Article: LA Expo Line starts revenue service

[colinw]

Another former Pacific Electric route rises again, re-using the corridor of the Santa Monica Air Line.      More on the Santa Monica Air Line including a gallery of the abandoned line and the beginning of the LRT revival. LA's rail history is fascinating - a ride on the Blue Line was one of the highlights of my work trip to LA a few years back.

Railway Gazette International -> click here

30 April 2012

USA: Revenue service on the first phase of Los Angeles' Expo Line light rail route starts at 05.00 on April 30, following an official inauguration on April 27 and a weekend of free rides and public celebrations.

Under construction since 2006, the 13·8 km first phase diverges from the existing Blue line to follow a former Pacific Electric railway alignment as far as Culver City, adding 10 new stops. However, services are initially only running as far as La Cienega/Jefferson, and not serving Culver City or Farmdale where construction is continuing. The 10·6 km second phase from Culver City to Santa Monica will add another seven stops in 2016.

The line is being built by the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, and then handed over to Los Angeles MTA to operate. Phase I is costed at $932m, and Phase II at $1·5bn.

Los Angeles Mayor and MTA Chairman Antonio Villaraigosa joined local officials and representatives of both authorities for the official inauguration ceremony on April 27, at Expo Park/USC Station near the University of Southern California. He said the opening of the Expo Line marked 'a critical step towards creating the multi-faceted transit network that Angelenos deserve'.

Expo Line Construction Authority Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky said the long-awaited line was the first rail extension west of Western Avenue 'since the dismantling of the red car system more than half a century ago', adding that it would serve 'one of the most underserved areas of our region'. It brings the city's metro and light rail network to a total length of 140 km.

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> Los Angeles to order up to 235 light rail vehicles

1 May 2012

LRV for Los Angeles (Image: The Source)

USA: The board of Los Angeles transport agency Metro approved the award of a $299m contract for Kinkisharyo International to supply 78 light rail vehicles on April 30. Four options for a further 28, 39, 21 and 69 LRVs could take the total order to 235 cars worth $890m.

The Metro board voted 8-1 to approve the award of the contract to preferred bidder Kinkisharyo International. Metro believes the US subsidiary of Japanese firm Kinki Sharyo represented the best overall value, although not the lowest price, enjoying advantages in technical compliance, scheduling risk and project management.

Subcontractors would include Ansaldo STS (ATP), Dellner (couplers), INIT (passenger-counting systems), Knorr-Bremse (brakes), Saft (batteries), Toyo Denki USA (traction equipment) and TransTech (pantographs).

Formal award of the contract awaits Federal Transit Administration approval and the resolution of objections from rival bidders CAF USA and Siemens Industry.

An initial 28 LRVs are scheduled to be delivered by 2015, and a total of 62 by May 2016. The new cars are needed for the second phase of the Expo Line, and the Gold Line Foothill and Crenshaw/LAX projects. The optional cars would be delivered by February 2020.