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Post by bluelineshawn on Nov 9, 2008 17:59:09 GMT -8
I took a few new pics. Mostly through a dirty car windshield so I wont post but a couple. One interesting update was the beginning construction of some sort of structure on the platform at Atlantic. Could this be some sort of structure for station agents in anticipation of fare gates being installed? I had read that the underground stations on the east LA extension would be the first on our system to have fare gates, but maybe others will as well?Overall things seem to progressing very well. The majority (not all) of the tracks looked complete as far as I could tell. Stations aren't complete, but they're getting there. Atlantic Station  Rail grinder  1st street bridge  |
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Post by bluelineshawn on Nov 9, 2008 18:11:14 GMT -8
Scratch that station agent comment. On second thought I imagine that structure is for the train operators/crew at the end of the line.
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Post by James Fujita on Nov 10, 2008 13:36:52 GMT -8
nice job, for windshield shots.... cloudy days are always difficult for photography, but I was at Union Station on Sunday, trying my best to add my small contribution to the construction historical record:   (four new pictures in total, two dark and gloomy ones and two decent ones...) |
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Post by wad on Nov 19, 2008 4:36:16 GMT -8
The shots look great, James.
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Post by bobdavis on Nov 22, 2008 17:40:27 GMT -8
Today's Eastside report: A Balfour-Beatty crew was installing the "messenger cable" for the crossover just south of the Union Station platform. The overhead support poles (steel columns) are in place along the bridge over the 101 Freeway and I expect the trolley wire will be installed in the next few weeks. Note that the "catenary suspension" used in most light rail trolley wire installations has a heavy cable from which the actual contact wire is suspended with hangers of various lengths. Installations for street-running operation sometimes use "direct" suspension in which the wire is supported only at the poles or span wires.
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art
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by art on Nov 22, 2008 18:59:53 GMT -8
Does anyone have an idea of when trains will actually be running for testing? Im curious to see how the alignment between Lorena and Indiana/4th will turn out during operation.
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Post by darrell on Nov 25, 2008 20:37:58 GMT -8
 On the subject of catenary, this appears to be an insulated wire section between the Pasadena and Eastside Gold Lines, a little south of the platform at Union Station (Metro HQ in the backgound). To the left is hot. But not only is the right side not powered, a grounding cable visible on the far right is attached from the wire to ground at the track to be sure. |
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Post by bobdavis on Nov 26, 2008 21:47:41 GMT -8
The insulated device is called a "line break" or "breaker". The ground cable is called a "personal ground" and is indeed to protect personnel from inadvertent energization of the line. It's somewhat analogous to a "blue flag" in railroad practice, but it's a physical as well as symbolic protection. Breakers are often used at the entrances of repair shops so the wire inside can be turned off to allow work on top of cars. They are also found on main lines to isolate sections of the overhead for maintenance. In Melbourne, Australia there are some locations where 600 volt tramways (streetcar lines) cross 1500 volt electric suburban railways, and a towerman switches the overhead in the middle of the crossing to the correct voltage, a setup requiring eight of these devices.
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Post by darrell on Dec 12, 2008 22:59:59 GMT -8
The insulated device is called a "line break" or "breaker". Thanks, Bob, for the added detail! Here are new photos from today:  Catenary is well underway on the bridge to Union Station, still shining copper in the sun. Little Tokyo station is far right, below.   The curve from 1st Street to the station on the east side of Indiana Avenue.  Catenary detail on 3rd Street, showing a tensioner (weight within the pole to keep a section of wire tight), typical bracket arms, and the heavy copper jumper between upper and lower wires on the right. |
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Post by jejozwik on Dec 13, 2008 8:53:08 GMT -8
darrell, i dont see anything
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Post by Tony Fernandez on Dec 13, 2008 11:57:43 GMT -8
That's strange. Right click on the broken image and pick "open in new tab" or something like it. The pictures work fine, but they won't show here.
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Post by darrell on Dec 13, 2008 12:55:55 GMT -8
I thought I'd resolved my past problems linking from here to photos hosted on picasaweb. Guess not. Let me know if you still can't see them.
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Post by James Fujita on Dec 13, 2008 22:23:54 GMT -8
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Post by jejozwik on Dec 13, 2008 22:33:34 GMT -8
thanks for the photos folks, now we just need to see the rest of the line!
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Post by erict on Dec 14, 2008 16:14:30 GMT -8
Some fantastic shots!
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Post by bobdavis on Dec 14, 2008 20:44:36 GMT -8
More progress! Thanks for the photos! I expect they'll start test trains in the next two months.
And by the end of this month, Phoenix AZ will have light rail trains running.
Bob Davis
Occasional member of OERM's line crew.
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 6, 2009 17:27:23 GMT -8
Quick report from Union Station: A Balfour Beatty crew was installing switch machines for the crossovers south of the LAUS platform. Still to be done is connecting the feeder cables to the trolley wire.
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Post by James Fujita on Jan 19, 2009 10:50:27 GMT -8
I was at Union Station on Saturday, and I wanted to take some pictures of the construction progress, but I must admit, there didn't seem to be much left to do.
The tracks are laid down, the wiring is up and although there were four guys there fiddling with a signal box or something, it was easy to see that the Union Station end, at the very least, is about 99.9 percent complete.
How are things going at the other end? How soon can we expect to see test trains?
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 19, 2009 15:53:15 GMT -8
Last week at the ERHA/SC meeting there was a rumor that test trains would start running this week. This is highly unlikely--I did a quick survey of the project and found barriers in place, crews at work and some overhead hardware installations awaiting completion. Unless they have a major "scramble", we won't see trains until next month. James--I didn't visit Union Station today, did you notice if the "personal ground" cables were still in place between the trolley wire and the rails at the start of the new section?
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Post by James Fujita on Jan 19, 2009 21:41:07 GMT -8
well, I must admit that electrical wiring is not my forte. but things at the station didn't look exactly perfect, and I suspected that it was intentional, for safety purposes.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Jan 19, 2009 22:15:11 GMT -8
According to the website testing was to begin today, but that seems hard to believe. metro |
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Post by roadtrainer on Jan 25, 2009 17:21:00 GMT -8
;D I went on Saturday and i did not see any trains being tested and there were too many safety cones on the tracks. This lead me to believe that no trains were being test yet. Do any of you guys know anybody at the Gold line yard that can give a date of actual testing so we camera bugs can go and take pictures? 
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Post by spokker on Jan 25, 2009 21:25:27 GMT -8
I can't wait to see a train travel over the 1st street bridge. Excitement, she wrote.
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 26, 2009 13:49:44 GMT -8
The construction crews have another four days to tidy things up if Metro wants to start running test trains in January. I wouldn't bet the ranch on this happening. Of course it's a rare project that actually finishes when it's supposed to. At one time, some of us were hoping that what is now the Gold Line would be running by 1995--in time for the 100th Anniversary of the original LA-Pasadena trolley line. And what about Angels Flight? It's not just rail transit systems that run into delays--one of my musical friends has been recording a new double-CD album, and he's working hard to have the "release party" in March. Knowing the vagaries of the music business, it could happen, but I'm not betting the ranch on that either.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Jan 27, 2009 21:30:21 GMT -8
They showed a train car being tested on the news tonight. BUT the car wasn't operating under its own power and the test wasn't for the car at all. The car was being towed by a truck to test clearances.
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Post by spokker on Jan 27, 2009 21:40:56 GMT -8
When this thing starts up I will most likely ride it from end to end just to check it out. Are there any things to see on the route for a guy who has no business being in East LA in the first place?
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Post by bluelineshawn on Jan 27, 2009 21:52:20 GMT -8
IMO there's not really much to see past Boyle Heights. The shopping and restaurants for the most part are far away from the gold line.
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Post by Justin Walker on Jan 27, 2009 21:53:01 GMT -8
Are there any things to see on the route for a guy who has no business being in East LA in the first place? I suppose you could make a lunch trip out of it. Curious MGL Eastside Flavors Map here. |
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Post by spokker on Jan 27, 2009 22:18:52 GMT -8
That's fine. When I toured the new Sprinter line in Escondido all I did was get a burger and come back haha.
Private pilots often go out for "$100 hamburgers", which is just an excuse to fly their plane. The same could be said for me, except my hobby is much cheaper, but vastly more pathetic, haha.
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Post by wad on Jan 28, 2009 5:10:15 GMT -8
IMO there's not really much to see past Boyle Heights. The shopping and restaurants for the most part are far away from the gold line. Well, at the very end is East L.A. College, about 2-3 blocks away, and Monterey Park (home of great authentic Chinese food) is only a 5-10 minute bus ride north. Whittier Boulevard is about 3 or 4 blocks from most stations. |
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