Transit Center, where OERM historic trains travel to, is dedicated to Mr. Kimball.
In a rare deviation from their usually tight copyright policy, Disney permitted the city to decorate the transit center with Kimball's artwork. The center is currently served by Riverside Transit Agency buses, with train service projected to begin in 2011 as part of the Metrolink Perris Valley Line." ( -- Link to Kimball's Wikipedia article -- )
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