LA's Red Line Metro Subway

I don't know where to fit this topic so I'm thinking it can go here. Recently I heard that the Mayor of LA is planning for the Red Line to go all the way to the beaches ala "Subway to the Sea" where peopel can go from downtown LA to the Beaches with a 17 mile extension of the Red Line. The Mayor says it'll be up by 2010. What about a Red Line Extension to LAX? Will it be extended there or any place else? It's a shame that the TRUE Subway is only 20-30 Stations long at only 6-8 cars a train while it can do better once extended to the beach and to LAX along with connecting to other subway lines.

Oh and since the Blue Line connects Los Angeles with Long Beach why not have both ends extended to connect LAX and the other to connect Long Beach Airport?

AFAIK, the only proposal to add service LAX is a branch of the green line - and that is completely unknown given the other priotities LA has (i.e. the west extension).

Also, wasn't extension of the subway west of Wiltshire banned because of potential methane pockets?

Hi All,

If you take the Green Line to the Aviation Blvd. station, just go downstairs and catch the FREE bus shuttle to LAX. This service has been in operation for quite some time. And, if you are lugging heavy luggage, the elevators that take you up to the platforms for the Green Line LRV's will come in handy. With sufficient luggage, the bus driver will place the luggage in the carrier area below the seats.

Do los angelas subway cars resemble new york city subway cars?

Not exactly. One can perhaps say that they resemble NYCTA insofar as all subway cars have similar characteristics; but no, there certainly is no exact resemblance and indeed Red Line cars could be termed unique. More pix from NYCSubway.org

Speaking of the Red Line - That thing really moves! I loved riding that line. What a blast.

Can the Red Line be upwards of 8 cars or is the max 6?

The red line moves up to 75 MPH b/w downtown and North Hollywood. I think the max is four married pair (it might be three) which is the same as eight cars.

Hi All,

That top speed under the mountains towards Hollywood sounds about right. It is a straightaway and so the motorman can opern her up. There are governors on the cars and so the speed is rigidly controlled. Also, most of the line has turns, some of them really sharp. That keeps the speed down.

The stations can handle five units, or ten cars. Haven't seen that yet, but I almost never travel during rush hour, when it might be needed. Had a chat with a motorman the other day, he was waiting with his train at Union Station. His major beef was the shortness of the lines. By the time he settles down, he has come to the end of the line. He would like to see more lines and branches. Call it Growing Pains.

I tell you, they did the red line right. It is fast, easily accessible, and convenient.

I'm not disputing the curves comment about keeping the speed down, but I tell you most of the curves on the redline are nothing in comparison to east coast subway curves.

Can passengers see out the front of the train?

Hi HeadEnd,

Unfortunately, NO. The motorman's cab takes up the entire front of the lead car, and there is frosted glass between you and the motorman. The motorman has an excellent view of the tunnel ahead, at least 180 degrees. He or she is also the conductor, since he or she operates the doors as well, and cues the tape announcing the next station. Busy fellow. According to one motorman I spoke with, at Union Station, not while he was operating the train, it is pretty straight forward and you get into the swing of things quickly. He wanted the lines to be longer, since by the time he has settled down for the trip, the trip is over. By the way, the door to his cab has a frosted window that can be lowered. You need a special key to get into the cab. The Red line uses Japanese equipment.

From looking at pictures on

http://world.nycsubway.org/us/losangeles/red.html

it looks like you used to be able to see through the cab. Was this a recent change?

Hi,

Great shots, but none of the interior of the cars. The cars have not been changed, and you cannot see out the front windows of the lead car, or even see the motorman. Should the motorman take pity on you and leave the back window to his cab open, then you could see through the front windows and even see the motorman. Usually that frosted window is closed and locked, same with the door to the cab. Generally, with the pre recorded station messages, you cannot tell if your motorman is a man or a woman. You would have to exit the car and walk up to the front of the lead car and look through the side window of the cab to see what is in the cab.

Thanks guys. So nothing much to see in the L.A. subway.

What about the Blue and Gold Line trolleys? Can you see out the front of those?

I rode the red line in May - If you have excelent vision you can see through the front of the cab... You have to put your face directly up to the glass of the cab on the left side and have something like a hoodie (or some other ingenious method) to block the interior lights from the glass.

The Blue line is cool, you can see out no problem if standing at the door to the cab. The Gold Line, you know I can't remember - I think it is more difficult or impossible to view the gold line... not too sure.

Have not been on the green line but my impression is that the green line and gold line operate the same type of cars - actually, if I am not mistaken, the Gold Line cars are ex-green line cars. The green line had an excess fleet because ridership projections were too high. They didn't need as many cars there as they once thought. Alas, they moved some to the gold line.

In May I saw a new vehicle being tested on the gold line. Pretty sleek looking car... I liked it a great deal. Got to see it close up at Union Station one night.