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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Nov 16, 2014 7:35:55 GMT -8
Odd.. Cops Arrest Man For Vandalizing Expo Line Construction Site In Santa MonicaPOSTED NOV. 13, 2014, 9:08 AM TIM BROUGHTON / MIRROR CONTRIBUTOR A 26-year-old homeless man was arrested on Saturday, Nov. 1 after vandalizing a section of the Expo Line construction site and then becoming aggressive toward police. Officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a report of a man who had been vandalizing part of the light rail construction site in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue at 10:40 am on this day. A Traffic Service Officer had apparently witnessed this man ripping up train tracks, removing other items from the construction site, and throwing them into the street, thus causing a hazard. When the officers arrived they spotted this man walking northbound on Euclid while tossing dirt into the street, so the officers asked him to stop. The man refused, muttering inaudible words to himself under his breath. The officers asked this man to stop again and the man responded by throwing a rock at the officers. The rock missed the officers, and the man continued walking, by now veering into oncoming traffic. One of the officers attempted to place the man under arrest but the man resisted and fought back. Other officers soon arrived and this man was overpowered and taken into custody. The man was initially booked into jail as a John Doe because he refused to give any information pertaining to his true identity. The officers later discovered who he was however. This man was charged with obstruction and jaywalking. Bail was set at $10,000.
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Post by roadtrainer on Nov 16, 2014 9:01:25 GMT -8
probably a NIMBY AND A RELATIVE OF THOSE WEST SIDE HATER GROUPS!!!!!!!!
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Post by gatewaygent on Nov 16, 2014 19:07:52 GMT -8
Didn't the NFSR members disband their group, put all their houses up for sale, and move to a utopian encampment near Zzyzx CA? Ha-ha, couldn't resist!
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 17, 2014 14:26:41 GMT -8
I think we can rule out the perpetrator being an NFSR member since he was described as a homeless man and NFSR consists of homeowners.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 17, 2014 14:31:10 GMT -8
There was an Expo board meeting earlier today. Stewart Street operations yard is scheduled to be completed on May 1, 2015. I can't believe six additional rain canopies are costing $637,000. More than $100,000 for a simple sheet of metal? Hard to believe. Cost of graffiti removal for the Palms Overhead tunnel: $355,000.
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Post by RMoses on Nov 17, 2014 15:58:39 GMT -8
Odd.. Cops Arrest Man For Vandalizing Expo Line Construction Site In Santa MonicaPOSTED NOV. 13, 2014, 9:08 AM TIM BROUGHTON / MIRROR CONTRIBUTOR A 26-year-old homeless man was arrested on Saturday, Nov. 1 after vandalizing a section of the Expo Line construction site and then becoming aggressive toward police. Officers of the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a report of a man who had been vandalizing part of the light rail construction site in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue at 10:40 am on this day. A Traffic Service Officer had apparently witnessed this man ripping up train tracks, removing other items from the construction site, and throwing them into the street, thus causing a hazard. When the officers arrived they spotted this man walking northbound on Euclid while tossing dirt into the street, so the officers asked him to stop. The man refused, muttering inaudible words to himself under his breath. The officers asked this man to stop again and the man responded by throwing a rock at the officers. The rock missed the officers, and the man continued walking, by now veering into oncoming traffic. One of the officers attempted to place the man under arrest but the man resisted and fought back. Other officers soon arrived and this man was overpowered and taken into custody. The man was initially booked into jail as a John Doe because he refused to give any information pertaining to his true identity. The officers later discovered who he was however. This man was charged with obstruction and jaywalking. Bail was set at $10,000. Daily occurrence in SM, just happened to involve Expo; but "ripping up train tracks", really?
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 17, 2014 16:26:55 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 20, 2014 15:05:41 GMT -8
Expo Authority has officially set the start of Expo Line train testing in March 2015, according to a Metro official, who is in charge of train testing. Exact date in March will be provided later. Initial day or two of train testing will be towing of an unpowered light-rail car as usual.
Note that starting January 5, 2015, there may be some field trips for train operators and some OCS and track clearance testing using special vehicles.
Meanwhile, second P3010 pilot car is expected to arrive in mid-January.
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Post by roadtrainer on Nov 21, 2014 10:32:30 GMT -8
probably a NIMBY AND A RELATIVE OF THOSE WEST SIDE HATER GROUPS!!!!!!!!
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Post by joshuanickel on Nov 21, 2014 14:36:30 GMT -8
The canopies and rain covers were being installed at Sepulveda Station today.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 25, 2014 12:57:11 GMT -8
Venice Blvd reconstruction has been a nightmare for pedestrians. Currently, you can't cross across Venice Blvd and access the west side of the street at Venice/Robertson. You need to walk all the way to the west side of Culver Blvd and cross there. Here is the final answer to Mr. Toe's question of whether there will be a bridge column in the sidewalk. I like the row of little LED fixtures along the sidewalk -- this is in accordance with City of LA's program of 100% conversion of street lighting to LED lighting.
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Post by tramfan on Nov 25, 2014 13:07:29 GMT -8
Venice Blvd reconstruction has been a nightmare for pedestrians. Currently, you can't cross across Venice Blvd and access the west side of the street at Venice/Robertson. You need to walk all the way to the west side of Culver Blvd and cross there. Here is the final answer to Mr. Toe's question of whether there will be a bridge column in the sidewalk. I like the row of little LED fixtures along the sidewalk -- this is in accordance with City of LA's program of 100% conversion of street lighting to LED lighting.
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Nov 25, 2014 15:00:23 GMT -8
I'm paraphrasing. but I like the part where all parties agree that the environmental challenge was complete bullshit–rare to see it spelled out so clearly. From a recent press release: MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES BREAKTHROUGH AGREEMENT TO CREATE LIGHT RAIL MANUFACTURING JOBS IN L.A. COUNTYThe Mayor Convened Kinkisharyo and Labor and Community Groups to Continue Stalled Talks, Which Resulted in Agreement LA Times Last Month Said: “much-celebrated plans to build a light-rail manufacturing plant in Palmdale appear all but dead.” LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor and L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Chair Eric Garcetti today announced that an agreement has been reached between Kinkisharyo International, LLC and labor and community groups to resolve an impasse that would have seen the company locate manufacturing operations for its next order of Metro light rail cars outside of L.A. County. Mayor Garcetti intervened to continue stalled talks among the parties, resulting in the agreement. “Last month, the lines were drawn in the sand and we were going to see jobs that could be in L.A. County go somewhere else. But because we brought both sides back to the table to grind out night and day negotiations with my office, L.A. County is going to see new middle class jobs and an expansion of our manufacturing base,” Mayor and Metro Chair Garcetti said. “As I oversee the nation’s largest public works project as Mayor and Metro Chair, it’s critical to me that our economy benefits from our $36 billion transportation build out, and this agreement makes that happen. Creating good, local jobs as we strengthen our local infrastructure is key to my back to basics agenda for L.A.” As a result of the agreement, Kinkisharyo will expand the current light rail car assembly and testing operations at its existing site in Palmdale to include manufacturing tasks, which will create up to a total of 250 jobs. The 175 cars being worked on at the facility will be put into service on the Crenshaw, Exposition and extended Gold lines. The agreement includes a neutrality agreement, as well as a commitment to explore additional skills training and assistance for disadvantaged L.A. County workers. Over the last month, negotiations took place via separate and joint meetings with both sides, conference calls and night and day sessions in the Mayor’s office, with the company and labor and community groups each at times stationed in separate conference rooms and the Mayor’s staff going back and forth to broker the deal. Mayor Garcetti directly participated in the negotiations in person and via telephone. “Today is a historic day for Kinkisharyo, and we are glad we are able to come to an agreement with IBEW 11,” said Donald Boss, General Manager, Program Management, Los Angeles, for Kinkisharyo. “These negotiations were not easy, but we are confident that as a result of our agreement with IBEW 11, we will continue to do what we do best – manufacture quality rail cars and deliver them on time and on budget. I want to especially thank Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and his staff for their work in helping to bring this agreement to fruition. Without his help, we would not be here today. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Supervisor Mike Antonovich for his support, and the strong support we have received from the Los Angeles business community over the past few months.” “We would also like to thank Mayor Eric Garcetti for his great leadership, as well as his able staff, on this important issue,” said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union Number Eleven (IBEW 11). “We thank Kinkisharyo for its commitment to a strong partnership. This settlement recognizes the value of good middle class jobs in rail car manufacturing. We will continue to advocate for healthier communities and good, green jobs in the Antelope Valley and throughout L.A. County.” “This settlement is a win for Los Angeles taxpayers, transit riders, the environment and working families,” said Madeline Janis, Director of the Jobs to Move America coalition. “Our public transit dollars can go the distance to create high-quality jobs, promote clean transit choices, and generate opportunities for disadvantaged people. This settlement in L.A. should serve as a model for other U.S. cities expanding their transportation systems.” “Los Angeles County voters have a high standard for public projects. Taxpayer-funded projects should benefit workers and residents. With this settlement, all sides are honoring Measure R’s promise of increased public transit and good, clean jobs in LA,” said Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. Currently, Kinkisharyo is assembling and testing 78 light rail cars at its Palmdale facility under a 2012 Metro contract. Under this agreement, the present facility will be expanded to perform additional manufacturing tasks and employ up to 250 people to fulfill an order for 97 additional cars, and it will do similar work on future orders as well. Under this agreement: Kinkisharyo has signed a neutrality agreement LACMTA (Metro) will work with the Jobs to Move America coalition to develop new public records act protocols Labor and community groups settled a public records act lawsuit and agreed that all environmental challenges are now moot Kinkisharyo and the Jobs to Move America coalition will explore ways to expand opportunities for disadvantaged L.A. County workers including military veterans, women and people of color, and will explore potential job readiness training programs About Kinkisharyo International, LLC: Kinkisharyo International, LLC is the U.S. subsidiary of Kinki Sharyo Corporation of Osaka, Japan. The parent company has a nearly 100-year history of producing top quality rail cars ranging from streetcars to the famed Shinkansen bullet trains. In the U.S., Kinkisharyo International has established an unparalleled reputation for quality and on-time delivery and has produced hundreds of light rail vehicles for communities throughout the United States, including Boston, Jersey City, Santa Clara, Dallas, Phoenix and Seattle. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California. About IBEW Local Union Eleven: Organized more than 100 years ago, IBEW 11 is one of the largest and most progressive IBEW locals in the country. They represent more than 11,000 construction electricians and L.A. City municipal workers. The IBEW’s cause is human rights, human justice and human security. Marvin Kropke is a 36-year member of the IBEW and has been the business manager since 1997. About the Jobs to Move America Coalition: Jobs to Move America is a national coalition uniting more than 40 community, labor, faith, civil rights, philanthropic, academic and environmental groups to make our transit dollars go the distance. Members of the Jobs to Move America coalition, which includes LAANE, IBEW local union 11, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO and others, is dedicated to ensuring that the billions of public dollars spent on public transit systems create better results for our communities: good jobs, cleaner equipment and more opportunity for low income people. About the LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy): LAANE is a leading advocacy organization dedicated to building a new economy for all. Combining dynamic research, innovative public policy and the organizing of broad alliances, LAANE promotes a new economic approach based on good jobs, thriving communities and a healthy environment.
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Post by chuckchuck on Nov 25, 2014 15:48:49 GMT -8
Wow. That's very good news for the region. Well done Garcetti.
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Post by Transit Coalition on Nov 25, 2014 17:16:33 GMT -8
Kinkisharyo to Keep Jobs in Palmdale By MARK MADLER Tuesday, November 25, 2014 San Fernando Valley Business Journal
Kinkisharyo International reached an agreement on Tuesday with labor and community groups that will keep light rail manufacturing jobs in Palmdale and not take them out of state.
Behind-the-scenes talks between the Japanese company, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 11, and Jobs to Move America Coalition were facilitated by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in the weeks after Kinkisharyo said in late October that it would look outside California to build a manufacturing plant for producing light rail cars.
Kinkisharyo is currently doing final assembly work on an order of 78 cars for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, in hangar space it leases from Los Angeles World Airports in Palmdale.
For the manufacturing work, Kinkisharyo will take additional hangar space although it was not immediately known how much, said spokesman Coby King.
“It is going to be a benefit for the company and a benefit for Los Angeles,” King said of the agreement.
Kinkisharyo has agreed to take a neutral position on whether its approximately 250 employees in Palmdale can unionize and it will work with Jobs to Move America Coalition on readiness training programs for veterans, women and other disadvantaged workers to be qualified for the manufacturing jobs.
Madeline Janis, director of Jobs to Move America, a national coalition based in Los Angeles of labor, environmental, civil rights and other groups advocating for good jobs in the transportation industry, said the programs target populations that may not necessarily seem themselves as manufacturing workers.
“Readiness is teaching people welding and other skills to hold jobs like this,” Janis said.
Kinkisharyo International, the El Segundo-based U.S. arm of Kinki Sharyo Co. Ltd. of Osaka, received a contract in 2012 from Metro for an order of 78 light rail cars, and options for an additional 97 cars. If options for another 60 cars are exercised by the Metro board the total contract with Kinkisharyo would be about $890 million.
The first pilot car was delivered to Metro in October and final assembly is being done on the second pilot car. Full production on the 78 cars is expected to start in the spring, King said.
Just a month ago, it seemed certain that Kinkisharyo would take its manufacturing jobs out of state after backing off plans to build a 400,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Palmdale to produce car shells, citing opposition to the project from a labor-backed group, Antelope Valley Residents for Responsible Development.
In September, a South San Francisco law firm filed on behalf of the group an appeal of the site plan approval given by the Palmdale Planning Commission. The appeal by the residents group asserts that the project could cause widespread environmental damage. Central to the argument were 1993 and 1996 environmental impact reports on the property that the appeal called “outdated.”
As part of the agreement, Antelope Valley Residents for Responsible Development, which includes IBEW Local No. 11 among its members, has dropped the environmental challenge.
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Post by John Ryan on Nov 25, 2014 21:58:56 GMT -8
Happy birthday! A good present for you and all of us.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 29, 2014 11:56:07 GMT -8
tramfan, your quotes are coming blank. See above.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 29, 2014 12:02:35 GMT -8
You can see the clearance between the OCS catenary and Palms Park pedestrian bridge. I thought there would be some insulated hanger under the bridge but it's just clearance. Bridge soffit must be at least 18-ft-high from the top of rail. Fencing lacking aesthetics must be to prevent people from climbing and reaching the OCS: The Palms / Cheviot Hills section is without doubt the most beautiful section of the Expo Line. I especially like where the tracks curve toward the Palms Overhead tunnel.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 29, 2014 20:58:02 GMT -8
You can see the clearance between the OCS catenary and Palms Park pedestrian bridge. I thought there would be some insulated hanger under the bridge but it's just clearance. Bridge soffit must be at least 18-ft-high from the top of rail. This good clearance is despite the trench being filled during the Expo Line construction in order to make it wider. The high clearance of the Palms Overhead tunnel, Palms Park pedestrian bridge, and I-405 bridge soffit is thanks to Pacific Electric / Southern Pacific wanting to run double-stacked freight cars if needed.
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Post by bobdavis on Nov 29, 2014 23:01:48 GMT -8
"double-stacked freight cars", yep, gotta be able to take those containers to the Long Wharf at Santa Monica. Wouldn't that be popular with the Cheviot Hills NIMBY folks! They'd be begging for a limited-loading-gauge passenger line.
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Nov 30, 2014 1:34:32 GMT -8
Gökhan, now that it's basically complete, is it time to re-shoot this?
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 30, 2014 11:32:16 GMT -8
"double-stacked freight cars", yep, gotta be able to take those containers to the Long Wharf at Santa Monica. Wouldn't that be popular with the Cheviot Hills NIMBY folks! They'd be begging for a limited-loading-gauge passenger line. Well, both structures (tunnel and pedestrian bridge) were built during the Santa Monica Freeway construction in 1963, long after Long Wharf was removed in early 20th Century. That's also when they deepened the trench near Palms Park a little.
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Post by Gokhan on Nov 30, 2014 11:36:06 GMT -8
Gökhan, now that it's basically complete, is it time to re-shoot this? It's getting there, isn't it? The bike & pedestrian path won't go in there for a long time though. Also, unfortunately, it doesn't rain in LA anymore and we no longer have the greenscape of the former decade.
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Nov 30, 2014 14:40:31 GMT -8
...Also, unfortunately, it doesn't rain in LA anymore and we no longer have the greenscape of the former decade. Oh come now it was more brown in the '50s and it's late November. In March/April that thing will be as green as ever–perhaps shoot it then and try to match the following shots too?
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Post by RMoses on Nov 30, 2014 20:09:49 GMT -8
Gökhan, now that it's basically complete, is it time to re-shoot this? Also, unfortunately, it doesn't rain in LA anymore and we no longer have the greenscape of the former decade. It will be as verdant in 2 weeks time.
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Post by roadtrainer on Dec 2, 2014 10:16:14 GMT -8
Gökhan, now that it's basically complete, is it time to re-shoot this? It's getting there, isn't it? The bike & pedestrian path won't go in there for a long time though. Also, unfortunately, it doesn't rain in LA anymore and we no longer have the greenscape of the former decade. Gokham: Where's the kitties???
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Post by Gokhan on Dec 2, 2014 11:41:52 GMT -8
Gokham: Where's the kitties??? The kitty colony is doing fine. They are being regularly fed and taken care of by the caretakers. They get spayed and neutered to keep the population in control.
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Post by bobdavis on Dec 3, 2014 0:42:56 GMT -8
Thanks for the kitty report. There's a group in Albuquerque that's restoring a Santa Fe steam locomotive--even bigger than the 3751 that lives here in Southern Calif. and visits San Bernardino, Union Station, San Diego and other places. Every week or two they publish progress photos showing ATSF 2926 coming back together, and nearly always include a photo of the cats that live around there work area. As a former Santa Fe employee and life long "cat person", I send periodic donations to their project.
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Post by Gokhan on Dec 8, 2014 10:36:03 GMT -8
They were hooking up the Palms (Clarington Ave) TPSS to the OCS wires this morning (no pics).
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Post by Gokhan on Dec 9, 2014 10:28:22 GMT -8
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