Los Angeles going light rail

[editor]

Remember how people said no one in Houston would ride the light rail because people love their cars too much?

Looks like Los Angeles is the next city to go for light rail. Certainly no one loves their cars more than Los Angelinoiteans.

[713 To 214]

I thought Los Angeles already had light rail service with the Blue, Green, and Gold Lines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_C...Rail#Light_Rail

[Trae]

Los Angeles has had light rail for a while. They have also had heavy rail for a while. LA is building more heavy rail subways, too. Los Angeles has the nation's largest bus system.

[editor]

I thought Los Angeles already had light rail service with the Blue, Green, and Gold Lines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_C...Rail#Light_Rail

I thought it has the light rail and subway, too, but assumed I was wrong and only thinking of the subway. I'm not sure what LAist is on to. It shows a picture of Portland's light rail in the article.

[N Judah]

They are talking about a streetcar, which is less intensive than a LRT line. As far as I can tell (based on rides I've taken in SF and Portland), a streetcar doesn't go underground, has stops that are identical to bus stops, shares its track with cars, does not get red light priority, is somewhat smaller, and to pay the fare you do the same as you would on a bus (i.e. no kiosks at the stops). In the case of PDX, the streetcar ride is actually free and does not go very fast. It's more of a touristy thing that (as the article notes) will be better at bumping up property values than enabling rapid commutes.

Edited May 31, 2008 by N Judah

[Jeebus]

Curbed LA reports that the first line will "basically going from LA Live to the planned mixed-use Grand Avenue project via Broadway.

Sadly, I've not had a chance to scour LA, so I have no idea where these destinations are. Could someone live map them for me and maybe give a little description of them for me?

Thanks!

[HtownWxBoy]

Remember how people said no one in Houston would ride the light rail because people love their cars too much?

Looks like Los Angeles is the next city to go for light rail. Certainly no one loves their cars more than Los Angelinoiteans.

I don't care how much Americans love their cars... if you can't afford to drive them b/c gas prices are too high... well, they aren't going to drive them! My father is one of those "Americans will never change their lifestyles" types of individuals... he thinks even if gas prices keep going up people will continue to drive just as much in the same cars and blah blah blah... i don't think so.

[moni]

Trae is correct, LA has had light rail for a long time now and the commuter trains travel from other cities in different counties and connect in LA to the heavy rail that includes the new and nicely appointed subway system. If one visits LA, the rail system is evident. True, it took way too many years for people to admit that they really needed a commuter and light rail system. The Streetcar is a different thing entirely. Even I don't remember them in LA except for movies and books about the 1940s.