L Line (Los Angeles Metro)

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L Line
LACMTA Circle L Line.svg
Gold Line Overpass on I-210.jpg
A northbound L Line train crosses Interstate 210 near Arcadia
Overview
Other name(s)Gold Line (2003–2020)
Owner Metro (LACMTA)
Line number804
TerminiAtlantic station
APU/Citrus College station
Stations26
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemLos Angeles Metro Rail
Rolling stockAnsaldoBreda P2550 or Kinki Sharyo P3010 running in 1–3 car consists
Daily ridership50,087 (July 2016; avg. weekday)[1][2]
History
OpenedJuly 26, 2003; 18 years ago (2003-07-26)
Technical
Line length31 mi (50 km)
Number of tracks2
CharacterMostly at-grade in private right-of-way, with some street-running, elevated and underground sections
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed55 mph (89 km/h)
Route map

Legend
Eastside Transit Extension (
approx.
2035
)
 Atlantic
East LA Civic Center
Maravilla
I-710
SR 60
 Indiana
Soto
I-5 / I-10
 Mariachi Plaza
US 101
 Pico/Aliso
Metrolink
Los Angeles River
Metrolink and Amtrak
Regional Connector A Line E Line  (2022)
 Little Tokyo/Arts District
US 101
 Union Station
AmtrakFlyAway BusMetrolink (California)B Line D Line J Line 
 Chinatown
Metrolink and Amtrak
Los Angeles River
I-5
 Lincoln/Cypress
Arroyo Seco Low Bridge
SR 110
 Heritage Square
Figueroa Street
 Southwest Museum
Highland Park
SR 110
Arroyo Seco High Bridge
 South Pasadena
SR 110
 Fillmore
Del Mar
Memorial Park
I-210
 Lake
Allen
Sierra Madre Villa
I-210
Arcadia Wash
 Arcadia
Santa Anita Canyon
 Monrovia
Monrovia Canyon
 Duarte/City of Hope
I-605
San Gabriel River
 Irwindale
I-210
 Azusa Downtown
APU/Citrus College
Foothill Extension
Phase 2
(2026)
Glendora
I-210
SR 57
 San Dimas
Metrolink to Union Station
 La Verne
Pomona
Metrolink (California)
Metrolink
to San Bernardino-Downtown

Disabled access all stations are accessible

Detailed diagram
showing all crossings
Eastside Transit Extension (
approx.
2035
)
Parking
 Atlantic
East LA Civic Center
Maravilla
I-710
SR 60
Parking
 Indiana
Soto
I-5 / I-10
Mariachi Plaza
US 101
Pico/Aliso
Metrolink
Los Angeles River
Metrolink and Amtrak
Regional Connector (
A Line
L Line
)
Little Tokyo/Arts District
US 101
Union Station luggage cart access
Parking
 Union Station
B Line D Line J Line FlyAway BusMetrolink (California)Amtrak
Chinatown
Division 21 yard
Metrolink and Amtrak
Los Angeles River
I-5
Parking
 Lincoln/Cypress
Avenue 33
Arroyo Seco Low Bridge
SR 110
Parking
 Heritage Square
French Avenue
Figueroa Street/Marmion Way
Avenue 45
Southwest Museum
Avenue 50
Marmion Way
Highland Park
Avenue 59
Avenue 60
Avenue 61
Figueroa Street
SR 110
Arroyo Seco High Bridge
Arroyo Verde Road/Sycamore Avenue
Pasadena Avenue/Monterey Road
Indiana Avenue
Orange Grove Avenue
El Centro Street/Glendon Way
Parking
 South Pasadena
Mission Street/Meridian Avenue
Hope Street
Fremont Avenue/Grevelia Street
SR 110
Columbia Street/Fair Oaks Avenue
private crossing
Glenarm Street
Parking
 Fillmore
California Boulevard
Del Mar Boulevard
Parking
 Del Mar
Memorial Park
I-210
Parking
 Lake
Allen
Parking
 Sierra Madre Villa
I-210
Arcadia Wash
Colorado Boulevard
Santa Anita Avenue
Parking
 Arcadia
Santa Clara Street/1st Avenue
Huntington Drive/2nd Avenue
Santa Anita Canyon
Mayflower Avenue
Magnolia Avenue
Parking
 Monrovia
Myrtle Avenue
California Avenue
Division 24 yard
Monrovia Canyon
Mountain Avenue
Buena Vista Avenue
Parking
 Duarte/City of Hope
Highland Avenue/Duarte Road
I-605
San Gabriel River
Irwindale Avenue
Parking
 Irwindale
I-210
Virginia Avenue
Foothill Boulevard (former US 66)
San Gabriel Avenue
southbound SR 39 SR 39
Azusa Avenue
northbound SR 39 SR 39
Parking
 Azusa Downtown
Dalton Avenue
Pasadena Avenue
Palm Drive
Parking
 APU/Citrus College
Foothill Extension Phase 2 (2026)
This diagram:

The L Line (formerly the Gold Line before 2020)[3] is a 31-mile (50 km)[4] light rail line running from Azusa to East Los Angeles via Downtown Los Angeles serving several attractions, including Little Tokyo, Union Station, the Southwest Museum, Chinatown and the shops of Old Pasadena. The line, which is one of six in the Metro Rail system, entered service in 2003 and is operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The L Line serves 26 stations (including two underground stations).[4]

In October 2020, the line was broken into two disconnected segments with the closure of the Little Tokyo/Arts District station in preparation for the opening of the Regional Connector tunnel in 2022.[5] At that point, the L Line will cease to exist as a distinct line within the system, with the northern half serving as an extension to the A Line and the southern half serving as an extension to the E Line.[6] Bus shuttles connect the two portions of the line.[7]

Service description[edit]

Route[edit]

Northbound train at Atlantic station

Beginning in East Los Angeles, the L Line initially runs west toward Downtown Los Angeles. From its southern terminus at Atlantic, the line travels west along 3rd Street to Indiana Street, where it turns north for two blocks to 1st Street. From here, the line continues west to Little Tokyo, partly through a tunnel under Boyle Heights with two underground stations.[8] At Alameda Street in Little Tokyo, the line turns north and crosses over the Hollywood Freeway, and stops at Union Station on tracks 1 and 2. At Union Station, riders can connect with the Metro B and Metro D subway lines, the Metro J bus rapid transit line as well as several other transit bus lines, Metrolink regional commuter trains, and Amtrak services including the Pacific Surfliner regional route and long distance interstate trains.

From Union Station, the L Line proceeds north on a elevated viaduct to Chinatown and then crosses the Los Angeles River adjacent to the Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5). From here, the route continues north/northeast, serving the hillside communities north of downtown, including Lincoln Heights, Mount Washington and Highland Park. Through this stretch, the L Line operates primarily at grade, except for a short underpass below Figueroa Street.

North of Highland Park, the route crosses over the Arroyo Seco Parkway (State Route 110). The route continues through South Pasadena and then downtown Pasadena, primarily at-grade. In Old Pasadena, the line travels underground for almost half a mile long, passing under Pasadena's main thoroughfare, Colorado Boulevard. (Memorial Park station, just north of Colorado Boulevard, is below grade.) Then, the L Line enters the median of the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and continues east to Sierra Madre Villa station, in Pasadena just west of the Arcadia city limits.

East of Pasadena, the route crosses over the eastbound lanes of Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) west of Santa Anita Avenue, with stops at the Arcadia Station, located at the corner of First Avenue and Santa Clara Street, then it crosses over Huntington Drive and stops at the Monrovia Station, north of Duarte Road at Myrtle Avenue. It continues eastbound with a stop at the Duarte/City of Hope Station located at the north side of Duarte Road, across the street from the City of Hope Medical Center, then continues going over the San Gabriel River and stops at the Irwindale Station at Irwindale Avenue, continues over the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) over Foothill Boulevard and stops at the Azusa Station at Azusa Avenue, north of Foothill Boulevard, and its terminus is at the APU/Citrus College Station just west of Citrus Avenue.

Service hours and headways[edit]

L Line service hours are approximately from 5:00 AM until 12:15 AM daily. Monday through Friday, trains on the L Line operate every 10 minutes during peak hours, every 12 minutes during the midday hours, and every 20 minutes into the evening. During the weekends, trains operate every 12 minutes most of the day, but every 20 minutes in the early morning and evening hours. [9]

Speed[edit]

The L Line trains travel at a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). It takes 73 minutes[10] to travel its 31-mile (50 km) length,[4] at an average speed of 26.2 mph (42 km/h) over its length. The L Line is particularly slow through the Highland Park area, where trains reach speeds of only 20 mph (32 km/h) while operating in a street running section on Marmion Way.

Ridership[edit]

Following the extension to East Los Angeles in 2009, the line's ridership increased to almost 30,000 daily boardings.[1] As of October 2012, the average weekday daily boardings for the L Line stood at 42,417 and as of December 2014 the average daily weekday boardings had increased to 44,707. Following the extension to Azusa, ridership rose to 49,238 as of May 2016.[1][2]

History[edit]

Main article: History of Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway
Construction of the L Line, near Duarte in 2014. Tracks are laid, but overhead catenary had not been installed yet.

Much of the L Line's right-of-way through the San Gabriel Valley was built by the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley Railroad in 1885, eventually taken over by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, as part of the Pasadena Subdivision,[11] which saw Amtrak service until 1994, when construction began on the conversion to light rail.[12] The project was originally called the "Pasadena Metro Blue Line," and planners envisioned extending the existing Blue Line from Long Beach, but when a ban on sales tax spending on subway tunnels passed in 1998, the project became a separate line terminating at Union Station.[13]

The now renamed Gold Line, between Union Station and Sierra Madre Villa station in East Pasadena, opened July 26, 2003.[14][15]

The Gold Line Eastside Extension, following a new right-of-way, extended the line east between Union Station and East Los Angeles, opened on November 15, 2009.[16][17][18]

Phase 2A (LA–Pasadena was Phase 1) of the Gold Line Foothill Extension, running between Sierra Madre Villa station and APU/Citrus College station in Azusa, opened on March 5, 2016.[19]

Future developments[edit]

Regional Connector Transit Project[edit]

Main article: Regional Connector

Metro is currently constructing the Regional Connector, a light rail subway tunnel across Downtown Los Angeles that will connect the A, E, and L Lines. The project will finally complete the late 1990s vision of the "Pasadena Blue Line," connecting the northern (Union Station–Azusa) segment of the L Line to the A Line (formerly the Blue Line) which runs between Los Angeles and Long Beach. The southern (Pico/Aliso–East LA) segment will be combined with the current E Line which runs between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The new east-west line will keep the E Line name but use the L Line's gold color icon.[20][21]

The at-grade Little Tokyo/Arts District station was demolished in 2020 and is being rebuilt as a subway station approximately 500 feet south and on the opposite side of Alameda from its former location.

The groundbreaking for the construction of the Regional Connector took place on September 30, 2014 and it is expected to be in service by 2022.

Foothill Extension[edit]

Main article: Gold Line Foothill Extension

Phase 2B of the Gold Line Foothill Extension, running between APU/Citrus College station in Azusa and the Pomona–North Metrolink station in Pomona is currently under construction, with a current estimated completion date of 2026.[22] This extension, like the original Gold Line to Pasadena, and the first phase of the Foothill Extension is being built by a specialized construction authority, independent of Metro. The original plan called for the extension to end at Montclair in San Bernardino County, but budget challenges forced the construction authority to cut the line back to Pomona.[23][24]

When this project is completed, it will be served by the A Line.

Eastside Transit Corridor[edit]

Main article: Eastside Transit Corridor

Metro is planning an extension of the L Line's southern leg eastward, from its current terminus at Atlantic station. The proposed line would travel south on Garfield Avenue to the Citadel Outlets in Commerce, then turn east on Washington Boulevard making stops in Montebello, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs and Whittier. The project is currently in environmental review, with a forecasted opening in 2035.[25]

Station listing[edit]

The following table lists the current stations of the L Line, from south to north.

Key
† Closed station
Bus interchange Temporary shuttle bus stop
Station Date opened City/Neighborhood Major connections and notes[26][27]
Atlantic November 15, 2009 East Los Angeles Park and ride: 289 spaces
East LA Civic Center
Maravilla
Indiana Park and ride: 42 spaces
Soto Los Angeles (Boyle Heights)
Mariachi Plaza
Pico/Aliso Temporary northern terminus of rail service
↓ Section Closed (Bus Bridge) ↓
1st/Marquez Bus interchange Los Angeles (Boyle Heights)
1st/Vignes Bus interchange Los Angeles (Arts District)
Little Tokyo/Arts District † November 15, 2009 Los Angeles (Little Tokyo/Arts District) Station closed on October 24, 2020[28]
1st/San Pedro Bus interchange Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Patsaouras Transit Plaza (Union Station) Bus interchange Los Angeles (Downtown) B Line D Line J Line 
AmtrakAmtrak, FlyAway (bus) LAX FlyAway and Metrolink (California) Metrolink
↑ Section Closed (Bus Bridge) ↑
Union Station July 26, 2003 Los Angeles (Downtown) Temporary southern terminus of rail service
B Line D Line J Line 
AmtrakAmtrak, FlyAway (bus) LAX FlyAway and Metrolink (California) Metrolink
Paid parking: 3,000 spaces
Chinatown Los Angeles (Chinatown)
Lincoln/Cypress Los Angeles (Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park) Park and ride: 94 spaces
Heritage Square Los Angeles (Montecito Heights) Park and ride: 129 spaces
Southwest Museum Los Angeles (Mount Washington)
Highland Park Los Angeles (Highland Park)
South Pasadena South Pasadena Park and ride: 142 spaces
Fillmore Pasadena Park and ride: 155 spaces
Del Mar Park and ride: 610 spaces
Memorial Park
Lake Park and ride: 22 spaces
Allen
Sierra Madre Villa Park and ride: 965 spaces
Arcadia March 5, 2016 Arcadia Park and ride: 300 spaces
Monrovia Monrovia Park and ride: 350 spaces
Duarte/City of Hope Duarte Park and ride: 125 spaces
Irwindale Irwindale Park and ride: 350 spaces
Azusa Downtown Azusa Park and ride: 521 spaces
APU/Citrus College Park and ride: 200 spaces

Operations[edit]

AnsaldoBreda P2550 train at Highland Park

Maintenance facilities[edit]

The L Line fleet is stored and maintained is operated at Division 21 and Division 24. Division 21 is located on Vin Scully Drive (Elysian Park Drive) just north of North Broadway, overlooking the Los Angeles River, and Division 24 is located south of the I-210 freeway in Monrovia.

Rolling stock[edit]

Main article: Los Angeles Metro Rail rolling stock
Kinki Sharyo P3010 after entering service on March 5, 2016 at Highland Park Station.

L Line trains are typically two-car trains. During peak hours on weekdays, some three-car trains run.[29][30] On New Year's Day, the L Line uses three-car trains for service to the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game.

Trains are composed of high-floor articulated light rail vehicles (LRVs) either the AnsaldoBreda P2550 or the Kinki Sharyo P3010. The line originally operated with Siemens P2000 LRVs, but they were transferred to the A Line and E Line in April 2012. Once the Regional Connector is open, all of Metro's LRV fleet will be used on the line.

Incidents[edit]

The following noteworthy incidents have occurred on the L Line since opening.

  • September 11, 2007 – A driver was critically injured and six passengers, including an LA County Deputy Sheriff and the train operator, suffered minor injuries when a pickup truck ran a red light at Avenue 55 and Marmion Way before being hit by a train.[31]
  • September 21, 2007 – Six people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, including two minor injuries after an SUV broke off the crossing arms and was struck by a northbound train (car 243) at Avenue 50 and Marmion Way in Mt. Washington. The vehicle caught fire and a section of the train was also burnt. It was claimed that the female SUV driver had tried to beat the train. A local resident extinguished the fire in the car with a garden hose before Los Angeles Fire arrived. The train that suffered fire damage was repaired and later placed on the Metro Green Line.[32]
  • October 13, 2007 – Service was suspended for 12 hours after a big rig hit the center divider of the eastbound Foothill Freeway at Sierra Madre Boulevard and went on the tracks.[33]
  • August 26, 2011 – An altercation between passengers resulted in a non-fatal stabbing during a trip through Pasadena. The train was stopped at the Memorial Park station where the victim was transported to a hospital and the suspect was detained.[34]
  • April 24, 2014 – Service was suspended between the Lake and Sierra Madre Villa stations after a collision between two tractor-trailers on the eastbound Foothill Freeway resulted in one vehicle landing on the line, damaging the rails and overhead wires. Full return to normal service took several days.[35]
  • March 6, 2016 – Service between Allen and Arcadia stations were disrupted for most of the evening, resuming Monday morning, one day after the opening of the Foothill Extension when a semi-truck driver lost control and sent his trailer onto the tracks.[36]
  • February 20, 2018 – A high speed pursuit ended when a driver entered the tunnel between Soto and Indiana stations, suspending service.[37]
  • April 26, 2018 – An accident on the Foothill Freeway sent a FedEx truck onto the tracks between Lake and Memorial Park stations, damaging the rails and overhead wires.[38]
  • November 27, 2018 – A man was fatally stabbed near the Azusa station.[39]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Ridership Statistics – Rail Ridership Estimates". LACMTA. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Monthly Ridership Plot" (PDF). LACMTA. November 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  3. ^ "Meet the Line Letters: Information for Metro Employees" (PDF). LACMTA. December 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Facts at a Glance". LACMTA. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  5. ^ "Metro closing Little Tokyo/Arts District Station for nearly 2 years". October 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Fonseca, Ryan. "Ignore Those 'Line A' Signs. Metro's Blue Line Will Reopen As The 'A Line'". LAist. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  7. ^ Hymon, Steve (September 15, 2020). "Bus shuttles to replace L Line (Gold) service between Union Station and Pico/Aliso Station during 22-month closure to complete Regional Connector". Metro. The Source. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Guccione, Jean (November 17, 2006). "1st of two Eastside rail tunnels is finished". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  9. ^ "L Line Schedule". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 27, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "Gold Line timetable" (PDF). LACMTA. June 24, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Hawthorne, Christopher (May 20, 2016). "Why the Expo Line to Santa Monica marks a rare kind of progress in American cities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Rasmussen, Cecilia (July 13, 2003). "Pasadena's Gold Line Will Travel a History-Laden Route". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  13. ^ Freemark, Yonah (March 26, 2010). "Los Angeles' Gold Line Foothill Extension Approved for Funding, Will Begin Construction Later this Year". The Transport Politic. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  14. ^ Streeter, Kurt (June 19, 2003). "Gold Line Is Set to Open July 26". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  15. ^ Lund, Dr. Hollie & Willson, Dr. Richard W. (April 2005), The Pasadena Gold Line: Development Strategies, Location Decisions, and Travel Characteristics along a New Rail Line in the Los Angeles Region (PDF), San Jose, CA: Mineta Transportation Institute
  16. ^ Bloomekatz, Ari B. (November 13, 2009). "Q&A : Gold Line links downtown and East L.A. : The 6-mile light-rail extension, which cost $898 million, will open Sunday with free rides and entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  17. ^ Bloomekatz, Ari B. (December 21, 2011). "L.A.'s historic 1st Street bridge reopens after 3-year closure". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  18. ^ Becerra, Hector (June 16, 2009). "Making the Eastside safe for Gold Line light rail extension". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  19. ^ Scauzillo, Steve (February 17, 2015). "Gold Line authority makes push for next extension from Azusa to Montclair". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  20. ^ "The most anticipated transit projects opening in time for the 2028 LA Olympics". Curbed LA. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  21. ^ Broverman, Neal (October 7, 2016). "Metro's Regional Connector Will Change Everything Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  22. ^ Chiland, Elijah (June 23, 2017). "Metro approves $1.4B construction plan for Gold Line extension to Claremont". Curbed LA.
  23. ^ Hymon, Steve (November 13, 2018). "Construction Authority releases plan to build Gold Line extension in two phases". The Source. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  24. ^ "2019-0528 - METRO GOLD LINE EXTENSION TO CLAREMONT". Metro Board. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  25. ^ "Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 16, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ "Metro L Line (Gold)". www.metro.net. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  27. ^ "Metro Parking Lots by Line". www.metro.net. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  28. ^ Metro: The Source. Bus shuttles to replace L Line (Gold) service between Union Station and Pico/Aliso Station during 22-month closure to complete Regional Connector
  29. ^ "L.A. Metro to Make Major Improvements to the Metro Gold Line that Add Service and Help Relieve Crowding for East San Gabriel Valley Communities". www.metro.net. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  30. ^ Hymon, Steve (March 11, 2016). "Gold Line to have some longer trains". The Source. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  31. ^ Blankstein, Andrew; Abdollah, Tami (September 12, 2007). "7 hurt when Gold Line train hits truck at Highland Park crossing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  32. ^ Abdollah, Tami; Rabin, Jeffrey L. (September 22, 2007). "6 hurt when Gold Line train hits vehicle". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  33. ^ "Big rig hits Gold Line tracks, causes traffic". Eagle Rock News. October 2007. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  34. ^ Knoll, Corina (August 27, 2011). "Gold Line stabbing victim in critical but stable condition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  35. ^ Allen, Lily (April 24, 2014). "Gold Line service suspended between Lake and Sierra Madre Villa stations due to freeway truck accident". The Source. LACMTA. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  36. ^ Day, Brian (March 7, 2016). "Fiery crash on 210 Freeway severs just-opened Gold Line between Pasadena, Arcadia". San Gabriel Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  37. ^ Winton, Richard (February 22, 2018). "Suspect in wild subway tunnel chase charged with six felonies". Los Angeles Times.
  38. ^ Chen, Anna (April 26, 2018). "Gold Line: repairs completed, trains now resuming scheduled service". The Source. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  39. ^ "Man suspected in Metro Gold Line stabbing death is charged". December 1, 2018.

External links[edit]

Route map:

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