Post by antonio on Feb 26, 2008 5:12:23 GMT -8
While the Harbor Subdivision DMU is on the MTA's radar I propose several express DMU lines to provide service to corridors that are unlikely to get light or heavy rail for a looooong time. Most of these would emanate out of Union Station. I envision four important lines that really could be built at a minimal cost compared to urban rail construction and still provide ridership benefits in necessary coridors by providing service at while taking advantage of existing rail ROWs currently used for freight. These lines would also necessitate the LAUS run through project.
South Bay Line: Harbor Subdivision is TTC's first priority. The line would run from LAUS to South Bay Galleria with stops at the Slauson Blue Line station, Vermont or Western, Inglewood and LAX. The Crenshaw Corridor LRT obviously throws the western part of the ROW into question and we could resolve it by running thinner DMUs on this line that are LRT width so they can use the same high platforms. This line would have 10 minute frequencies throughout the day. This would likely be the most costly of the five lines and also the most ridden
Harbor Express Line: LAUS to San Pedro Ports O' Call via Alameda Corridor. There would be just one intermediate stop at Wilmington where the ROW crosses PCH about 8 blocks west of Avalon. Double tracking would be necessary from the Wilmington Station to the San Pedro station plus some very small industrial property takes to widen the ROW a bit in industrial parts of Wilmington south of the station plus a flyover to the main Alameda Corridor tracks. There exists a direct connection but we don't want to mess with freight movements. This line would be super fast and offer a realistic alternative for Harbor area to downtown commuters in addition to working class people in Wilmington to get to the central city area fast and from there transfer to the Red Line for westward movements. 10 minute peak frequencies. 20 minute midday. 30 minute late night. There would be a higher fare for this lane based on future MTA distance based fares for the Foothill line
Burbank Airport Line: This line is fairly self explanatory and easiest to build. All we need are the DMUs and building another terminal platform and at Burbank Airport (the ROW is there. It's just parking right now) and a new station at Taylor Yards. This would serve as a stop for true Cypress Park (the Gold Line station is neither in LH or CP). I see this line being run through with the South Bay Line at 10 minute frequencies all day. Stops would be Burbank Airport, Burbank Media Center, Glendale, Cypress Park, and LAUS
San Gabriel Valley Line: This line assumes San Bernadino line double tracking and would run from LAUS to El Monte Bus Station and would essentially replace MTA's service on the busway. The Metrolink station would be moved to the bus terminal so the DMU and it could share the station and be next to the MASSIVE TOD. I'm not sure where to send this line after El Monte but at the very least it could be a huge trunk that all of Foothill's bus lines feed to. San Bernadino Line trains would bypass the Cal State LA stop because its useless for commuters from the IE headed into downtown and no one uses it to go to school there because Metrolink is so damn expensive. This way they could pay regular rail fare and it would be heavily advertised by the school. This line would run every 10 minutes from beginning of AM peak to an hour or two past the end of PM peak. Silver Streak runs all night and can provide service after 9PM. I was thinking of running this line on the Alhambra Sub but it would miss the huge El Monte TOD/Bus Center and I'm not sure if the ACE would allow for a station in San Gabriel trench. I also don't want to preclude a Silver Line
The last line would be the Foothill DMU which would be a joint venture with SANBAG and would run from Rancho Cucamonga to the Citrus College Gold Line stop in Azusa unless the Foothill Line gets fully funded someday. Stops would be Glendora, San Dimas, Fairplex, Claremont, Montclair, Upland, and Rancho. Frequency would be 10 minutes peak, 20 minutes off peak, 30 minutes late nightThe nice thing is that we could get SANBAG to pay for half of this since it benefits them and 3 out of 7 stops are in SB county.
Any other suggestions?
South Bay Line: Harbor Subdivision is TTC's first priority. The line would run from LAUS to South Bay Galleria with stops at the Slauson Blue Line station, Vermont or Western, Inglewood and LAX. The Crenshaw Corridor LRT obviously throws the western part of the ROW into question and we could resolve it by running thinner DMUs on this line that are LRT width so they can use the same high platforms. This line would have 10 minute frequencies throughout the day. This would likely be the most costly of the five lines and also the most ridden
Harbor Express Line: LAUS to San Pedro Ports O' Call via Alameda Corridor. There would be just one intermediate stop at Wilmington where the ROW crosses PCH about 8 blocks west of Avalon. Double tracking would be necessary from the Wilmington Station to the San Pedro station plus some very small industrial property takes to widen the ROW a bit in industrial parts of Wilmington south of the station plus a flyover to the main Alameda Corridor tracks. There exists a direct connection but we don't want to mess with freight movements. This line would be super fast and offer a realistic alternative for Harbor area to downtown commuters in addition to working class people in Wilmington to get to the central city area fast and from there transfer to the Red Line for westward movements. 10 minute peak frequencies. 20 minute midday. 30 minute late night. There would be a higher fare for this lane based on future MTA distance based fares for the Foothill line
Burbank Airport Line: This line is fairly self explanatory and easiest to build. All we need are the DMUs and building another terminal platform and at Burbank Airport (the ROW is there. It's just parking right now) and a new station at Taylor Yards. This would serve as a stop for true Cypress Park (the Gold Line station is neither in LH or CP). I see this line being run through with the South Bay Line at 10 minute frequencies all day. Stops would be Burbank Airport, Burbank Media Center, Glendale, Cypress Park, and LAUS
San Gabriel Valley Line: This line assumes San Bernadino line double tracking and would run from LAUS to El Monte Bus Station and would essentially replace MTA's service on the busway. The Metrolink station would be moved to the bus terminal so the DMU and it could share the station and be next to the MASSIVE TOD. I'm not sure where to send this line after El Monte but at the very least it could be a huge trunk that all of Foothill's bus lines feed to. San Bernadino Line trains would bypass the Cal State LA stop because its useless for commuters from the IE headed into downtown and no one uses it to go to school there because Metrolink is so damn expensive. This way they could pay regular rail fare and it would be heavily advertised by the school. This line would run every 10 minutes from beginning of AM peak to an hour or two past the end of PM peak. Silver Streak runs all night and can provide service after 9PM. I was thinking of running this line on the Alhambra Sub but it would miss the huge El Monte TOD/Bus Center and I'm not sure if the ACE would allow for a station in San Gabriel trench. I also don't want to preclude a Silver Line
The last line would be the Foothill DMU which would be a joint venture with SANBAG and would run from Rancho Cucamonga to the Citrus College Gold Line stop in Azusa unless the Foothill Line gets fully funded someday. Stops would be Glendora, San Dimas, Fairplex, Claremont, Montclair, Upland, and Rancho. Frequency would be 10 minutes peak, 20 minutes off peak, 30 minutes late nightThe nice thing is that we could get SANBAG to pay for half of this since it benefits them and 3 out of 7 stops are in SB county.
Any other suggestions?
