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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Oct 6, 2011 14:53:41 GMT -8
For the uninitiated, LOSSAN is a railroad that connects San Luis Obisbo, Los Angeles, and San Diego with 5 agencies operating: Amtrak California (Pacific Surfliner), SCCRA (Metrolink), NCTD (Coaster), Union Pacific, and BNSF. A single combined agency containing Metrolink, Coaster, and Pacific Surfliner could greatly increase service on LOSSAN-- possibly getting close to that 30 minute headway range. www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/23/sandag-backs-plan-single-agency-manage-southern-ca/Here's the status of the rest of everything regarding LOSSAN: There's a lot of exciting news going around that I've learned about only after I became a daily rider to Orange County for work at a major automotive headquarters. There's OCTA kicking in extra funding for more train trips in Orange County, which makes it easier to do a reverse commute strictly on MetroLink as I do. Even more impressive when you factor in the autonomy a Rail 2 Rail compatible pass enables. www.octa.net/metrolink.aspxWhat's more, there's big plans to double track significant portions of the LOSSAN corridor where it parallels I-5, including a boring a $1B 11-mile tunnel through a hill that will make a much more direct and time saving trip to San Diego. www.keepsandiegomoving.com/Documents/I5-Corridor/I-5.LOSSAN_Factsheet.pdfAlso, there's details about the triple tracking of the LOSSAN corridor between Los Angeles and Fullerton is at near completion with 7 of 8 segments done and the final is funded. When done this will increase the amount of slots permitted for trains to enter and exit LA County into Orange by a lot. I also tweeted all three agencies about a map/schedule combo that would combine all services for an idea of how robust it really is (Looking at a MetroLink map you wouldn't think so), which it is quite so already comparatively speaking. I received a response from NCRTD that they, in fact, are already working on a combined map of all agencies service between Los Angeles and San Diego. |
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Post by James Fujita on Oct 6, 2011 15:18:17 GMT -8
LOSSAN isn't my top transit priority, but it is good to see this sort of thing happening.
Obviously everything that isn't double-tracked ought to be, even if it means bypassing Capistrano. And tunneling through LaJolla/ UCSD? Sweet! ;D
More down to earth, I really wish TAP and Compass could get together and talk. The Coaster is Compass-accessible, just by using pylons at the stations.
It's the same technology, it's the same vendor/ contractor, it's mostly just bureaucracy keeping them apart. Los Angeles' dirty cash purse isn't going to give San Diego cooties.
And maybe we could get some TAP pylons at Metrolink stations. You'd have to TAP-on, TAP-off and gates would be impossible because of the design of the stations. But it would be doable. That would be more important to me that seeing the tunnels in San Diego.
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Oct 7, 2011 14:07:28 GMT -8
The tunnel through the hill would finally get the Los Angeles-San Diego Surf Liner closer to 2 and a half hours, maybe less with the creaky old bridges being rebuilt, and the speed limits in Orange and San Diego County pushing from the current 79-90mph limit to around 110mph as the improvements keep rolling. It soon might be a 2 hour flat trip to SD from LA long before high speed rail arrives in the region. More down to earth, I really wish TAP and Compass could get together and talk. OCTA CEO said that a unified fare card system from LA to San Diego is a top priority of his at the July TTC dinner meeting! Thinking holistically, the implications of a well-oiled, integrated commuter rail system to Los Angeles as a metropolitan center will spell out a just plain simple and well put rapid transit for the region! Hopping on a train in Orange County or San Diego and not having to look at timetables and worrying about return trip times and blasting up at 110 miles per hour to Union Station, un-boarding and taking a Blue Line light rail train directly (via the intriguing Little Tokyo and Financial Districts in DTLA) south to LA Live in South Park a short 5 minute walk away from the north entrance is downright drool-worthy to continue to aspire for and the wheels are turning to double track the single track areas and triple track the double tracked areas on top of eliminating the creaky bits to modern standard for high speed. CHSR may be a sexy dream for now, but the LOSSAN is an increasingly desirable reality. I think a part of the overall dream for the region should be that www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/metro_metrolink_map.gif Metro & MetroLink map with 6-12 minute headways on the MetroRail side and 30 minute headways on the commuter rail side-- that'll give Europe and the mature American systems runs for their money. |
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Oct 7, 2011 14:08:16 GMT -8
Not to forget that MetroLink is already looking at combining some of the lines so for example a train from the OC could turn out from Union Station and head up to Antelope Valley Line's route, that will be possible with 30 minute service once Metro Regional Rail (who spoke Sept TTC meeting) straighten out the AV Line as that unit's first priority, this is before even run-through tracks get factored in.
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Post by James Fujita on Oct 7, 2011 15:00:42 GMT -8
If OCTA can get a unified electronic fare card system going, I would forgive them for the Center Line light rail fiasco.
It's fascinating reading how Tokyo's SUICA can be accepted in Nagoya or Osaka, which is a ridiculously huge service area involving several different companies, and meanwhile TAP can't seem to get Santa Monica to budge.
Incidentally, I don't see LOSSAN competing with CalHSR, I see them complementing each other. L.A. needs the run-through tracks, it needs the Regional Connector and other light rail projects and at the same time, I think 200 mph is as doable in California as 110 mph.
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Post by thanks4goingmetro on Oct 7, 2011 15:09:27 GMT -8
Incidentally, I don't see LOSSAN competing with CalHSR, I see them complementing each other. L.A. needs the run-through tracks, it needs the Regional Connector and other light rail projects and at the same time, I think 200 mph is as doable in California as 110 mph. The thought is not putting them at odds, which they are not, the idea is that LOSSAN is firm and improving, whereas the CalHSR is still a long ways off, comparatively speaking as a railfan and customer today. 200mph will not happen in the neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Jose and San Francisco, those "book end" areas will have 110 mile per hour limits. Santa Monica isn't budging for the MetroLink EZ Pass either. It ought to embrace a cash purse if it wants to get its share of farebox returns instead of folding arms and going proprietary. |
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Post by masonite on Oct 7, 2011 15:39:53 GMT -8
Incidentally, I don't see LOSSAN competing with CalHSR, I see them complementing each other. L.A. needs the run-through tracks, it needs the Regional Connector and other light rail projects and at the same time, I think 200 mph is as doable in California as 110 mph. The thought is not putting them at odds, which they are not, the idea is that LOSSAN is firm and improving, whereas the CalHSR is still a long ways off, comparatively speaking as a railfan and customer today. 200mph will not happen in the neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Jose and San Francisco, those "book end" areas will have 110 mile per hour limits. Santa Monica isn't budging for the MetroLink EZ Pass either. It ought to embrace a cash purse if it wants to get its share of farebox returns instead of folding arms and going proprietary. LOSSAN is another reason for completing the gap in the Green Line from its current terminus to the Metrolink Station. Santa Monica BBB is going to feel a lot of pressure from customers to adopt TAP once Expo Phase II is completed. A lot of the north-south connections in Phase II are from BBB. They will be all but forced to join TAP by then. |
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Post by jimrsk on Feb 27, 2012 17:39:12 GMT -8
I am excited about the possibility of frequent LOSSAN service. 30 minutes would be fantastic, but I have not heard a peep about this since last November. Is there anything happening that can be reported on? I know they added a trip between SLO and SD but they cut out more than they added, so I am not encouraged yet. Should I be?
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Post by wad on Mar 1, 2012 2:19:10 GMT -8
OCTA CEO said that a unified fare card system from LA to San Diego is a top priority of his at the July TTC dinner meeting! Metro's TAP and San Diego's Compass are identical. OCTA just needs to buy its own gear. BTW, even though the TAP and Compass cards are the same, neither Metro nor MTS will recognize the other's card because it doesn't have the right branding. |
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Post by matthewb on Mar 1, 2012 8:57:56 GMT -8
OCTA CEO said that a unified fare card system from LA to San Diego is a top priority of his at the July TTC dinner meeting! Metro's TAP and San Diego's Compass are identical. OCTA just needs to buy its own gear. BTW, even though the TAP and Compass cards are the same, neither Metro nor MTS will recognize the other's card because it doesn't have the right branding. Clearly it's about getting one card to work on all systems. Politics can be harder to overcome than technology. |
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Post by wad on Mar 4, 2012 4:26:05 GMT -8
Clearly it's about getting one card to work on all systems. Politics can be harder to overcome than technology. I suggested that when Google moved in to buy Motorola Mobility, it should establish an Android-like open source fare media service. Google, via its Transit integration to its maps, was able to at least get transit systems on the same page. It could do the same and prevent agencies from having to think things through themselves and buy overpriced proprietary gear. |
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Post by carter on Mar 4, 2012 10:39:46 GMT -8
Clearly it's about getting one card to work on all systems. Politics can be harder to overcome than technology. I suggested that when Google moved in to buy Motorola Mobility, it should establish an Android-like open source fare media service. Google, via its Transit integration to its maps, was able to at least get transit systems on the same page. It could do the same and prevent agencies from having to think things through themselves and buy overpriced proprietary gear. That's a brilliant idea and totally up Google's alley. My one concern would be what Google might be tempted to do to monitize the information they would get from transit agencies. |
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Post by matthewb on Mar 5, 2012 2:35:47 GMT -8
That's a brilliant idea and totally up Google's alley. My one concern would be what Google might be tempted to do to monitize the information they would get from transit agencies. It's a guarantee that any company will only do something if they think it will profit them. Google will definitely try to monetize any data it gets its hands on. Your mobile tickets would probably include some form of geolocalized advertising at the very least. They would additionally try to use the data to propagate information about your behavior to other aspects of your Google account, changing the behavior of advertising in your inbox, and potentially even changing the kinds of search results you get. |
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Post by hooligan on Mar 5, 2012 9:19:27 GMT -8
Clearly it's about getting one card to work on all systems. Politics can be harder to overcome than technology. I suggested that when Google moved in to buy Motorola Mobility, it should establish an Android-like open source fare media service. Google, via its Transit integration to its maps, was able to at least get transit systems on the same page. It could do the same and prevent agencies from having to think things through themselves and buy overpriced proprietary gear. I like this Idea they already have a payment system called google walet if they could somehow integrate an NFC reader into a fare gate then that would be awesome. |
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Post by rubbertoe on May 15, 2012 5:42:13 GMT -8
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Post by hooligan on May 15, 2012 8:54:37 GMT -8
i cant tell was it double tracked?
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Post by rubbertoe on May 15, 2012 9:15:47 GMT -8
i cant tell was it double tracked? Page 19 of this presentation shows it to be a single track bridge: www.railwayclub.org/media_files/presentations/100608_SANDAG-B_Prey.pdfSeems kind of strange to replace a bridge like that and not double track it. I'm guessing that because it is so close to the ocean that building a double track bridge was an issue... RT |
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Post by hooligan on May 16, 2012 10:14:14 GMT -8
Shame they didnt is this bridge in the area where double tracking is planned in the future
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