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Post by crzwdjk on Jul 22, 2009 20:10:55 GMT -8
If it's safety critical systems that need testing, it's understandable. And frankly, I think a slight delay in the opening is better than opening a line with systems not quite tuned, like the original part of the Gold Line, where they had to then go back and adjust the signal system to speed it up. Hopefully as more light rail gets built, they'll have more experience with the systems involved and use things that have already been tested on the existing lines, and the testing process will go faster.
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Post by Transit Coalition on Jul 24, 2009 20:21:08 GMT -8
today, I heard a rumor that the extension won't open unit next year. Hope this is not true. I have to tell you that any rumors like this are going to be removed from this discussion board. Since I get information directly from the General Manager of Metro Rail, the Chief Capital Management Officer, the head of East L.A. Construction, the Chief Rail Scheduler and the Authority CEO and assistant CEO, there should only be facts coming from top management. I know many people out there have many opinions, but they may not be the ones charged with the Safety Critical Decisions with the Ultimate Responsibility. Additionally, if you are not willing to identify an individual with their full name and title and their involvement in the decision making cycle, they probably know little more than you and who knows what they are told and what they misinterpret? Opening a new system is not just like screwing in a light and turning on the switch. There are hundreds of systems that must work on their own and together with everything else. Testing completely before pre-revenue operations has to be through and every assumption must be challenged. In stress testing the brand new system, faults are coming out that can be safely addressed NOW. Can you imagine what would happen if something was missed while carrying a full complement of passengers? Now anyone here is free to bring those "rumors" and "street talk" to my attention and I can investigate and get an answer by using the TTC contact information list at the top of this discussion board.
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Post by wakko11 on Jul 31, 2009 6:49:44 GMT -8
The concrete is being jackhammered away and the tracks are being removed on 1st between Clarence and Gless. I guess there's a problem with the track installation there. Oh well, another couple weeks more of delay
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Post by metrocenter on Jul 31, 2009 8:26:07 GMT -8
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Post by JerardWright on Jul 31, 2009 9:43:33 GMT -8
The concrete is being jackhammered away and the tracks are being removed on 1st between Clarence and Gless. I guess there's a problem with the track installation there. Oh well, another couple weeks more of delay If I remember there a track switches at that location so it might be an adjustment made to get the switches to work and the hardened concrete may have been getting in the way of it.
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Post by rubbertoe on Aug 1, 2009 9:39:50 GMT -8
First time posting a large number of pictures so bear with me if things don't go well. Click on each to get a larger picture. Imageshack was being slow this morning, so if anyone knows a better photo hosting service just let me know and I will switch to that in the future. Took a ride out this morning to follow the line, at least to Mariachi Plaza. Here is what I saw starting with Little Tokyo: Corner of Alameda and 1st, looking East Long view of station from South end Electronic message board signs. These are great, not sure if they will be retrofitting the other Gold Line stations with these or not. I remember seeing these in SF on Bart, letting you know when the next train is coming. "12 car train in 2 minutes to SFO"... This was driving East down 1st, right before the 1st street bridge. Unless you have seen this in person, you probably don't realize what a huge project it is to widen this bridge. This may have been the first time I ever drove across it. Now for the Pico/Aliso station. Long view from the West side East end of Pico/Aliso with some of the artwork in view, electronic signs, not sure what was in all the empty cardboard boxes The new East LA high school is right across the street from the station. Brand new from the looks of it, with an opening in the fall of 2009. I wonder if the location and/or opening date of the school was decided with the station location in mind? The street exit signs are on their way up, and the one that is uncovered shows what kind of info will be on the remaining ones that are still covered up Here are a couple shots of the concrete cutting that someone mentioned previously. I was in the car and moving so the framing of the photo could have been better. The crew working on this was at least a dozen guys And finally Mariachi Plaza. Last of the 4 is from the corner looking back toward downtown. On the left by the loader is what looks like is the entire corner lot used by Metro for construction staging for the Plaza work. Not sure what will end up on that corner when the work is complete. Sure is prime real estate. Maybe the RAC presentations show what the TOD around the stations will be. I seem to remember seeing that, will have to check back... Robert
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Post by warrenbowman on Aug 1, 2009 17:37:53 GMT -8
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Aug 1, 2009 18:12:06 GMT -8
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Post by darrell on Aug 1, 2009 20:39:12 GMT -8
First time posting a large number of pictures so bear with me if things don't go well. Click on each to get a larger picture. Imageshack was being slow this morning, so if anyone knows a better photo hosting service just let me know and I will switch to that in the future .... Robert Thanks for the photos, Robert! Some of us have standardized on 800-pixel-wide display photos. Would that work with Imageshack, to post them there at 800 pixels if they don't offer an 800-pixel thumbnail? Display here at 800 pixels fills the column and looks nice. Only problem is slow display on slow Internet connections - although nobody has complained.
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Post by warrenbowman on Aug 2, 2009 19:27:49 GMT -8
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Post by wakko11 on Aug 7, 2009 8:07:23 GMT -8
The concrete is being jackhammered away and the tracks are being removed on 1st between Clarence and Gless. I guess there's a problem with the track installation there. Oh well, another couple weeks more of delay If I remember there a track switches at that location so it might be an adjustment made to get the switches to work and the hardened concrete may have been getting in the way of it. They are jackhammering out the concrete between Clarence and Utah now, too. Basically, most of the concrete median is being removed, so it must be quite an adjustment they're making.
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Post by metrocenter on Aug 7, 2009 9:04:47 GMT -8
Zut alors! Now I'm just hoping this line opens by the end of the year!
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Post by James Fujita on Aug 8, 2009 11:12:35 GMT -8
but so far it's just this one neighborhood, right? near the Pico Aliso station?
it's not like the whole thing has to be rebuilt.... right?
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Post by metroman on Aug 12, 2009 21:36:01 GMT -8
There is, in fact, a legal agreement with the Federal Government to open the line by the end of the year. That is the only date anywhere where there is a promised opening date. That would be Dec 19th.
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Post by metrocenter on Aug 14, 2009 8:13:14 GMT -8
but so far it's just this one neighborhood, right? near the Pico Aliso station? it's not like the whole thing has to be rebuilt.... right? The work seems to be focused on certain locations. These are locations with crossovers. Could be a problem with sensors or switching actuators. I drove the length of the route yesterday. The concrete is substantially removed on First between Clarence and Gless. The same thing is true on 3rd Street just east of Indiana. I cannot recall if there were other locations ripped up as well.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Aug 14, 2009 19:34:07 GMT -8
The concrete at every above ground (and below?) crossover has been removed. I can easily see that if there were a problem with one switch that they would dig up all of them just to be safe since the line isn't running yet anyway. Otherwise, perhaps they all have the same problem and there is an equipment or design flaw. Have you heard anything new Bart?
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Post by metroman on Aug 14, 2009 23:44:30 GMT -8
The concrete is being jackhammered away and the tracks are being removed on 1st between Clarence and Gless. I guess there's a problem with the track installation there. Oh well, another couple weeks more of delay If I remember there a track switches at that location so it might be an adjustment made to get the switches to work and the hardened concrete may have been getting in the way of it. I was told it's a signal problem - system is showing false occupancy. Contractor who installed the system doesn't know where the fault is, but suspects the concrete has some electrical properties that interferes with the signal. But that info is a couple of weeks old. They may have a solution by now.
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lc
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by lc on Aug 20, 2009 18:09:23 GMT -8
I'm happy to be able to post on the boards. I have quite a few questions so thank you in advance for your patience. 1. Where do things stand as far as construction goes? What is left to be done on the above ground stations? 2. What if left to be done underground? 3. Are there any web sites where I can see photos of the underground stations? 4. When is the six weeks of pre-rider testing scheduled to start? 5. Will there be a free weekend to ride the Gold Line once it opens?
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Post by metroman on Aug 21, 2009 15:31:19 GMT -8
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Post by losangeles2319 on Aug 21, 2009 17:42:31 GMT -8
Those pictures are beyond all belief, Awesome!
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Post by metroman on Aug 21, 2009 20:14:19 GMT -8
Those pictures are beyond all belief, Awesome! Thanks for the kind words. I should have posted a smaller image size, me thinks. Here's a few more: www.flickr.com/photos/31267310@N05/
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Post by James Fujita on Aug 21, 2009 20:21:33 GMT -8
judging from the photos, it looks like the Mariachi Plaza station is going to be one of the nicer looking stations in the system. Very clean lines. Good job with the photos...
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Post by Jason Saunders on Aug 22, 2009 7:45:48 GMT -8
judging from the photos, it looks like the Mariachi Plaza station is going to be one of the nicer looking stations in the system. Very clean lines. Good job with the photos... Yes, I concur. Look at the indirect lighting, tile work, arched roof and pendent in this picture: WOW! These pictures are like candy. Thanks!
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Post by Gokhan on Aug 22, 2009 11:50:55 GMT -8
According to what the construction workers told to Alan, the engineering contractor's plan had a fault in it (shorts through the concrete and/or bad contacts in the rail junctions?). So the concrete was removed, new copper rail bonds are being applied and the paving will be done with asphalt. Photo credits: Alan K. Weeks
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Post by Jason Saunders on Aug 22, 2009 13:02:54 GMT -8
Thanks Gokhan,
This is a very expensive mistake. I want to know the details. Were the faults up and down the entire extension? How much concrete has to be removed? Who's going to pay for it? It seems to me they could have tested a patch.
It's kind of a bummer that it will be replaced with asphalt. Asphalt is very ugly as it ages. Have you noticed how it looks on the blue line around Washington?
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Post by antonio on Aug 22, 2009 22:09:43 GMT -8
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure its just at the crossovers where this electrical problem is occurring and so its only those sections that are being replaced with asphalt. It would be much more of an outrage if the concrete along the entire line were torn up and replaced by asphalt because the colored concrete they have on the tracks looks nice and you make a good point about the disrepair of the Blue Line tracks on Washington and Flower
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Post by bluelineshawn on Aug 23, 2009 12:35:47 GMT -8
Antonio, you are correct unless there are some underground portions that are being replaced. The above ground ones are all at crossovers.
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Post by Transit Coalition on Aug 23, 2009 18:19:57 GMT -8
I'm happy to be able to post on the boards. I have quite a few questions so thank you in advance for your patience. 1. Where do things stand as far as construction goes? What is left to be done on the above ground stations? 2. What if left to be done underground? 3. Are there any web sites where I can see photos of the underground stations? 4. When is the six weeks of pre-rider testing scheduled to start? 5. Will there be a free weekend to ride the Gold Line once it opens? The Transit Coalition will have a booth at the Grand Opening of the East Los Angeles Gold Line. We will need volunteers either all day or part of the day on Opening Weekend Saturday and Sunday, so start thinking of donating your time to help us out. What date? That is still a mystery, but Metro is starting to let things slip, so we are getting closer to a real date in mid-October. Here is the story from the Monday Downtown News: Gold Line Extension Targets Mid-October OpeningPublished: Friday, August 21, 2009 3:41 PM PDT DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, once expected to open in September, will now debut in mid-October at the earliest, Metro spokesman Marc Littman said last week. The agency is slated to begin “stress tests” at the end of August, during which all aspects of the equipment and infrastructure is tested. The next and final step is pre-revenue testing, a five-week period when the trains run exactly as they will once the line opens — the only missing piece will be the riders. The $899 million project includes a new station in Little Tokyo at Second and Alameda Streets, and will connect Downtown with East Los Angeles. “We haven’t set a date,” Littman said. “But theoretically, the earliest would be mid-October.” page 2, Monday, 08/24/2009 OK, this is an example of something official from Metro. It isn't from some random operating employee, but from the News Bureau, so it has some official weight. It appears that most of the shake down challenges have been resolved.
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Post by James Fujita on Aug 23, 2009 18:56:48 GMT -8
Ironically, I asked my boss ages ago if I could have the last week of October off so I could take a vacation to Hawaii. My mom and I have been planning this trip for months. My schedule at the moment is month-to-month (and I tend to work on Sundays), so it remains to be seen if I would be able to attend the grand opening at all, let alone volunteer. which is unfortunate, because there's no line in the history of Metro Rail which I have been anticipating more than this one! Ah well. Hopefully somebody will take some pictures of the crowd that will be sure to form at the Little Tokyo station on Day 1....
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lc
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by lc on Aug 23, 2009 19:21:21 GMT -8
I could not donate a day but my first thought is that I would be available to help out for four or five hours. It sounds like fun.
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