Metro's Blue Line Vintage Sign Auction Nets $30,000; Yes, I Bought One

As the Metro prepares to reopen its Blue Line on November 2 after major renovations, the big news is that it will now be known as the "A Line" -- as the L.A. rail system moves away from a color-coded system to a letter-based one. That also means many of the Blue Line's old signs are obsolete.

On Thursday, the Metro Shop held a Metro Blue Line Celebration and Vintage Sign Auction, pulling in at least $30,000 as people — including, yes, me —— purchased some of the old, retired signs from the line. Some of that money will go toward paying for the event; the rest will go back into Metro's general fund.

I was looking for one that said "Los Angeles," and managed to win one (although it wasn't cheap). Most of the major signs fetched $150 to $200, but there were deals for smaller signs. Around 300 vintage Blue Line signs that have been replaced were auctioned to the public; I wonder what happened to the others. (Go here to see how much each sign ultimately fetched.)

The event itself took place at the Union Station historic ticketing hall, and featured food, beverages and live music by Maria de la Vega & the Wayward Five. Some pics:

And yes, this is the one I ultimately purchased.

Hello, Expo Line: We Finally Make the Trip to Santa Monica

No, New York Times, it is NOT the "Subway to the Sea." It's not a subway, first off. (The Metro Purple Line, which could be the "Subway to the Sea" one day, is so far only scheduled to reach as far as Westwood. The NYT hasn't issued a correction yet.)



But the Metro Expo Line DOES reach the sea, and that's been one of the big game changers this year when it comes to public transportation in Los Angeles. We recently finally rode the length of the Expo line, from 7th Street downtown, all the way to the ocean.



A few snap observations: As the Metro itself has admitted, the Expo Line needs more train cars, at least on the weekend. Apparently the additional train cars have been ordered... but for now, the trains are crowded. And on the weekend, people are mostly heading to the very end -- meaning the train gets busier and busier up until the end of the line.

Thankfully, having started at the beginning of the line, we had seats.



Next: Keep your fingers crossed you get a newer train car. On the way down, we road in an older train, built in the late 1980s and probably been in use since the Blue Line first opened in 1990. The air conditioning was not existent, making the car hotter and hotter as more people climbed on board. (We had a newer train on the way back, and it was cool riding.)



The ride itself is very pleasant, and offers interesting views of the city -- including Exposition Park and its museums, and a great view of the Hollywood Hills (including the Hollywood sign) during the elevated sections.



Things get pretty crowded at the end of the line, as crowds disembark and wander every which way into Santa Monica. But to be so close to the ocean, it's a dream come true -- our TRAIN to the sea has arrived!



Most importantly, the Expo Line has now CHANGED THE GAME when it comes to the Great Los Angeles Walk! For the first time this year, there will be an easy rail option to get to and from the start and finish lines!

Dare to Dream: Los Angeles' Metro System in 2040?

Chris Nichols over at Los Angeles magazine writes that Metro has posted a map of what our local rail system might look like in just 25 or so years. " love this prediction that 2040 will bring extensions to almost every subway and light rail line, lots of new Rapid buses, a high-speed elevated line to Santa Ana, and a bullet train to San Francisco. In a few weeks the Gold Line to Azusa and the “subway to the sea” Expo Line to Santa Monica will debut," Chris writes.

Per Metro, this map "is an imagined rendering created by Jake Berman of Studio Complutense . But it definitely gets you thinking!

Retro Friday: The Last of Los Angeles' Red Cars

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Los Angeles' Metro Red Line (which first opened in 1993), here's a color film chronicling the end of the run of L.A.'s original transit system -- which was completely scrubbed by 1961.

FREE L.A.: Ride The Expo Line This Weekend

Metro opens the Expo Line with free rides all weekend.

On Saturday, Metro will offer free live music, karaoke, local dance and food (for purchase) at several stations: 7th St/Metro Center Station, Expo Park/USC Station, Expo/Crenshaw Station and La Cienega/Jefferson Station.

Go here for more details.

Expo Line Opens Next Month; But Please, Metro, Change the Name

Big news: Phase one of Metro's Expo line from downtown to Santa Monica (ending, for now, at La Cienega) opens on Saturday, April 28. Reports Metro's The Source blog:

The line will initially open between 7th/Metro Center station in downtown Los Angeles and the La Cienega station. The final station on the first phase of the project, at Venice and Robertson in Culver City, will open this summer.

Meanwhile, construction has begun on the second phase of the Expo Line between Culver City and Santa Monica. That part of the project — funded by the Measure R sales tax increase approved by L.A. County voters in 2008 — is scheduled to open in 2015.

For now, it looks like Metro is committed to calling it the "Expo Line." I honestly thought the agency would have come to its senses by now and gone back to the original plan, calling it the "Aqua Line." Every other line on Metro's system is named after a color -- and this will stick out like a strange anomaly.

In case you forgot, "Expo Line" was the compromise after the 2006 battle over the name. Blame City Councilman Bernard Parks -- here's a snip of what I wrote at the time:

Back in 2000, the guerrilla pop art group Heavy Trash erected several gag signs around town promoting a fake "Metro Aqua Line" from downtown to the ocean.

When the MTA approved its Mid-City/Exposition Light Rail Transit Project, it actually took a cue from the Heavy Trash group and dubbed it the "Aqua line."

Here's where it gets unnecessarily complicated: City Councilman Bernard Parks has decided he doesn't like the "Aqua line" name, the L.A. Times reports today. He also doesn't like the MTA's other suggestion, the Purple Line.

Why? "Those are colors that don't resonate," Parks explained.

Huh?

Parks proposes that the new extension be called the "Expo Line" -- even though every other line on the MTA's rapid transit system are named after colors (Red, Green, Blue and Gold). His other option? The "Rose Line."

Metro eventually renamed the Wilshire spike of the Red Line (which was its own source of confusion) the "Purple Line." But as for the "Aqua Line," unfortunately, Metro caved, and it's been called the "Expo" line ever since. But the Expo Line is branded with a light blue, "aqua" color -- perhaps with the hope that sanity will prevail and the line will follow the cue of the Metro's color-coded system.

One Slow Step Closer to the Westside Subway

As we slowly move toward the long-awaited Westside Subway Extension of the Purple Line to the westside, I'm excited to see that there's a planned stop just near my office, at Constellation and Avenue of the Stars. Of course, the projected opening is 2026 (or, if the accelerated plan is put through, 2022). So I won't hold my breath just yet.

Nonetheless, I'm pleased that at least I'll see this in my lifetime. Los Angeles magazine's Chris Nichols has a roundup of where some of the subway stations might go -- and what would be displaced:

The report includes renderings of proposed stations at La Brea, Fairfax, La Cienega, and near Rodeo Drive. Looks like Johnie’s Coffee Shop survives, but Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills, The green MTA center adorned with Jim Isermann’s artwork at La Brea and the former Tiny Naylor’s on La Cienega do not. Here are some before and after images to orient you to the Purple Line circa 2020.

Here are the "before" shots. Click to Chris' blog to see the "after."

Retro Friday: Los Angeles Automobile Love, Circa 1976

Interesting find from the always fascinating Metro Librarian collection: A 1976 film recounting Los Angeles' transit history and discussing the problems with modern mass transit. (Remember, this is before the return of rail.)

Help Bring the Streetcars Back to Downtown Los Angeles

The dream of bringing streetcars back to Downtown -- and in particular, Broadway -- appears to be moving one step closer to reality. Read all about it at Streetsblog here.

Also, Metro's blog, The Source, has details on Tuesday night's public meeting here.

Also, the official Metro web page about the project is here. Notes the folks at Metro:

The Streetcar will provide an invaluable service weaving together various Downtown districts, helping to revitalize Downtown LA's historic core and connecting people to employment centers, shopping districts, civic resources, cultural institutions, historic landmarks and entertainment venues within the project study area.

The Streetcar project will also play a key role in supporting several local development initiatives such as Bringing Back Broadway, the GoLAstreetcar Initiative, planned street improvement plans and proposed design guidelines, to name a few. The Streetcar, in concert with local afforts, will reignite interest in Downtown's historic significance and help stimulate economic revitalization.

Alex P. Keaton's Dad on Rail Safety

Michael Gross -- yes, Steven Keaton to you and me -- stars as the voice of reason in this unintentionally semi-hilarious MTA safety video. Just to make clear, driving in front of a rapidly moving Metro train is *not* a good idea.

BTW, I also learned a bit of Michael Gross trivia tonight, if you want to believe Wikipedia. The site said Gross was behind the painting that opened every episode, yet I can't find that info anywhere else, so take it with a grain of salt.

Los Angeles Ad Town: L.A.'s Subway Plays D.C.'s Metro

For some reason, this commercial felt the need to turn a downtown Los Angeles Red Line subway stop into a Washington, D.C. Metro stop -- the Gallery Pl-Chinatown station in D.C.


Here's another shot, where you can definitely tell the fake "Gallery Pl-Chinatown-DC" lettering has been (poorly) superimposed on the L.A. sign.


(Here's the real Gallery Pl-Chinatown station in D.C.)


And here again is the Red Line subway station... not exactly a match.


On Wilshire in downtown, near the boulevard's start

Retro Friday: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Promote the Blue Line

It was 20 years ago this month that rapid transit finally returned to Los Angeles, via the RTD (now MTA) Metro Blue Line. The train, which began service on July 14, 1990, connects L.A. with Long Beach, and is now a part of a service that includes the Metro Red, Green, Purple and Gold lines (as well as the Orange Metroliner bus line and the upcoming color-free Expo Line).

Explaining the concept of trains to L.A., 30 years after the Red Cars were yanked off the rails (including much of the Pacific Electric right-of-way that the Blue Line now uses), apparently required some bizarre marketing methods. Like this video: Watch as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are called upon to defeat the evil Gridlock, who will do anything in his power to stop Angelenos from riding rapid transit.

What Could Have Been: The 1970s-era Los Angeles Monorail That Wasn't

Los Angeles transit history is littered with proposals and projects that never got off the ground.

Of course, we're now all left to wonder whether L.A. would be easier to navigate had a system been put in place nearly 40 years ago. But no matter -- what's done is done, and we still don't have a subway to the sea.

L.A. Times freelancer Steve Harvey put together a list of the more outlandish rapid transit ideas over the years, including the monorail.

More:

In the 1960s and '70s, plans were drawn up for elevated "people-movers" in L.A.'s Civic Center. Drawings showed what looked like "Star Wars" vehicles zipping over traffic on Spring Street.

But the concept was opposed by San Fernando Valley legislators who thought their region was being left out. (Even the Aerial Swallow had included the Valley in its plans.) L.A.'s "people-mover" idea didn't go anywhere.

Check out our 2007 Franklin Avenue post on L.A.'s failed rapid transit plans here. It includes a link to maps of old proposed transit plans -- as well as the link to a 1954 Fortune article touting the future of a monorail in L.A.

Monorails, of course, have been discussed for years as an L.A. rapid transit option -- particularly after Walt Disney constructed a mini version for Disneyland. Ray Bradbury was also a big proponent. The push hasn't died down, as real estate developer and potential City Hall candidate Rick Caruso has discussed the option.

But as the commenters on this Curbed L.A. post note, there's a host of reasons why monorails won't make sense. First off, subways are more safe in the event of an earthquake. The idea of a monorail is romantic, but not practical.

Riding the Rails: The Gold Line's Eastside Extension

A few weeks ago, the Franklin Avenue Foursome (yes, including the baby) finally took the full tour of the Metro Gold Line's newly opened Eastside extension. (Hey look -- an actual correct "Eastside" reference!)

The line now continues after Union Station -- past Little Tokyo and on to Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.

We took a pit stop at Mariachi Plaza to walk around and have a late lunch at La Serenata de Garibaldi; then, it was back on the train, and all the way to Atlantic -- the final stop, in East Los Angeles -- and then back.

A few sights along the way:


Mariachi Plaza


Entrance to the Mariachi Plaza subway stop.


Turnstiles line up at the train stop.


The Gold Line subway tunnel


La Serenata -- possibly the best-known and revered restaurant on the Gold Line in East L.A.


My favorite part of this mural, of course, is the skeleton's moustache.


Jim's in Boyle Heights


Here comes the train... at the underground Mariachi Plaza stop.


Art at the Indiana stop


East L.A. Civic Center stop


All aboard the Gold Line!


Sunset from a Gold Line stop


24-hour King Taco


I love this Metro house ad -- but wish it included one more scene: The moment where the tagger beats the crap out of the tipster, having spotted him making an anonymous call.

This Is What It Takes To Get Everyone to Ride Mass Transit

Apparently, all it takes is free rides -- too bad the Metro wouldn't be able to withstand such an economic model for long.

But just like it has on opening day for all of its lines (including the original portion of the Gold Line in 2003), Metro went fare-free on Sunday to celebrate the launch of the Gold Line extension into the real Eastside.

We got on at our usual Gold Line stop -- the Mission station in South Pasadena -- and realized this may not have been the best idea. We had the baby and stroller, which were tough to navigate on a train packed with riders.

Then, the dealbreaker: As we approached the Chinatown station, a voice informed the crowd that the elevator was broken at Union Station -- and that we'd have to get off there anyway and then reboard the same train going to East L.A.

I guess that was the only fair way to get people on the Gold Line a shot at getting on the train. Otherwise, anyone who didn't board in Pasadena would have been stuck without a seat on the packed trains.



As much as we were interested in checking out the new Metro stops, and perhaps grab a tamale or lunch on the Eastside, it was just too much. The Gold Line extension isn't going anywhere --so we've decided to check it out and plop down a few bucks to ride it in the coming weekends. Piece of mind comes at standard fare.

Instead, it was margarita time (for me) and lunch time for all of us, on Olvera Street.

Metro's Gold Line Map Inconsistency

Yes, I love to be nitpicky on some things -- and it especially bugs me when things aren't consistent. Take the new Gold Line map found on the Metro, which divides the train's stops by city: Pasadena, South Pasadena, Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.

Wait. One of these things is not like the other. Boyle Heights is not a city, but a community within Los Angeles City Limits.

That'd be fine, I suppose, except that the map chooses not to recognize other L.A. neighborhoods. Why the love for Boyle Heights, but not Highland Park? Chinatown? Little Tokyo?

Yes, like I said, nitpicky. But someone's gotta be!

Introducing... the Gold Line Extension, Opening This Sunday

The Franklin Avenue crew (now four strong!) will be riding the rails this Sunday, taking advantage of the Metro's all-day free entry to the Gold Line.

The long-awaited Gold Line extension to the Eastside now makes it even easier to head over to spots like Boyle Heights and attractions like the Mariachi Plaza (now a stop!) and La Serenata de Garibaldi, one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city.

We're already huge fans of the Gold Line -- we'll frequently take it down to Union Station, for example, for an afternoon strolling around Olvera Street, or for French dips at Philippe's. And of course, the South Pasadena Farmers' Market on Thursday night, located right next to the train stop, is a favorite.

We were also there on day one in 2003, when the Gold Line also offered free rides for its grand opening. Now it's time to celebrate again!

Meanwhile, the always informative Militant Angeleno has put together quite a nifty Guide to the existing, Union Station-to-Sierra Madre portion of the Gold Line. Check it out before hitting the rails on Sunday.

More guides to the new Gold Line extension:

-- Streetsblog takes a tour and review of the new Gold Line extension by bike.

-- The L.A. Times surveys the eating options along the Gold Line.

And here's the official Metro site on the extension.

Retro Friday: Classic Metro Edition

Loving the Metro Transportation Library's YouTube site. Check out these 1960s-era TV spots for the old MTA.



And now, I present to you... the rapping maintenance crew of the early 1990s-era RTD:

What Could Have Been: The Metro Library's Collection of Proposed Rapid Transit Routes

The Metro Library and Archive has posted a host of old maps detailing proposed -- and ultimately, failed -- Southern California rapid transit plans to its Scribd account. The maps are fascinating -- and to a degree, heartbreaking.

After all, had the money been raised and construction actually taken place, we would have had a subway or train to the sea decades ago -- and at the fraction of the cost it would take now.

Above, the 1968 Final Proposed Transit Master Plan Concept. According to the Metro Library, "The initial 62-mile, four corridor system that could expand to 300 miles was projected to cost $2.5 billion during its 8.5-year construction period." (Yes, 8.5 years -- which means it could have been completely done by the dawn of the Carter administration.)



Here, the 1974 Proposed Transit Master Plan Concept. "The initial 116 miles of mass rapid transit would eventually expand to a 250-mile system with 24 miles of dedicated busway lanes. The projected cost was $6.6 billion over a 12-year construction period." This could have been done by the mid-1980s.

Of course, opposition got in the way of these proposals -- and as a result, we're still debating the possibility in 2009 of a "subway to the sea" -- which wouldn't even be real until 2020 at the earliest.
And that's optimistic. As the L.A. Times today notes, it's unlikely Metro will be able to secure funds anytime soon for such a massive project:

(Mayor Antonio) Villaraigosa has been pushing to have the subway completed in 10 years, more than 15 years earlier than current estimates.

At his urging, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board agreed to submit the subway expansion, as well as a plan to build a light-rail link through downtown, as the county’s two projects to compete against a national pool of federal funding.

But the 14 members of Congress who signed a letter released today said those two programs don’t have a good shot at immediately getting federal funding. Further, they said that L.A. County risks not get anything from the federal New Starts program unless it adds other regional rail proposals, including an extension of the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley and a rail line down Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. and the South Bay.

For a quick but very informative primer on L.A.'s mass transit systems in the post-war era, check out the study "New Mass Transit Plans: Los Angeles 1951- Present," written by the Metro Research Center/Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library's Mattew Barrett, found here.