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Post by darrell on Apr 1, 2015 11:21:01 GMT -8
Speaking of train testing next week, here's a re-post of photos and a video from four years ago (4/4/11) on phase 1:
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 1, 2015 11:40:57 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 4, 2015 18:40:55 GMT -8
A self-powered test train car will make its debut on Expo Line Phase 2 at 9:30 am on Monday. There will be no towing this time.
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Post by joshuanickel on Apr 5, 2015 1:22:20 GMT -8
A self-powered test train car will make its debut on Expo Line Phase 2 at 9:30 am on Monday. There will be no towing this time. Don't they first need to tow it to test clearances before they start running the trains under their own power?
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 5, 2015 2:14:58 GMT -8
A self-powered test train car will make its debut on Expo Line Phase 2 at 9:30 am on Monday. There will be no towing this time. Don't they first need to tow it to test clearances before they start running the trains under their own power? I don't think towing is a requirement. Being three months late already, I don't think they want to waste even one day by redundant towing. Note that it's still a clearance test with a specially prepared train car with foam attachments. I don't know what's the advantage of towing instead of self-powering if any at all. It's probably being overcautious. I don't remember if they towed when they tested the Culver City segment.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 5, 2015 9:50:53 GMT -8
Expo Line Phase 2 test train will depart from the Culver City Station toward the Pacific Ocean at 9:30 am on Monday, April 6, 2015. Unlike Phase 1, Phase 2 will skip the unpowered test using a towing vehicle and start with a self-powered train. Another difference from Phase 1 is that instead of the unreliable, hard-to-drive Siemens P2000, Phase 2 test train car will be a reliable, easy-to-drive Nippon Sharyo P865, specifically Car #130. Nippon Sharyo's have been equipped with the latest automatic train control system and the more forgiving speed controls on them will make testing, especially low-speed testing, easier, without the operator stalling the train. The first test train will have foams attached to test the clearances. The first Phase 2 operator will be Carolyn Kelly, who was the first operator of many Expo firsts.
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Post by johanragle on Apr 6, 2015 10:31:50 GMT -8
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Post by darrell on Apr 6, 2015 11:16:45 GMT -8
Expo Line phase 2 first day of clearance testing. This LRV was towed to Bagley last night, ran under OCS power up onto the bridge, and now begins its trip west toward the Westwood station, about 10:30 this morning, seen standing on the roof parking with Gokhan. Also saw Steve Hymon between photos he was taking for The Source's post.
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Post by RMoses on Apr 6, 2015 12:00:04 GMT -8
Solid footage of the milestone, thx.
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Post by darrell on Apr 6, 2015 12:20:25 GMT -8
And some still photos of the early part of the day: I arrived just as the LRV ran under its own power east past Durango and up the ramp to Venice. Gokhan and I walked to where it was waiting above Venice. Headed west toward Bagley. (Yes, one can snap stills with one hand while videoing with the other!) Headed up to the Palms station, where I left it. Called hello to Rick Thorpe at National. And concurrent construction activities at the Palms station.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 12:31:38 GMT -8
Today I was harassed by a sheriff deputy, who was apparently instructed by a Metro staff, while being on a public sidewalk and not interfering with the operations. To make the matter worse, I was instructed to cross the street illegally on my own peril and stand at the their sidewalk across the street.
This was a briefing that was taking place on a public sidewalk and there was nothing secret about it. It was the briefing just before the run of the first Expo Phase 2 train and all I wanted to do was to record this historic moment. The harassment that happened was inappropriate and also violated my constitutional rights.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 12:38:18 GMT -8
After the rather unpleasant and annoying harassment, I recorded the very first run of a self-powered train on the Expo Line from just east of Bagley Avenue to just west of Venice Boulevard, albeit from a distance, with the sheriff deputies still staring at me:
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 12:40:09 GMT -8
Two more videos. The first one is the high-rail truck being moved away and the second was is the train going westbound from Venice Boulevard toward Bagley Avenue and beyond:
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 12:56:07 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 13:00:08 GMT -8
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Post by darrell on Apr 6, 2015 13:23:04 GMT -8
Great seeing you, Gokhan, and great close-up photos! And there I am shooting my iPhone video in your video from the roof parking.
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Post by tramfan on Apr 6, 2015 13:29:20 GMT -8
In the tunnel under the 10 Freeway they noticed an OCS arm that was not aligned properly. After using the interlock between Military and Westwood they went back but will park the train at Westwood Station so Mass can fix the problem in the tunnel. Then they will do the return trip tomorrow. I sent all my photos of the test run from Culver City to Military to Dwight.
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Post by tramfan on Apr 6, 2015 13:36:03 GMT -8
The Metro guy who conducted the clearance testing told me that in the tunnel the clearance went as close as half an inch but that seemed sufficient.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 14:27:02 GMT -8
The Metro guy who conducted the clearance testing told me that in the tunnel the clearance went as close as half an inch but that seemed sufficient. I am not sure what this means. There are supposed to be walkways on the sides. I would think the critical clearance would be the one between the tracks but that would require trains on both tracks to test.
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Post by masonite on Apr 6, 2015 15:34:14 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 15:50:48 GMT -8
The Metro guy who conducted the clearance testing told me that in the tunnel the clearance went as close as half an inch but that seemed sufficient. I am not sure what this means. There are supposed to be walkways on the sides. I would think the critical clearance would be the one between the tracks but that would require trains on both tracks to test. OK, so apparently the walkway is still at the center. The foam panels not touching the walls should probably be sufficient clearance.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 15:54:32 GMT -8
I'm guessing March 2016 is Metro's goal -- not Expo's. It may be possible for the contractor and Expo to hand over the project to Metro for a March 2016 opening goal. They will have to overlap some testing with construction for sure, as there is a lot of work to do out there, and with the current slow speed of construction, it won't be finished perhaps until early 2016.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 16:13:44 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 6, 2015 16:16:24 GMT -8
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Post by masonite on Apr 6, 2015 17:34:53 GMT -8
I'm guessing March 2016 is Metro's goal -- not Expo's. It may be possible for the contractor and Expo to hand over the project to Metro for a March 2016 opening goal. They will have to overlap some testing with construction for sure, as there is a lot of work to do out there, and with the current slow speed of construction, it won't be finished perhaps until early 2016. Metro has March 2016 as its budgeted opening so yes, I think. That is Metro's goal.
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f ron
Full Member
Posts: 222
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Post by f ron on Apr 6, 2015 19:34:40 GMT -8
So, according to the presentation document the issues at the Great Wall are ongoing. 300 feet of if is subject to "unanticipated settling" and the contractor is expected to submit a plan for dealing with it. I wonder how long it takes to submit, review and implement a plan? How would an issue like this effect certification? They're labeling this a major issue.
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Post by darrell on Apr 7, 2015 8:37:40 GMT -8
Today I was harassed by a sheriff deputy, who was apparently instructed by a Metro staff, while being on a public sidewalk and not interfering with the operations. To make the matter worse, I was instructed to cross the street illegally on my own peril and stand at the their sidewalk across the street. This was a briefing that was taking place on a public sidewalk and there was nothing secret about it. It was the briefing just before the run of the first Expo Phase 2 train and all I wanted to do was to record this historic moment. The harassment that happened was inappropriate and also violated my constitutional rights. From the subsequent emails on this subject yesterday, here is the Sheriffs' April 2014 newsletter (PDF), settlement agreement (PDF), and ACLU story about the settlement prohibiting such behavior, and page images of the newsletter. Save these on your smart phone in case you need to politely remind a deputy of their policy.
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Post by darrell on Apr 7, 2015 9:35:49 GMT -8
On the subject of tight OCS clearances where the track goes under the 405 and over Sawtelle, here's my Streetview image -- conveniently including a train showing its low pantograph! -- of the existing Blue Line on Flower under the 10, with contact wire mounted just a short distance below the bridge.
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Post by darrell on Apr 7, 2015 10:48:59 GMT -8
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Adrian Auer-Hudson
Junior Member
Supporter of "Expo Light Rail - Enabler for the Digital Coast".
Posts: 65
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Post by Adrian Auer-Hudson on Apr 7, 2015 10:57:54 GMT -8
Today I was harassed by a sheriff deputy, who was apparently instructed by a Metro staff, while being on a public sidewalk and not interfering with the operations. To make the matter worse, I was instructed to cross the street illegally on my own peril and stand at the their sidewalk across the street. This was a briefing that was taking place on a public sidewalk and there was nothing secret about it. It was the briefing just before the run of the first Expo Phase 2 train and all I wanted to do was to record this historic moment. The harassment that happened was inappropriate and also violated my constitutional rights. From the subsequent emails on this subject yesterday, here is the Sheriffs' April 2014 newsletter (PDF), settlement agreement (PDF), and ACLU story about the settlement prohibiting such behavior, and page images of the newsletter. Save these on your smart phone in case you need to politely remind a deputy of their policy. May I suggest: Friends4Expo collectively sign a polite, but firm, letter to the relevant County Supervisor. F4E's letter would give details of the incident and be supported by photographic evidence. AFIK The Sheriff's Department are answerable to the Board of Supervisors. My USD0.02.
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