L Line (Los Angeles Metro)

L Line
Northbound train at Atlantic station
Overview
Other name(s)	Gold Line (current line, 2003–2020) After completion of Regional Connector in 2022: A Line (blue; Azusa–Long Beach) E Line (gold; East LA–Santa Monica)
Owner	Metro (LACMTA)
Line number	804
Termini	Atlantic station APU/Citrus College station
Stations	26
Website	Gold Line
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Los Angeles Metro Rail
Rolling stock	Trains run in 1–3 car consists AnsaldoBreda P2550 Kinkisharyo P3010
Daily ridership	50,087 (July 2016; avg. weekday)[1][2]
History
Opened	July 26, 2003; 18 years ago (July 26, 2003)
Technical
Line length	31 mi (50 km)
Number of tracks	2
Character	Mostly at-grade in private right-of-way, with some street-running, elevated and underground sections.
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge)
Electrification	750 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
hide 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     (2022) Little Tokyo/Arts District US 101 Union Station      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) show Foothill Extension Phase 2 (2026) Glendora I-210 SR 57 San Dimas Metrolink to Union Station La Verne Pomona Claremont Los Angeles San Bernardino county line Montclair Metrolink to San Bernardino-Downtown all stations are accessible show Detailed diagram showing all crossings 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 L Line ) Little Tokyo/Arts District US 101 Union Station luggage cart access Union Station      Chinatown Division 21 yard Metrolink and Amtrak Los Angeles River I-5 Lincoln/Cypress Avenue 33 Arroyo Seco Low Bridge SR 110 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 South Pasadena Mission Street/Meridian Avenue Hope Street Fremont Avenue/Grevelia Street SR 110 Columbia Street/Fair Oaks Avenue private crossing Glenarm Street Fillmore California Boulevard Del Mar Boulevard Del Mar Memorial Park I-210 Lake Allen Sierra Madre Villa I-210 Arcadia Wash Colorado Boulevard Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia Santa Clara Street/1st Avenue Huntington Drive/2nd Avenue Santa Anita Canyon Mayflower Avenue Magnolia Avenue Monrovia Myrtle Avenue California Avenue Division 24 yard Monrovia Canyon Mountain Avenue Buena Vista Avenue Duarte/City of Hope Highland Avenue/Duarte Road I-605 San Gabriel River Irwindale Avenue Irwindale I-210 Virginia Avenue Foothill Boulevard (former US 66) San Gabriel Avenue southbound SR 39 Azusa Avenue northbound SR 39 Azusa Downtown Dalton Avenue Pasadena Avenue Palm Drive APU/Citrus College Foothill Extension Phase 2 (2026) This diagram: view talk

The L Line (formerly the Gold Line) is a 31-mile (50 km)^[3] 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 subway stations).^[3]

The name of the line was changed from the Gold Line to the L Line in early 2020.^[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]

Service description[]

Route[]

A Siemens P2000 train stopping at Fillmore 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.^[7] 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 Metro (MTA) bus lines, LADOT Dash lines, Metrolink regional commuter trains, and Amtrak services including Pacific Surfliner and long distance interstate trains, and Amtrak throughway motorcoaches connecting to San Joaquin trains originating at Bakersfield.

From Union Station, the L Line proceeds north on elevated rail 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.

Hours of operation[]

Metro L Line trains operate between 3:45 a.m. and 12:45 a.m. daily. (til 2:00 am Friday and Saturday nights)^[8]

Headways[]

Trains on the L Line operate every 7 minutes during peak hours Monday through Friday.^[8][9] Middays consist of 12–18 minute headways, while weekends all day have a frequency of 12–18 minutes.^[8][9] Nighttime service operates every 20 minutes.^[8][9]

Speed[]

The L Line trains travel at a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). It takes 73 minutes^[8] to travel its 31-mile (50 km) length,^[3] at an average speed of 26.2 mph (42 km/h) over its length. The L Line is particularly slow through the Highland Park and Little Tokyo areas, where trains reach speeds of only 20 mph (32 km/h) due to several street crossings and through the curves, where trains travel at about 25 mph (40 km/h).

Ridership[]

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[]

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,^[10] which saw Amtrak service into the early 1990s.^[11] This segment was part of the original plan for the Metro Blue Line, but when a ban on sales tax spending on subway tunnels passed in 1998, the project became a separate line terminating at Union Station.^[12]

The original Gold Line, between Union Station and Sierra Madre Villa, opened July 26, 2003.^[13][14]

The Gold Line Eastside Extension, a separate segment following all new right-of-way extending east from Union Station to East Los Angeles, opened on November 15, 2009.^[15][16][17]

Construction of the L Line, near Duarte in 2014. Tracks are laid, but overhead catenary had not been installed yet.

The first stage of the Gold Line Foothill Extension, running from Sierra Madre Villa station in Pasadena to APU/Citrus College station in Azusa, opened on March 5, 2016.^[18]

Future developments[]

To facilitate construction of the Regional Connector, service between Union Station and Pico/Aliso station is planned to be replaced by buses for a period of 22 months starting on October 24, 2020,^[19] ending through service of the line.

Regional Connector Transit Project[]

The former above-ground Little Tokyo/Arts District station being served by an L Line train. The station was demolished and moved underground beginning in 2020.

Metro is currently constructing the Regional Connector, a light rail subway tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles that will connect the A and E Lines to the L Line and allow a seamless "one-seat ride" between the A and E Lines' current terminus at 7th Street/Metro Center and Union Station. When this project is completed, the A, E, and L Lines will be simplified into the following configuration:^[20]

• A Line
  • The northeastern segment of the L Line (north of Little Tokyo) will serve as an extension to current A Line
  • This combined line will become world's longest light rail line at 49.5 mi (79.7 km) long, surpassing the 42 mi (68 km) Coast Tram in Belgium^[21][22]
  • The Gold Line Foothill Extension will also be absorbed into the A Line, extending it further to Montclair upon completion
• E Line
  • The southern portion of the current L Line to East L.A. will be combined with current E Line, which will keep the E Line name but the L Line's current gold color on maps
  • The E Line will not connect to Union Station

The current at-grade Little Tokyo/Arts District station will be demolished and rebuilt as a subway station approximately 500 feet south and on the opposite side of Alameda from its current location.

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

Foothill Extension Phase 2B[]

A second phase of the Foothill Extension, to Montclair in San Bernardino County, had a groundbreaking ceremony on December 2, 2017, with a current estimated completion date of 2026.^[23] By then, this extension will become part of the A Line.

Eastside Extension Phase 2[]

Metro is considering a new extension of the Metro Gold Line in the Eastside. This second phase of the Eastside Corridor would extend the Gold Line's southern leg eastward, from its current terminus at Atlantic station to Whittier. By the time of its opening, the extension is planned to be served by the E Line.

As of August 2010, Metro has completed the Alternatives Analysis phase. The next step for Metro is to conduct an initial environmental study, leading to publication and approval of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).^[24][25]

The two alignments to be studied in the DEIR are:

• SR-60 LRT: Mixture of at-grade and aerial running along the Pomona Freeway to South El Monte
• Washington LRT: Aerial running south on Garfield Avenue and then east on Washington Boulevard to Whittier
• Or both.

Station listing[]

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

Key

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

Operations[]

AnsaldoBreda P2550 train at Highland Park

Maintenance facilities[]

The L Line is operated in both the Division 21 Yard (Los Angeles River Yard) and Division 24 yard (Monrovia yard). 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. These yards stores the fleet used on the L Line. It is also where maintenance is done on the fleet. Trains can access these yards via a single track junction.

Rolling stock[]

A Siemens P2000 train (the old L Line train) stationing at Union Station.

Kinkisharyo 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. Service operates from approximately 4 am to 1 am, with service approximately every 7 minutes during peak hours, 12 minutes middays and on weekends and 20 minutes until the close of service.

Trains are composed of articulated light rail vehicles (LRVs) which are compatible with Metro's light rail lines. As of April 2012, the L Line uses 50 AnsaldoBreda P2550 LRVs, and it was the first of the Metro light rail line to introduce the Kinkisharyo P3010 LRVs into service.

In April 2012, Metro transferred the last of the L Line's Siemens P2000 trains to the A Line and E Line.

Commemorative cars[]

On December 21, 2007, Metro introduced cars 233 and 235, which are the special commemorative trains for the 119th Tournament of Roses Parade and the 94th Rose Bowl Game. These are known as the 2008 "Tournament Train".^[31]

Advertising[]

On October 3, 2007, Metro L Line trains began having advertisement banners on the sides of trains, like on the C Line. On February 13, 2008, Metro removed the banner ads on all Metro L Line trains. But in mid-June 2008, banners promoting the Long Range Transportation Plan were added on car 246. On July 14, 2008, banner ads were added on cars 229, 235, 236, 238, 239, 244, 250 and 302.

Incidents[]

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.^[32]
• 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 Metro L Line train (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 Firefighters arrived. The train that suffered fire damage was repaired and later placed on the Metro Green Line.^[33]
• October 13, 2007 – Service was suspended for 12 hours at 1:20 a.m. after a big rig hit the center divider of the eastbound Foothill Freeway at Sierra Madre Blvd. and went on the Metro L Line tracks. During the course of the accident, buses were provided to bypass the accident site.^[34]
• 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.^[35]
• 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 L Line tracks, damaging the tracks and overhead wires. Full return to normal service took several days.^[36]
• 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.^[37]
• December 29, 2016 – A pedestrian was struck and killed by a train heading eastbound into the Arcadia station at 12:12 a.m. Full service was restored by 5:30 a.m.^[38]
• October 1, 2017 – A woman was fatally struck on a set of tracks at Pasadena Avenue and Monterey Road. The crash occurred about 7:35 a.m.^[39]
• February 20, 2018 – A high speed pursuit ended in the L Line tunnel between Soto and Indiana stations, suspending service between Pico/Aliso and Indiana occurring around 10:00 p.m. One male suspect was arrested as the female escaped.^[40]
• April 26, 2018 – An accident on the I-210 freeway involving a FedEx truck that ended up on the L Line tracks in both directions between Lake and Memorial Park stations, damaging both the wires and the rails. This was a day after the line was suspended in Highland Park and South Pasadena for damaged wires.^[41]
• November 27, 2018 – A man was fatally stabbed while traveling on the westbound L Line just past the Azusa station.^[42]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LACMTA L Line.

Route map:

• Gold Line Eastside Extension website
• Gold Line schedule
• Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority