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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 3, 2011 16:20:20 GMT -8
I started a new thread to summarize the goings on since I didn't see a comprehensive thread in which to post such minutiae.  I didn't notice it posted but a couple of weeks ago the gold line began running some 3-car trains at rush hour. This seems about right. I don't ride the gold line often at rush hour, but the last few times that I have it's SRO on NB trains from Union Station. I hate to say it, but given that the gold line has more discretionary riders the only way to keep them riding is to make sure that they have seats. Still metro should use the same guidelines for all of the lines. The blue line would also add more riders if they added a couple more tph more at rush hour. I would guess that they will continue this after June 24 and that this is one of the planned increases to rail service starting in June. |
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Post by masonite on Apr 3, 2011 17:33:43 GMT -8
BluelineShawn,
I ask this out of ignorance - Aren't all Blue Line rush hour trains 3 cars? Given the crowding on that line, I was under the impression that we were running full tilt there. From what I remember, I don't think they can reduce headways anymore due to the timing of street signals and of course fitting Expo in there as well.
Other than wearing out the cars and a little more electricity used, I wouldn't think that the incremental cost of adding a 3rd car is very much so I applaud this. We shouldn't have standing room only on trains more so than on the buses if not necessary even if we don't have a train riders union. ;D
On Expo, I think the 12 minute headways will keep ridership down a bit until Phase II when they go to 6 minutes at rush hour.
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Apr 3, 2011 20:38:53 GMT -8
Something interesting happens with the Gold Line eastbound at night the one time I rode out of Union Station at 9:30pm, the 2-car train decouples into 1-car set en route to Atlantic station. I can see why as I headed to King Taco and I counted less than a half dozen in the train. I think Metro also decouple trains at Willow from 3 to 2-car at night.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 4, 2011 11:48:30 GMT -8
BluelineShawn, I ask this out of ignorance - Aren't all Blue Line rush hour trains 3 cars? Given the crowding on that line, I was under the impression that we were running full tilt there. From what I remember, I don't think they can reduce headways anymore due to the timing of street signals and of course fitting Expo in there as well. Other than wearing out the cars and a little more electricity used, I wouldn't think that the incremental cost of adding a 3rd car is very much so I applaud this. We shouldn't have standing room only on trains more so than on the buses if not necessary even if we don't have a train riders union. ;D On Expo, I think the 12 minute headways will keep ridership down a bit until Phase II when they go to 6 minutes at rush hour. Oh I agree that the time was right for a 3rd car on the gold line although it might be more expensive than you think because the maintenance will add up. Hopefully that kinda pays for itself with more riders once they realize that they have a better chance at getting a seat. And I also agree that not much can be done for the blue line at rush hour although going to 5 minute headways instead of alternating between 5 and 6 minutes is an extra 3-car train per hour. Still maybe more trouble than it's worth. I dunno. But the blue line off-peak service often gets more crowded than rush hour. At some point they really need to look at 10 minute headways (instead of 12 minutes) on Saturdays from 0800 to 1600. |
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Apr 4, 2011 12:39:46 GMT -8
I noticed this a couple of weeks ago when I was in East Los Angeles heading to Little Tokyo, I was curious why they were running such long trains (Siemens with VERY squeaky brakes). And this was in the middle of the afternoon I believe. Must have been huge loads waiting at Union Station to go toward Pasadena, I think it's good that the boarding numbers are taking off like they should. I also wonder why so few ride in East Los Angeles, for me it would have been super convenient to have the regional connector and Expo line finished to make it back to my apartment in Pico-Robertson, I biked and bused back home.
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 4, 2011 21:29:17 GMT -8
I don't ride the Blue Line very often, but every train I've ridden, or seen, even during midday, off peak hours, has had three cars. Pacific Electric usually ran single cars except at rush hours.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Apr 5, 2011 6:15:42 GMT -8
We've talked on here in the past about certain aspects of the east la gold line that negatively impact ridership. Mainly it's slow, it doesn't quite go downtown, and it's route isn't really the best. I became concerned about ridership a few years ago when I noticed that practically no one rode the parallell bus line. But still it's ridership isn't terrible and is steadily growing.
If and when the connector opens it's ridership will really take off and until then it should grow modestly but steadily as people adapt to the new service option.
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Post by carter on Apr 5, 2011 15:03:09 GMT -8
We've talked on here in the past about certain aspects of the east la gold line that negatively impact ridership. Mainly it's slow, it doesn't quite go downtown, and it's route isn't really the best. I became concerned about ridership a few years ago when I noticed that practically no one rode the parallell bus line. But still it's ridership isn't terrible and is steadily growing. If and when the connector opens it's ridership will really take off and until then it should grow modestly but steadily as people adapt to the new service option. Yeah, I think a lot of riders who want to go downtown from East L.A. just hop on a bus that takes them into the heart of the CBD, because there's no transfer and it's probably just as fast as the Gold Line w/ transfer to Red/Purple. The Regional Connector should really tip the scales in favor of the GLEE...and if it doesn't, then I think there needs to be some serious soul searching. |
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Apr 5, 2011 19:47:02 GMT -8
We've talked on here in the past about certain aspects of the east la gold line that negatively impact ridership. Mainly it's slow, it doesn't quite go downtown, and it's route isn't really the best. I became concerned about ridership a few years ago when I noticed that practically no one rode the parallell bus line. But still it's ridership isn't terrible and is steadily growing. If and when the connector opens it's ridership will really take off and until then it should grow modestly but steadily as people adapt to the new service option. Yeah, I think a lot of riders who want to go downtown from East L.A. just hop on a bus that takes them into the heart of the CBD, because there's no transfer and it's probably just as fast as the Gold Line w/ transfer to Red/Purple. The Regional Connector should really tip the scales in favor of the GLEE...and if it doesn't, then I think there needs to be some serious soul searching. Maybe it would be useful to see how many people make trips from the East Los Angeles region to Mid City and the Westside? I think we'd be surprised at how many of those trips get watered down with downtown in the middle of the two with so many buses running throughout it. I notice there's an awful lot of people transferring off the 733/33 before it hits Main St and a lot hang with the 720/20 til the very end. I too think the Eastside Extension when married to the Expo Line via the Regional Connector the ridership is going to be HIGH for the new crosstown line, one of the highest in the nation for sure and it will probably blow right past ridership projections like Phoenix and Houston's crosstown commuter light rail lines. |
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 8, 2011 21:35:36 GMT -8
I noticed three three-car trains on the Gold Line this evening, and that was just while going from South Pasadena to LA Union Station. As one who remembers three-car rush hour trains on the Pacific Electric Monrovia Line, this is a welcome sight.
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Post by rubbertoe on Jun 17, 2011 7:54:19 GMT -8
Metro just announced on The Source this morning that rush hour headways will be reduced from 7.5 minutes to 6 minutes. Not sure when this will be effective, but the Silver Line frequency increases on 6-27-11, so maybe the Gold Line then too. Good news!
RT
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Post by rubbertoe on Jun 28, 2011 6:02:27 GMT -8
Happened to be out and about in Pasadena last night during rush hour, and also this morning on my way to work. It looks like now that they have increased the service frequency, that they are running all 2 car trains. I saw maybe 10 total and none were the recently introduced 3 car variety. I'll update my Gold Line ridership graph to denote the higher service frequency.
RT
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Post by bobdavis on Jul 23, 2011 19:29:54 GMT -8
This afternoon (Saturday) I spotted a three-car inbound train near Allen Station around 4 pm. Back in the ancient times, the only three car trains on Saturdays on the Pacific Electric Monrovia- Glendora Line would be Santa Anita Race Track specials.
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Jul 25, 2011 18:25:55 GMT -8
I rode the Gold Line from Pasadena to DTLA in a three car train on Saturday, I think they were doing it for the X Games the LA Live area. Rode the Blue Line too, same 3 car business as everyday.
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Post by jamesinclair on Feb 4, 2013 22:11:32 GMT -8
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Post by Transit Coalition on Feb 6, 2013 11:26:16 GMT -8
This appeared in the Transit Coalition weekly eNewsletter. |
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Post by calwatch on May 30, 2013 21:00:52 GMT -8
Effective the June shakeup, service will be dropped to a 7-8 minute service during the weekend. Before 10 a.m. 15-20 minute service, 7-8 minute service 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., then 10 minutes until midnight and 20 minutes until close of service. Two car trains during the day, one car at night (the cutover time varies between Sunday-Thursday and Friday-Saturday).
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 17, 2014 0:57:49 GMT -8
Rush hour headways are now 6 minutes on the Gold Line. I've gone by the yard and found very few cars there at 9am (there are usually two two car trains spotted at the Sierra Madre Villa/East Pasadena end tracks.
Weekend news: Sierra Madre Villa Station will be out of service on Jan 18-19 to allow construction work for the Foothill Extension. Bus shuttles will be provided between SMV and Allen. I commented on this outage to a Gold Line operator, noting that there seems to be plenty of room between the station and current end of track to allow construction activity; she said that they may have to turn off the OCS [trolley wire] for safety.
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 18, 2014 18:50:19 GMT -8
 Here's why Gold Line trains were turning back at Allen Station today (and presumably tomorrow). Mass Electric workers were rearranging the trolley wire structures east of the station. Not sure why they're doing it now, because it will probably be several months before it's time to hook up the wires going east, but it's one less thing to do later this year. Attachments:
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Post by bobdavis on May 3, 2014 22:55:10 GMT -8
Metro was ready for today's 75th Anniversary celebration at LA Union Station. The Gold Line was running three car trains most of the day, and changing ends quickly at East Pasadena/Sierra Madre Villa. It brought back memories of Santa Anita Race Track specials on the Pacific Electric back in the late 1940s and on into 1951. I'm also including a photo looking east from the SMV platform. Trackwork for the Foothill Extension is in progress--looks like they'll have a pocket track/crossover arrangement. Note the traffic on the 210--on a Saturday afternoon!    |
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