^Just wait a few decades, and the ocean will apparently come to it. ;)

At long last:

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-u...528-story.html

Union Station to get $350 million in track upgrades

http://www.trbimg.com/img-53816f53/t...sweb/1050/16x9

long, loooooooooooooong overdue. this will do wonders for union station passengers and set it up nicely for the future and HSR

while LA does have some low-lying coastal areas, they are relatively isolated, not widespread like pretty much all of urban florida. While California is a coastal state, with some exceptions its coastline is generally immune to the degree of sea level rise projected to overtake much of florida

of course that doesn't say anything about the global instability which would most definitely spare no city, coastal or inland.

http://thesource.metro.net/2014/06/0...an/#more-68123

More details and renderings on the evolving Union Station Master Plan

http://i.imgur.com/Yzx8RLu.jpg?1

Considering that the run-through tracks aren't scheduled for delivery until 2020ish, sounds like a lot of this is 10 years off at the earliest. More eye candy:

http://i.imgur.com/bB55wvq.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/12G6CSW.jpg?1

^ We'll be lucky if things turn out half as nice as that.

^^^ True, I see 75% of the plan being feasible... the skyscraper is a long shot... Metro already has a fairly new office tower, not sure what they need with another tower.
This plan seems like LA's answer to SFs transbay terminal.

I'm a bit disappointed that they went with the HSR station/portal on the eastern edge of the property. Though, I understand why the did it.

However, I don't think it's meant to be taken as definite plans (as far as the high-rises), but more an illustration of what can be developed. With HSR coming, I can see them having an easy time developing commercial space (hotels, shopping, and office).

All in all, the master plan is very thoughtful and they are addressing so many of the things that are wrong with the existing station.

The idea is that Metro would sell, or more likely lease the land to private entities, who would then develop the property. Like you said, Metro already has their own building, which was controversial in itself.

This sounds very reasonable and likely IMO. A location like this right at the station will be highly sought-after by developers.

I didn't find any other thread to post it. If it belongs to another thread, let me know. The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), from 1 week ago:



• Video Link

Through tracks, improved efficiency and a bit of Union Station history
 

Courtesy of Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada

http://www.railpac.org/2014/06/06/wh...union-station/

What’s So Great about Run-Through Tracks at LA Union Station?

June 6th, 2014



Story and (Photographs-see link) By Noel T. Braymer

When the city of Los Angeles originally proposed building a Union Station on the current site, the railroads opposed it. One of their reasons was that site would have station tracks that would dead end as stub tracks. This would require departing trains to back in to the station and terminating trains to be backed out to go to the yards. These excessive moves would easily create congestion with trains needing to back in and our of the new station’s throat. It also would create extra costs often requiring switching moves.

The railroads preferred to upgrade an existing station as the Union Station by using the existing tracks that ran along the banks of the Los Angeles River. But the city wanted a Union Station that would redevelop the area around Olvera Street and create a new Chinatown while using the rundown existing Chinatown as the site of the new Union Station. The result was in 1939 the city got a beautiful new station with stub tracks that branched off from the river and dead ended at the station.

Finally, hopefully by 2019, Los Angeles will get it all: a beautiful station with run-through tracks. So what’s so great about run-through tracks at a station? First you can run many more trains in an hour and throughout the day than with stub tracks. Trains will be able to come in one direction and leave in the same direction. This is easier and faster than backing in or out. It also won’t block the tracks at the throat for other trains trying to get in the station while another trains are leaving.

How much a big deal is this? Let’s compare Penn Station in New York with Los Angeles Union Station and Gare de Châtelet – Les Halles in Paris. Penn Station is practically 3 stations with separate tracks and concourses for the Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak. Penn Station has 21 tracks to carry 600,000 passengers a day while operating as a stub track station. Most trains terminate at Penn Station and reverse direction leaving the station. The result is each track is used about 3 times an hour and the tracks are often congested.

Compare this to Gare de Châtelet – Les Halles. This station has a grand total of 7 tracks with four platforms for its commuter rail system carrying almost a half a million passenger a day. At peak periods it handles up to 120 trains an hour or up to 17 trains an hour per track. There are now 12 tracks available at Los Angeles Union Station with 10 now usually in use. There are problems now running up to 110 round trip trains a day or 220 movements with Metrolink and Amtrak. Rail passenger ridership runs about 50,000 passengers a day now. A major part of the Gare de Châtelet – Les Halles ridership is the fact as a run through service, not only can the trains get in and out faster, but it roughly doubles the number of stations on a single line these trains can serve. This increases ridership and greatly reduces the number of trains running empty and not earning revenue, entering or leaving the station.

The new run-through tracks for Union Station will serve 4 platforms (platforms 2,3,4 and 5) for a total of 8 station tracks. This will require a 4 track bridge south of the station over the 101 freeway. These four tracks will split into two sets of double track as the new trackage bends to the east as one set goes north and the other south to connect with the railroad tracks to the east along the Los Angeles River. New railroad bridges will also be built across the river so trains can connect with tracks on the east bank of the river. This will allow trains to enter or leave from any track near Union Station from both the north and south ends of the station.....

To construct the run-through tracks: tracks and platforms will have to be raised in order to clear the freeway to the south. A few years ago LA Metro prepared for this day by bringing 3 old tracks (#13,14,15) back into service. As one set of 2 tracks and a platform is out of service to be raised and rebuilt, these other tracks will serve the trains that usually used the tracks being rebuilt.When the work is completed Los Angeles Union Station will have 8 run-through tracks (#3-10) and 5 remaining stub end tracks (#11-15). This gives 14 passenger tracks with platforms and track 15 without a platform which can be used as a storage track. Tracks 1 and 2 are now used by the Gold Line Light Rail trains.

For passenger traveling to or through Los Angeles Union Station, this will mean a times savings of between 10 to 15 minutes. Trains can stop and go with run-through tracks like a stop at any other station. Faster running times and direct service without transfers to more destinations will be the big pay off for passengers of the $350 million dollar Southern California Regional


Interconnector Project, or LAUS run-through tracks.

Los Angeles is getting very serious about rail service. By 2020 not only will Union Station get run-though tracks, but will have greatly expanded light rail service with the Regional Connector which will connect the Gold, Blue and Expo Lines through downtown Los Angeles. When this is finished passengers will be able to travel to Union Station by Light Rail between Azusa through to Long Beach. At Little Tokyo there will be a transfer for passengers from Union Station going to East Los Angeles and to Santa Monica. At the same time Union Station is getting a major do over. An all new concourse will be roomier than the current pedestrian tunnel. This will make it easier to make connections to rail and bus transit. There will also be many new stores, restaurants and services at the Station as well as developments bringing more commuters and visitors to Los Angeles Union Station.

It looks like Metro ridership hasn't been doing too well the last few months, with systemwide ridership hovering just below 2012 levels. The only real bright spot seems to be the 2-year-old Expo Line, whose estimated average weekday ridership has just topped 30,000 boardings.

Source: Metro Ridership Statistics

Is this because of the new fare-gates that were installed last year? I looked and 2014 had as many weekdays as 2013,otherwise more weekends could be. A possible explanation.

That's a great point, 202_Cyclist. I wouldn't be surprised if that turns out to be the main culprit, especially since the declines have been steeper for Metro Rail (~ -2.9%) than for the bus system (~ -1.1%).

Honestly, gas prices haven't gone up as much as I thought they would. Heck, there's a Chevron down the street from my house thats 3.99 for Regular.

This may be playing a part in the numbers.

^^^ Yeah Im with JD. Metro saw record numbers of riders when gas was hovering around $4.50-4.75. a couple of years ago. Down the street from my house theres a chevron that is at $3.89 an a Mobil right across the steet at $3.86. When gas prices hoover around the $4.50-.75 mark again or god forbid it passes the $5 mark Metro ridership will increase a lot.......Good. less traffic for me :-) hehe

We sold our car last October, so I couldn't tell you what gas prices are here in DC! New vehicles are also more fuel efficient now vs. 2012, with the cost of driving incrementally cheaper per mile for people with new cars. Perhaps this has affected some people's modal choice as well.

I think oil is spiking again due to the speculation that Iraqi oil fields are falling into the hands of terrorists.. We'll see gas prices inch upwards as a result.

Good point. My new car gets over double the MPGs than my old car.