4 ms·

In defense of the LA train system, most of the rolling stock on the Expo line are nice new trains, and Hollywood to Santa Monica via Downtown is almost the most

by bcoates 10y ago

In defense of the LA train system, most of the rolling stock on the Expo line are nice new trains, and Hollywood to Santa Monica via Downtown is almost the most pathological route between major destinations you can take in terms of car vs train. I've been taking the Expo lately and it's already standing-only crowded during rush hour and heavily used off-peak.

tslug 10y ago
Ya, it's pretty amazing as far as how quickly it gets you from downtown to Santa Monica, and I experienced the same thing. It's already in heavy use. One complaint, tho, is that the cars don't have decent accommodations for bicyclists, which is really annoying. You basically have to stand/sit w/ your bike all the way. Also, you still mostly take it in the bum on travel time in the transfers and many bald-spots of decent coverage. I found that to get from Santa Monica to Silverlake, for example, was more convenient on the 704 bus, because there's a spot for your bike, you can sit and work on your computer the whole way, and it's a closer fit for minimizing your talking time/distance, and it's a more direct route. The train alternative is to find and descend into a red line station, transfer through the greater depths of Union station to the expo line, and then babysit your bicycle all the way to Santa Monica, which is the bulk of the transit time. Gotta give Santa Monica props tho for the treatment they gave that Santa Monica train station and the surrounding area. I really like it. Overall, nice stopgap improvement, and when the world improves and human-driven cars are outlawed, it could be paved over and made a thoroughfare that allows only self-driving electric cars to use it, and they could tap into the electric mains for a recharge along the way. :)
- cylinder 10y ago
  Last mile cycling (folding bikes perhaps) infrastructure plus trains seems like the best bet for LA.
  - honkhonkpants 10y ago
    Bike share at the metro stops and on both sides of the light rail lines would make a lot of sense as a last-mile solution.
    - billpaetzke 10y ago
      This is in progress: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/08/03/in-l-a-efforts-are-afoot-to-make-bike-share-a-genuine-part-of-the-transit-network/ http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/08/03/in-l-a-efforts...
    - jobigoud 10y ago
      There is already a bike share at the Santa Monica end of the newly opened Expo line talked about in OP.
- ikawe 10y ago
  The transfer from red->expo is at 7th/Metro, not union station. Also, I <3 the 704. It's kept me from having to move to the west side. I don't imagine there will be a better route than that unless the purple line actually gets finished some day.
TheCoelacanth 10y ago
Rail haters never seem to understand that point isn't to replace cars completely. The point is to serve the most heavily used routes in a highly efficient manner.

by bcoates 10y ago

tslug 10y ago

Ya, it's pretty amazing as far as how quickly it gets you from downtown to Santa Monica, and I experienced the same thing. It's already in heavy use. One complaint, tho, is that the cars don't have decent accommodations for bicyclists, which is really annoying. You basically have to stand/sit w/ your bike all the way. Also, you still mostly take it in the bum on travel time in the transfers and many bald-spots of decent coverage. I found that to get from Santa Monica to Silverlake, for example, was more convenient on the 704 bus, because there's a spot for your bike, you can sit and work on your computer the whole way, and it's a closer fit for minimizing your talking time/distance, and it's a more direct route. The train alternative is to find and descend into a red line station, transfer through the greater depths of Union station to the expo line, and then babysit your bicycle all the way to Santa Monica, which is the bulk of the transit time. Gotta give Santa Monica props tho for the treatment they gave that Santa Monica train station and the surrounding area. I really like it. Overall, nice stopgap improvement, and when the world improves and human-driven cars are outlawed, it could be paved over and made a thoroughfare that allows only self-driving electric cars to use it, and they could tap into the electric mains for a recharge along the way. :)

cylinder 10y ago
Last mile cycling (folding bikes perhaps) infrastructure plus trains seems like the best bet for LA.
- honkhonkpants 10y ago
  Bike share at the metro stops and on both sides of the light rail lines would make a lot of sense as a last-mile solution.
  - billpaetzke 10y ago
    This is in progress: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/08/03/in-l-a-efforts-are-afoot-to-make-bike-share-a-genuine-part-of-the-transit-network/ http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2015/08/03/in-l-a-efforts...
  - jobigoud 10y ago
    There is already a bike share at the Santa Monica end of the newly opened Expo line talked about in OP.
ikawe 10y ago
The transfer from red->expo is at 7th/Metro, not union station. Also, I <3 the 704. It's kept me from having to move to the west side. I don't imagine there will be a better route than that unless the purple line actually gets finished some day.

TheCoelacanth 10y ago

Rail haters never seem to understand that point isn't to replace cars completely. The point is to serve the most heavily used routes in a highly efficient manner.