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Post by Transit Coalition on Aug 2, 2008 8:00:10 GMT -8
the train is very crowded specially during the rush hr but Metro won't add third car on Gold Line which they should. Snuffy As always, there are more issues you can't see. Ah, transit. Right now there is not car availability and if there was, there is a car storage issue. Yes, right now there are cars being broken in and sure you could add an additional car up to three. But, starting in March, the Gold Line East LA practice burn in cycle will start and the full line service is predicated on two car trains. With that said, the concern is that if you add an additional car now, you will have to remove it in less than a year making the trains crowded. Now the other additional cars are needed for the Expo Line in Summer 2010. So, the next 50 cars are already allocated. Would you, as a fleet manager, add cars now only to need them later and take them away? Now, the other issue is storage capacity. If you added the cars to the Gold Line and had more equipment, there is an issue of maxing out the Midway Yard. Already there are discussions of storing cars by extending the tail tracks along the 210 freeway, as storage is a serious issue right now. So, what would your decision be as a fleet manager? You have to deal with an INSANE Metro political board, who can only understand things after the next disaster. The board has been warned about Light Rail fleet expansion and capacity needs. And Ansaldobreda has been put on notice that Metro will cancel the 100 car option, should they not get the new fleet working to specs quickly. I recall that maybe 6 cars have been accepted and are now running, but the factory must be more forthright in addressing tech issues. Hopefully this will give you some insight on behind the scenes decision making and why the fleet is managed as it is. Solve the political problem out to Azusa and you have your storage. Many issues, with huge complications for each solution. |
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Post by jejozwik on Aug 2, 2008 10:33:08 GMT -8
would connecting the different lines [downtown connector] allow for storage sharing? adding capacity for more trains?
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Post by Transit Coalition on Aug 2, 2008 10:57:16 GMT -8
would connecting the different lines [downtown connector] allow for storage sharing? adding capacity for more trains? Sure the downtown connector would change the storage situation. However, right now there is a storage crisis with the upcoming Expo Line, as there is not enough space at the Blue Line yards to expand the service. Right now Metro is looking to add a small storage yard where the tail tracks exist at Washington and Long Beach Blvd. For the long term, Expo will have another yard in Phase II, but short term, even building the connector won't resolve storage issues. As I mentioned a bit earlier, if the Gold Line extension to Azusa / Citrus gets resolved, Metro has a facility that it can purchase just north of the Gold Line Right of Way. But, this could be years into the future, unless there is a surprise political deal, which we badly need. The other issue is the Light Rail fleet expansion. To allow 3 car trainsets, Metro must exercise the second 50 car option from Ansaldobreda. That won't happen until Metro is satisfied and is willing to accept the first 50 cars. Ah, so many issues and details. |
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Post by bluelineshawn on Aug 2, 2008 20:31:01 GMT -8
The plan is to go to 3-car trains at rush hour on the gold line sometime in the next 5 years. They are considering extending the tracks at Sierra Madre station to allow for extra car storage.
But honestly I don't see where the gold line would need 3-car trains at this point. It has gotten more crowded over the last year and that is fantastic, but trains are supposed to be crowded (to some extent) at rush hour. Maybe gold line riders have gotten used to always having a seat. Despite the uptick the gold line is still the least crowded of all the rail lines.
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Post by Elson on Aug 3, 2008 23:04:51 GMT -8
The housing density and job density needs to increase along the line. How exactly will this help? The problem with the Gold Line is that this is a line where the train has little capacity to really transform its surrounding neighborhoods. I've noticed that in the mid-corridor section of the Gold Line, it's VERY similar to some of the neighborhoods that the San Diego Trolley runs through, particularly the El Cajon line. |
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Post by Elson on Aug 3, 2008 23:07:31 GMT -8
The plan is to go to 3-car trains at rush hour on the gold line sometime in the next 5 years. They are considering extending the tracks at Sierra Madre station to allow for extra car storage. . As a daily Gold Line commuter I think they should move the crossover or just build a second one east of the station. If you're headed towards Sierra Madre Villa, waiting for the Union Station-bound train to clear the crossover track just kills a few minutes of your travel time. As for extra car storage, the existing tail tracks can already hold about three 2-car trains each. So that's about 12 cars total. |
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Post by bluelineshawn on Aug 4, 2008 11:34:43 GMT -8
That might work although the estimate from the memo is that they will be short space for 15 cars. They must need to extend the tracks and power at least slightly.
Given that Sierra Madre is a center platform I don't know why they have to wait like they usually do. I've ridden when they didn't wait for the Union Station train and just pulled into the south side of the platform. I don't know how common that is since I don't ride much. That time it worked great for me since I was able to get my first P2550 ride since that was the train waiting.
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Post by Elson on Aug 4, 2008 15:29:49 GMT -8
Interesting if that ever happens soon. I'm not exaggerating, but I can look out my office window and see the tail tracks right there below me.
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Post by Gokhan on Aug 11, 2008 18:20:58 GMT -8
I can't believe there are so many idiots out there. Why would you park your car on railroad tracks? I'm sure Damien will talk about this in the Farmdale evidentiary hearings for the rest of the week.
Metro Gold Line train hits car, 1 injured
The vehicle parked on the tracks is struck about 11:40 a.m. in Pasadena.
By Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
1:17 PM PDT, August 11, 2008
A Metro Gold Line train struck a vehicle parked on the tracks this morning in Pasadena, seriously injuring an Altadena man, authorities said.
The driver, a man around 60 years old, suffered cuts to his head and hands and complained of pain in his legs but was conscious, said Lisa Derderian, spokeswoman for the Pasadena Fire Department.
The train was traveling southbound near the Del Mar station when it struck a four-door Geo Prizm, Derderian said. Crossings were down when the train struck the vehicle around 11:40 a.m., and it was not immediately clear why the man was on the tracks, she said.
Pasadena police were interviewing the estimated 40 people who were on the train. Surrounding streets were cordoned off as police and Metro authorities investigated the incident.
The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was transported to a nearby hospital.
victoria.kim@latimes.com
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Post by Jason Saunders on Nov 14, 2008 14:38:25 GMT -8
Poll Question: Was the gold line a success?
I think the answer to this question is yes, however there are things that could have been done to make it more successful: things that cost money but have tremendous benefits.
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Post by roadtrainer on Jan 23, 2009 17:58:19 GMT -8
 Hey what happened? ? 
I thought the Metro Board was going to fund the Metro gold line extension to Azusa right away, but with this vote that was taking on the 22nd. that there was no mention of the extension to Azusa. Am I missing something here??? 
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Post by kenalpern on Jan 24, 2009 13:27:50 GMT -8
Excellent question, roadtrainer--I had the same initial response. This was just for the projects that were ready to switch from the Alternatives Analysis to the EIR phase.
The Azusa extension is ready for preliminary engineering and funding, so it was not on the agenda any more than was Phase 2 for Expo.
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Post by roadtrainer on Jan 25, 2009 17:17:38 GMT -8
THANKS DOC: APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS! |
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 14, 2011 23:39:23 GMT -8
Tonight's Gold Line report: I rode into LA from Sierra Madre Villa for an evening meeting at the Metro building. The train had a nearly full load, with passengers boarding and detraining at nearly all stops. Coming home on the 10:16 out of Union Station, we had a single car (Breda 718) with a standing load, including 8 to 10 Pacific Railroad Society members, some of whom remembered the Big Red Cars of Pacific Electric. Several of the younger passengers got off at Highland Park, possibly heading for a night of music at Mr. T's Bowl, which is a block from the railway station. So much for the naysayers who said nobody would ride it! Then they said that the trains would be full only at rush hours. I haven't heard much of that sort of talk lately.
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 14, 2014 19:09:18 GMT -8
I've been logging quite a bit of Gold Line time lately, being on jury duty in the LA Civic Center. I've been driving to the East Pasadena (Sierra Madre Villa) terminal every morning, and today I received a rude shock: The only non reserved/non-handicapped parking spot left in the whole structure had enough room for a Mini Cooper and that was about it. I wound up going to the Del Mar underground parking facility and paying $2.00 for the privilege. Annoying, but gratifying to see my "home road" doing so well.
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Post by bobdavis on Jun 3, 2014 22:26:25 GMT -8
Today I had to leave our motor home at the service center in Placentia. I knew they wouldn't take me home to San Gabriel, but their driver gave me a ride to the Amtrak/Metrolink station in Fullerton. It about 15 minutes, the Surfliner came in and took me to Union Station. From there I took the 1:49 pm Gold Line train to East Pasadena. Here's what's worthy of mention: It was a standing load from Union Station to South Pasadena! This is in the early afternoon, not close to rush hour. And many, if not most of the passengers were young people, not old guys like me who remember the Big Red Cars of Pacific Electric days.
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Hey what happened?
? 
