|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 14, 2012 10:37:54 GMT -8
if the switch is the only thing holding up service, why not start revenue service with the switch in manual mode, and continue troubleshooting the ATP after hours? No, the line cannot open before it's certified to comply with all the CPUC safety requirements.
|
|
|
Post by tonyw79sfv on Mar 14, 2012 11:35:00 GMT -8
Wow, this thread, the most popular on this forum, started 5 years ago yesterday. At that time, Expo phase 1 barely broke ground 6 months back from that point.
|
|
|
Post by carter on Mar 14, 2012 14:43:39 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 14, 2012 14:51:37 GMT -8
Ah! Finally, this is the real prerevenue operation. For the Eastside extension, this phase took six weeks. This would put the opening date at the minimum on April 29. Given the complications with the Expo Line, it could be longer. Hopefully they could also finish testing the Culver City section around that time so that the line could open to Culver City in early May.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 14, 2012 16:46:37 GMT -8
It turns out that this phase could last as long as three months, especially given the ongoing problems; therefore, do not take it as the line opening in about a month. It's basically mostly increased testing activity.
|
|
|
Post by masonite on Mar 14, 2012 17:44:07 GMT -8
It turns out that this phase could last as long as three months, especially given the ongoing problems; therefore, do not take it as the line opening in about a month. It's basically mostly increased testing activity. I agree. While apparent progress like this is good, unless they announce they fixed the junction problems or an actual opening date, there is no point in getting excited. I'm past the point of speculating and more in the camp of let me know when it opens.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 14, 2012 21:18:38 GMT -8
Some Metro insiders are still saying April 15. We'll see. If they finish the Culver City Station on schedule, there is no reason not to wait until May 6 for a full opening to Culver City. It would be great if the flocks of people could ride it to Culver City on the grand-opening day.
|
|
|
Post by wad on Mar 15, 2012 3:06:16 GMT -8
If they finish the Culver City Station on schedule, there is no reason not to wait until May 6 for a full opening to Culver City. Metro might as well wait another month and time the opening for the June bus shake-up.
|
|
|
Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Mar 15, 2012 6:02:54 GMT -8
... there is no reason not to wait until May 6 for a full opening to Culver City. It would be great if the flocks of people could ride it to Culver City on the grand-opening day. I'll tell ya one reason: the rash of shitty press Metro will get for not yet being open (again) for the Festival of Books on April 21/22 on the USC campus. Last year the line had already started testing and there was so much talk of what it will be like "next year when we can take the Expo line." Well, here it is. Next year. And it's not open yet. If that line isn't open by Festival of Books, Metro's gonna have a lot of 'splanin' to do without looking like incompetent 'tards. If they can wrangle an opening by April 15, on the other hand, the LA Times will surely lavish them with praise. If they're going to keep getting tax money for new projects, they need whatever good news they can point out to show they get things done. Otherwise a lot of Metro management staff might be looking for work soon. And they know it.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 15, 2012 8:59:24 GMT -8
I don't think Festival of Books is that much of a big deal. Most people complained last year on the lack of food and restrooms, not lack of public transit.
|
|
|
Post by jamesinclair on Mar 15, 2012 12:00:55 GMT -8
I don't think Festival of Books is that much of a big deal. Most people complained last year on the lack of food and restrooms, not lack of public transit. It doesnt matter, its all about perception. Joe san pedro may never ride expo in his life, but hell be influenced if the headline is "expo opens to thousands visiting book festival" vs "continued delayed mean expo is a no show at popular festival" Which headline will make him more likely to vote for a tax extension?
|
|
|
Post by RMoses on Mar 15, 2012 12:20:14 GMT -8
I am anxious to see how well the hydrophobic Expo Line performs this weekend, judging by past performance I anticipate problems.
|
|
|
Post by rubbertoe on Mar 15, 2012 12:47:54 GMT -8
I am anxious to see how well the hydrophobic Expo Line performs this weekend, judging by past performance I anticipate problems. I'm expecting something like this, only add some rain to make it even worse:
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 15, 2012 13:14:31 GMT -8
I am anxious to see how well the hydrophobic Expo Line performs this weekend, judging by past performance I anticipate problems. I'm expecting something like this, only add some rain to make it even worse: Good one. I was thinking that people who ran that pantograph there must be total idiots but it is saying that it was done as a safety demonstration. Incredible amount of damage for a demonstration. It looks like that overhead wire system is not designed for that pantograph, at least not for that particular one. It may be designed for trolley poles only. With Expo, you can rest assured that something like this will never happen because before they run actual trains, they test the pantographs carefully with a special high-rail vehicle equipped with a pantograph.
|
|
|
Post by davebowman on Mar 15, 2012 15:19:40 GMT -8
If the Expo Line doesn't open in time for the Festival of Books it will not only be a PR fiasco but a huge missed opportunity. On-campus parking is very limited at USC, and if people attending the festival could take the Expo Line and be dropped off just a few steps from the main row of exhibition booths on Trousdale that could create a lot of good will. Conversely, seeing empty test cars go by would be very frustrating.
The next big date would be USC Commencement on Friday, May 11. I don't think many people would take the Expo Line to Commencement (parking at USC is free that day), but the crowd is huge, traffic is terrible, and it would be a great opportunity to raise awareness of the Expo Line if visitors to campus would see train cars--with passengers--stopping regularly at Jefferson/Flower and USC/Expo Park throughout the day.
|
|
|
Post by simonla on Mar 15, 2012 15:20:07 GMT -8
This is what I was referring to--but maybe they're different ATPs or protection systems--reported in yesterday's LATimes (the red type was a bit dramatic imho): "The bill would allow for extension of the 2015 deadline — but not beyond 2018 — for railroads to install collision avoidance systems on trains carrying passengers and toxic materials if the transportation secretary determines that implementation appears unfeasible. Congress in 2008 mandated the systems after a Metrolink commuter train collided with a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, killing 25 people and injuring more than 130. Metrolink is moving to complete installation of its $201-million collision avoidance system by mid-2013."
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 15, 2012 15:50:27 GMT -8
This is what I was referring to--but maybe they're different ATPs or protection systems--reported in yesterday's LATimes (the red type was a bit dramatic imho): "The bill would allow for extension of the 2015 deadline — but not beyond 2018 — for railroads to install collision avoidance systems on trains carrying passengers and toxic materials if the transportation secretary determines that implementation appears unfeasible. Congress in 2008 mandated the systems after a Metrolink commuter train collided with a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, killing 25 people and injuring more than 130. Metrolink is moving to complete installation of its $201-million collision avoidance system by mid-2013." Red type wasn't intended for you. I put it in red because many people have been repeating the falsehood that the ATP at the Expo Line - Blue Line junction is a result of the Chatsworth accident and we wouldn't have the ATP there and the line would have opened long time ago otherwise. This is clearly false because the Chatsworth accident happened a year after Metro asked Expo to install ATP at the rail junction and funded it. Metro asked for it because without ATP, the trip time would increase up to five minutes, as it's very hard to manually run the trains at a busy rail junction. Metro did this with CPUC and it also became a part of the grade-crossing safety approval. It's true that as a response to the Chatsworth accident, federal government mandated ATS (automatic train stop) or ATP (automatic train protection, which is more advanced and also improves the operating efficiency in addition to providing safety) on rail systems where passenger trains use the same tracks with freight trains. But this only relates to commuter rail like Metrolink, passenger rail like Amtrak, and such and has nothing to do with the Expo Line. Besides, as I already pointed out, that came after they started installing ATP at the Expo - Blue Line junction, which was long before the Chatsworth accident. As you might have appreciated after the Chatswoth accident, it's crucial to have ATS or ATP for such lines; therefore, the federal government definitely did the right thing.
|
|
|
Post by masonite on Mar 15, 2012 17:03:58 GMT -8
If the Expo Line doesn't open in time for the Festival of Books it will not only be a PR fiasco but a huge missed opportunity. On-campus parking is very limited at USC, and if people attending the festival could take the Expo Line and be dropped off just a few steps from the main row of exhibition booths on Trousdale that could create a lot of good will. Conversely, seeing empty test cars go by would be very frustrating. The next big date would be USC Commencement on Friday, May 11. I don't think many people would take the Expo Line to Commencement (parking at USC is free that day), but the crowd is huge, traffic is terrible, and it would be a great opportunity to raise awareness of the Expo Line if visitors to campus would see train cars--with passengers--stopping regularly at Jefferson/Flower and USC/Expo Park throughout the day. Don't forget the Springsteen concerts at the Sports Arena April 26 and 27. You are talking 20k people and last time I went a couple years ago the parking was a complete fiasco.
|
|
|
Post by wad on Mar 16, 2012 2:00:08 GMT -8
It doesnt matter, its all about perception. To put things in perspective, the subway's created enough ill will that a ban on further subway construction passed with 2/3 approval in 1998. Does the Expo fiasco warrant a Zev's Law for all rail?
|
|
|
Post by bzcat on Mar 16, 2012 9:21:37 GMT -8
It doesnt matter, its all about perception. To put things in perspective, the subway's created enough ill will that a ban on further subway construction passed with 2/3 approval in 1998. Does the Expo fiasco warrant a Zev's Law for all rail? I don't know... but it's best not to test the hypothesis Just open the line before Festival of Books
|
|
|
Post by simonla on Mar 16, 2012 10:56:56 GMT -8
Another deadline missed (when will people start being fired?). Per the Expo Facebook page:
Alkin James Bilgihan EXPO - has the Venice/Robertson station been handed off for train testing? The completion date was supposed to be 3/15? Like · · 3 hours ago ·
Expo Light Rail Line Hi Alkin! The Venice/Robertson station is still being worked on. We expect service to the Culver City Station to begin later this year.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 16, 2012 11:40:05 GMT -8
It doesnt matter, its all about perception. To put things in perspective, the subway's created enough ill will that a ban on further subway construction passed with 2/3 approval in 1998. Does the Expo fiasco warrant a Zev's Law for all rail? Well... Let's not forget that if we didn't have the Zev's law, the Expo and Gold Lines would never get built... That's what prevented Metro from blowing all the money that they didn't have on a short subway.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 16, 2012 11:47:15 GMT -8
Yes, indeed bad news today -- they missed their deadline for the Culver City guideway work, which was yesterday. The high-rail truck is still at the west end of the structure, installing some thick orange cable, which is either some communications cable or power cable. In a bit of good news, the Balfour Beatty Rail railroad machine with a fork, which was probably being used to align the tracks as necessary, seems to be gone. When will this be finished and train testing will start? Who knows.
Something interesting: Expo landscaping attracted a hive of bees at the north fence just east of Western Avenue, just near the eastbound station platform. As a result, a bee-control team with their protective suits and masks was working on removing the bees. It's amazing how nature attracts life.
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 16, 2012 11:59:29 GMT -8
With the problems they are having at the junction and numerous other problems that they don't even talk about, I don't think they will be able to open on April 15.
In any case, the opening is approaching fast. I think by the end of July, the line will fully open, including Culver City and Farmdale. Hopefully it will be no later than May or June.
|
|
|
Post by Philip on Mar 16, 2012 14:13:39 GMT -8
I'm still standing by my predicition of a mid-August opening.
|
|
|
Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Mar 16, 2012 19:07:16 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Gokhan on Mar 16, 2012 19:29:27 GMT -8
Thanks. The headline incorrectly places the La Cienega Station in Culver City, but if you read the article, it's saying that it will open to La Cienega on April 15 and to Culver City in late May - early June, according to CPO Eric Olson of Expo Construction Authority.
|
|
|
Post by simonla on Mar 16, 2012 20:09:03 GMT -8
Well, they planned on fixing the junction tomorrow (or doing something at the junction), but it's going to rain, so forget that. Ugh, nothing goes right with this line.
|
|
|
Post by gatewaygent on Mar 16, 2012 22:46:39 GMT -8
Waiting for this thing to open is as frustrating as watching a huge block of cement cure. You know it's going to take a long time, but geez! Where is the light at the end of this tunnel? I'm being facetious, but at this glacial pace, it almost seems as though phase II and the Downtown Connector will open up along with phase I!
|
|
|
Post by jamesinclair on Mar 16, 2012 23:41:30 GMT -8
Waiting for this thing to open is as frustrating as watching a huge block of cement cure and the team pouring the cement is made up of kindergarteners fixed.
|
|