Eastside Gold Line testing

Here are some newer photos of Los Angeles' Eastside Gold Line as it nears opening (also see construction photos from early 2008).

This aerial view of the bridge from Union Station over the 101 freeway is from Metro's headquarters building (8/08).

A test train returns over that freeway bridge to the Gold Line platform at Union Station (7/09).

Another view of that bridge, from Aliso Street on the south side of the freeway (12/08).

Two test trains are in the Little Tokyo station at First and Alameda.

A three-car eastbound test train crosses the First Street bridge. Note the bridge tower has been moved as part of its widening (9/09).

A one-car westbound test train crosses the bridge (9/09).

A test train passes the new school LAUSD built next to the Eastside Gold Line at Mission (9/09).

An older Siemens test car pauses in the station (with its lights briefly showing it to be westbound) before heading east into the tunnel under Boyle Heights (9/09).

An eastbound test train rounds the corner of First onto Indiana (9/09).

This catenary pole on Third Street includes weights to keep the overhead in tension (12/08).

This test train is about to leave the end-of-the-line station at Atlantic (9/09).

Here's the map of the 6 mile long Eastside Gold Line.

Los Angeles Green Line

Much of the Los Angeles Metro Green Line is in the median of the I-105 freeway, built at the same time. Here is a train at the Long Beach Boulevard station (12/07). Waiting here is VERY LOUD. After the Aviation station (two miles from LAX, connected only by airport shuttle bus) the line curves south of the freeway (03/03).

Unique among modern U.S. light rail lines, it is entirely grade-separated because it was originally planned for automated operation. Here is the aerial guideway and station along Nash Street at Mariposa Avenue in El Segundo (03/03). Landscaping and path beneath the aerial structure (03/03). Passing Mattel's headquarters and other office buildings at Grand Avenue in El Segundo (03/03). Entrance to the aerial station at El Segundo Boulevard (03/03). A new light rail bridge and older BNSF Railroad truss bridge diagonally cross the intersection of Aviation Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue (04/03). The current terminus is at Marine Avenue (04/03). It's a long way up to that platform! Future extensions south, north to LAX, and east to Norwalk Metrolink are in Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan. More at Friends of the Green Line. The 20-mile Green Line (map source) opened in 1995 for a cost of $718M. Recent ridership has been around 39,000 average weekday boardings. Weekday peak headways are 7-8 minutes; middays and weekends are 15 minutes; nights are 20 minutes.

L.A. Eastside construction 2008

We'll begin with construction progress on the Los Angeles Eastside Gold Line this year. This is the bridge from Union Station (distant left) over the 101 freeway and crossing Aliso Street east of Alameda Street, looking east (2/08).

Rails on the bridge, looking south from the end of the Union Station platforms (7/08).

After the Little Tokyo station on Alameda, the line turns east on 1st Street to cross the Los Angeles River (distant center-left), looking east (2/08).

At Mission Road just east of the 1st Street bridge, East L.A. New High School No.1 under construction on the left, western tunnel portal in the distance on the right, looking east (3/08).

Subway station on 1st Street at Soto Street, looking west (5/08).

Eastern tunnel portal on 1st Street west of Lorena Street, Evergreen Cemetery on the right, looking west (5/08).

Just east of the 60 freeway crossing, on 3rd Street at Downey Road, New Calvary Cemetery on the right, looking east (3/08).

The station on 3rd Street at Mednik Avenue, Griffith Middle School on the right, looking east (3/08).

Here is the terminus station on 3rd Street at Atlantic Boulevard, looking west (5/08). A number of corridors from El Monte to Whittier are now being considered for potential future extension east.

This is the map from the Final EIS/EIR (in Executive Summary Graphics). The 6-mile line, with twin 1.8-mile tunnels (red on map) under narrow 1st Street in Boyle Heights, is scheduled to open in 2009. Budgeted cost is $898M, including a federal New Starts share of $490.7M.