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Dan O

Dan O

Conductor
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
1,168
Location
So Calif
Planning on taking early Metrolink train to LA tomorrow to see a Dodger game and goof around in LA. I had read there was a trolley from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. No more. So does anyone know how to get half way close to Dodger Stadium on a bus. I am looking and the map is kinda small. Looks like I can catch a 2 or 4 bus from DT LA out Sunset. Take the red line to catch the 2/4. Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Dan
 
The #2 bus is the way to the stadium from Downtown LA. Take it to Elysian Park Avenue and walk up the hill to the ballpark.
 
If it's not too late, from Union Station you just walk to Sunset/Cesar Chavez Blvd. - at the end of Olvera Street - go left up the hill to the corner by the entrance to Chinatown (don't recall street name) and board any bus headed uphill toward the stadium.

No transit right to the stadium is a crime. It's a major hike into the park from Sunset. Uphill, downhill, uphill again. Frank McCourt, Dodgers owner, makes noises about wanting public transit, but refuses to pay for it, which is why no more buses from Union Station. LACMTA found the money to run the service last year, but can't afford it this year, and wanted McCourt to fund it instead. Knowing full well that people arriving by bus won't be paying $15 for parking (50% increase a couple years ago), McCourt won't cough up the cabbage, saying it's the city's responsibility.

I'm boycotting Dodger stadium. Not because of the transit/parking situation - though that's bad enough - but because McCourt has made a policy of gouging fans at every turn while at the same time refusing to spend the money to field the kind of team fans should be able to expect at such prices.

If I wanna go to a Dodger game - and I do - I head for San Diego via Pacific Surfliner (Padres) or Anaheim via Surfliner or Metrolink (interleague play vs. Angels), and also have the option of San Francisco (Giants).
 
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On Saturdays the L.A. Times sports section prints reader letters. Coincidentally, today it published one on the stadium shuttle to which Dan O referred above:

__________________

"Shuttling in dissatisfaction"

I just got off the phone with a person at customer relations for the Dodgers to inquire about the fan shuttle from Union Station and was told it did not exist anymore.

The person I spoke with put all the blame on the City of Los Angeles for its discontinuation, citing budget cuts.

I don't doubt the city is having to tighten its budget, so why does ownership not take the lead and provide funding for those shuttles? I asked the question and could not get a straight answer.

Which leads me to one conclusion: Ownership will not pay for it, because, well, it costs money. I would like to inform ownership of my intention that until that shuttle is returned, neither myself nor my family will be attending Dodger Stadium.

___________________
 
tp49 said:
The #2 bus is the way to the stadium from Downtown LA. Take it to Elysian Park Avenue and walk up the hill to the ballpark.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I did figure that out after looking at the schedules/maps a bit. I was planning on the shuttle until I noticed the Dodgers site didn't mention it anymore. I hate those maps of downtown busses where it's like 10 million lines in a one inch square area. But we did fine. We could have walked it but I'd guess 1.5 plus miles. Took the 2 to the stadium and I think it was the 4 back downtown. Ate at the Original Pantry again. Yum.

Thanks again.

Dan
 
WhoozOn1st said:
If it's not too late, from Union Station you just walk to Sunset/Cesar Chavez Blvd. - at the end of Olvera Street - go left up the hill to the corner by the entrance to Chinatown (don't recall street name) and board any bus headed uphill toward the stadium.
Click to expand...
I did. Thanks for the info.

I'm boycotting Dodger stadium. Not because of the transit/parking situation - though that's bad enough - but because McCourt has made a policy of gouging fans at every turn while at the same time refusing to spend the money to field the kind of team fans should be able to expect at such prices.
Click to expand...
He spent the dough to keep Manny, didn't he? Manny had two laser shots for homeruns today. He also dropped a routine fly ball although the sun may have been a factor in that as another ball fell in deep center field untouched because the CF lost it in the sun. I am not sure what the Dodgers payroll is but I thought it was pretty healthy.

If I wanna go to a Dodger game - and I do - I head for San Diego via Pacific Surfliner (Padres) or Anaheim via Surfliner or Metrolink (interleague play vs. Angels), and also have the option of San Francisco (Giants).
Click to expand...
Good point. I hadn't been to Dodger Stadium in over 25 years. I see they expanded the seats into more of the field area and there are now advertisements on the outfield wall. Ugh. I didn't care for that at all.

Not a bad game though. Dodgers won 9-5.

Thanks again,

Dan
 
Dan O said:
I'm boycotting Dodger stadium. Not because of the transit/parking situation - though that's bad enough - but because McCourt has made a policy of gouging fans at every turn while at the same time refusing to spend the money to field the kind of team fans should be able to expect at such prices.
Click to expand...
He spent the dough to keep Manny, didn't he? Manny had two laser shots for homeruns today. He also dropped a routine fly ball although the sun may have been a factor in that as another ball fell in deep center field untouched because the CF lost it in the sun. I am not sure what the Dodgers payroll is but I thought it was pretty healthy.
Click to expand...
This is not DodgerTalk, so I'll try to keep this off-topic rant to a minimum. Between other teams being afraid of Manny Ramirez pulling a Boston on them, and Frank McCourt (Dodgers owner) being afraid of vilification for not keeping Ramirez (acquired for free last season), Manny wasn't going anywhere. And he can be a free agent again at the end of this season.

It may sound lame at the moment - 7-game winning streak - to deride McCourt for not forking up the do-re-mi for a winning team, but I remind fans that all victories have been against rivals within the National League "Worst," major league baseball's weakest division. We'll see what happens when the Dodgers start facing the big boys.

Meanwhile, a Coast Starlight run to see Dodgers/Giants at S.F. in August or September is starting to look good.
 
Why not let it meander into Dodger Talk. Manny's poor outfield defense is just "Manny being Manny." Manny also didn't get many serious offers because his asking price was way too high. The National League West is the weakest division in baseball. Without Manny, the Dodgers would not have much in the way of offense and would pretty much be the Giants without the nice rotation. Honestly though, if McCourt doesn't want to spend the money or doesn't have the money to spend as has been speculated then he should sell the team.

Now if you want a really nice side of trains to go with your baseball may I recommend a trip to Safeco Field in Seattle. You'll hear train horns throughout the entire game as the line into King Street Station runs right behind the stadium. King Street Station is pretty much on the other side of Quest Field (where the Seahawks play) from Safeco. Maybe a 10 minute walk at worst.

If you've never been to PacBell Park it's one of the nicest in the game (and right off the N Judah streetcar line and a few blocks from the CalTrain station.)
 
This is not DodgerTalk,
Click to expand...
But it is post spring TRAINing so not too far off topic. And when there were 8 teams in each league they did travel via train so not totally off topic.

so I'll try to keep this off-topic rant to a minimum. Between other teams being afraid of Manny Ramirez pulling a Boston on them, and Frank McCourt (Dodgers owner) being afraid of vilification for not keeping Ramirez (acquired for free last season), Manny wasn't going anywhere. And he can be a free agent again at the end of this season.
Click to expand...
True. Despite his fielding woes yesterday he did look worth the money.

It may sound lame at the moment - 7-game winning streak - to deride McCourt for not forking up the do-re-mi for a winning team, but I remind fans that all victories have been against rivals within the National League "Worst," major league baseball's weakest division. We'll see what happens when the Dodgers start facing the big boys.
Click to expand...
I don't know about the worst division. The Dodgers swept the Cubs last year and didn't the Cubs have the best record in the NL? Seems like the Rockies won the NL crown a few years ago. Not sure there are any powerhouses in the west but some decent teams.
 
As far as who should pay for the shuttle, as a customer - I would!

Charge a couple bucks each way would not be a big deal.

Last season I went to a day game and since I was training for some big hikes, I just hoofed it.

If the Surfliner ran late enough, I might even try a night game, but I wouldn't want to be stuck at LAUS trying to get to OC.

OCTA keeps talking about extending Metrolink to half hourly until midnight on the LA-OC line. That would work for night games.

It was supposed to be 2009 but now they are saying sometime 2010.
 
Rumpled said:
As far as who should pay for the shuttle, as a customer - I would!Charge a couple bucks each way would not be a big deal.

Last season I went to a day game and since I was training for some big hikes, I just hoofed it.
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I thought about that but I had a little kid who may not care for that walk. It wasn't a long bus ride and w/ the metrolink ticket we all rode for free round trip.

I just missed the 445 train back to San Berdo so we ate downtown. I went to a game at the Rose Bowl last fall and had an hour plus wait at LAUS because the trains don't run all the often on Sat PMs.

Dan
 
Hoofing it wouldn't be for little kids, the hike up the hill is probably enough for most.

As I said, I was training (no pun intended) for some big hikes.
 
The Dodgers just lost their first game played outside the NL West, to the pathetic Astros. Not a good sign.

That aside, does anybody know the transit situation for Houston's Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field)?

Watching the Dodgers clobber the Rockies on Sunday, we got to talking about transit access around the major leagues. Among us we haven't been to every ballpark, but couldn't think of a venue with worse transit access than Dodger Stadium.

Here are the ones I've experienced, in no particular order:

NY Mets, Shea Stadium (old one, a new park this season). Piece of cake, with the 7 train to Flushing Meadows, LIRR back to hotel on Long Island.

Oakland A's, Oakland Coliseum (has a corporate name, but don't recall it at the moment). Piece of cake, BART and a pedestrian bridge over other tracks. Non-BART station below (maybe CalTrain?), but I haven't used it.

San Francisco Giants, PacBell Park, SBC Park, AT&T Park, or whatever they're calling it this week (not Candlestick). Piece of cake, Muni right in front of ballpark, dedicated game service.

Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field. Short, pleasant stroll from the L.

San Diego Padres, Petco Park. Piece of cake, light rail station right by the park, dedicated game service and special route.

Seattle Mariners, Safeco Field. Frequent bus service at edge of downtown free riding zone.

Atlanta Braves, Turner Field. MARTA, then a quick bus shuttle. On the shuttle I rode we were serenaded by a barbershop quartet!

Washington Nationals, Nationals Park. Haven't been to a game, but went to the new ballpark right before it opened just to see it. D.C. Metro station about 2 blocks away. Before new park the Nats played at RFK stadium; never been there. And before THAT, the Nationals were the Montreal Expos, and I never went to a game at Olympic Stadium either.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Angels Stadium. Piece of cake, Amtrak/Metrolink station at edge of parking lot.

Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards. Again haven't been to a game, but been to the ballpark. Rail service right there, also for NFL Ravens games at the stadium next door. A friend whooz an Orioles fan uses the light rail to attend several games a year.
 
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My father went to Camden about the second year it was open and said the train left like 30 minutes after a game, no matter how late or how many innings. Nice to know you wouldn't be stranded.

Going to Ducks playoff games right now, I dread OT (some years back I saw a 3 OT doozy there) as I'll have to bum a ride or wake my wife up to come get me - or god forbid, taxi at some outrageous rate.
 
WhoozOn1st said:
The Dodgers just lost their first game played outside the NL West, to the pathetic Astros. Not a good sign.
That aside, does anybody know the transit situation for Houston's Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field)?

Watching the Dodgers clobber the Rockies on Sunday, we got to talking about transit access around the major leagues. Among us we haven't been to every ballpark, but couldn't think of a venue with worse transit access than Dodger Stadium.

Here are the ones I've experienced, in no particular order:

NY Mets, Shea Stadium (old one, a new park this season). Piece of cake, with the 7 train to Flushing Meadows, LIRR back to hotel on Long Island.

Oakland A's, Oakland Coliseum (has a corporate name, but don't recall it at the moment). Piece of cake, BART and a pedestrian bridge over other tracks. Non-BART station below (maybe CalTrain?), but I haven't used it.

San Francisco Giants, PacBell Park, SBC Park, AT&T Park, or whatever they're calling it this week (not Candlestick). Piece of cake, Muni right in front of ballpark, dedicated game service.

Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field. Short, pleasant stroll from the L.

San Diego Padres, Petco Park. Piece of cake, light rail station right by the park, dedicated game service and special route.

Seattle Mariners, Safeco Field. Frequent bus service at edge of downtown free riding zone.

Atlanta Braves, Turner Field. MARTA, then a quick bus shuttle. On the shuttle I rode we were serenaded by a barbershop quartet!

Washington Nationals, Nationals Park. Haven't been to a game, but went to the new ballpark right before it opened just to see it. D.C. Metro station about 2 blocks away. Before new park the Nats played at RFK stadium; never been there. And before THAT, the Nationals were the Montreal Expos, and I never went to a game at Olympic Stadium either.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Angels Stadium. Piece of cake, Amtrak/Metrolink station at edge of parking lot.

Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards. Again haven't been to a game, but been to the ballpark. Rail service right there, also for NFL Ravens games at the stadium next door. A friend whooz an Orioles fan uses the light rail to attend several games a year.
Click to expand...
I've been to many stadiums so I have the scoop on how to get to them. I'll add additional info to some Whooz did and add some he didn't

Light rail stops six blocks from Enron Field.

Oakland has both BART and Amtrak's Capitol Corridor stopping pretty much at the stadium.

San Francisco: Caltrain is also a long block away from the stadium.

Yankee Stadium: Subway stop adjacent to the stadium.

Fenway Park: Green Line to Kenmore Square then a 3 block walk to the park.

Comiskey Park (US Cellular Field) Red Line to Sox/35th or Green Line to 35th/Bronzeville/IIT (a couple blocks east of the Red Line Station.)

Phoenix: Light rail to 3d and Jefferson right in front of the ballpark.

Philadelphia: Broad Street Line (Orange) to Pattison Avenue/Sports Cpmplex.

Minneapolis: Light Rail to the Metrodome stop.
 
Rumpled said:
OCTA keeps talking about extending Metrolink to half hourly until midnight on the LA-OC line. That would work for night games.It was supposed to be 2009 but now they are saying sometime 2010.
Click to expand...
The 30 minute runs would not go to LA. They were planned for between Fullerton and Laguna Niguel on Metrolink owned ROW. There were problems getting BNSF to go along with 30 minute service to LA until some improvements were completed. I don't know the status of those improvements. The whole issue sort of dropped off the transit radar.
 
Spokker said:
Rumpled said:
OCTA keeps talking about extending Metrolink to half hourly until midnight on the LA-OC line. That would work for night games.It was supposed to be 2009 but now they are saying sometime 2010.
Click to expand...
The 30 minute runs would not go to LA. They were planned for between Fullerton and Laguna Niguel on Metrolink owned ROW. There were problems getting BNSF to go along with 30 minute service to LA until some improvements were completed. I don't know the status of those improvements. The whole issue sort of dropped off the transit radar.
Click to expand...
 
Spokker said:
The 30 minute runs would not go to LA. They were planned for between Fullerton and Laguna Niguel on Metrolink owned ROW. There were problems getting BNSF to go along with 30 minute service to LA until some improvements were completed. I don't know the status of those improvements. The whole issue sort of dropped off the transit radar.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the quest post, guess I wasn't logged in.

Just checked and you are correct, so it wouldn't help me or others trying to come home from LA.

It would provide some backup for Ducks and Angles games though.

No kidding about dropping off the radar.
 
And I'm not sure sure OCTA would have funded 30 minute service to Los Angeles and I don't know if Metro would be perceptive to funding extra Metrolink runs to/from LA. Their TAP program and increased transfer fees will practically ruin the commuter rail experience for people going to/from Downtown LA soon.
 
Also of possible interest to SoCal railfans, Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman is scheduled to speak at the Saturday, May 2, meeting of the National Association of Railroad Passengers at L.A.

NARP

The admission price is a little steep - 50 bucks for NARP members, 60 otherwise - and includes another Amtrak guy whooz supposed to talk about the Sunset Limited. Other speakers of note as well.
 
WhoozOn1st said:
On Saturdays the L.A. Times sports section prints reader letters. Coincidentally, today it published one on the stadium shuttle to which Dan O referred above:__________________

"Shuttling in dissatisfaction"

I just got off the phone with a person at customer relations for the Dodgers to inquire about the fan shuttle from Union Station and was told it did not exist anymore.

The person I spoke with put all the blame on the City of Los Angeles for its discontinuation, citing budget cuts.

I don't doubt the city is having to tighten its budget, so why does ownership not take the lead and provide funding for those shuttles? I asked the question and could not get a straight answer.

Which leads me to one conclusion: Ownership will not pay for it, because, well, it costs money. I would like to inform ownership of my intention that until that shuttle is returned, neither myself nor my family will be attending Dodger Stadium.

___________________
Click to expand...
The Dodgers will probably say something like this: "Fine, we'll sell your seat to someone who is willing to pay $15 for parking and spend $100 on concessions and whatnot."

Of course, now that Manny is serving a 50-game suspension . . .

You would think that sports franchises in major metropolitan markets where there are concerns about air pollution, global warming and the like would do everything they could to encourage their fans (and other members of the community) to use public transportation. At the very least, it would help the team's image when members of the organization were involved in legal trouble or other scandals.
 
Free Union Station-Dodger Stadium shuttle service will be back for the 2010 baseball season:

"The city of Los Angeles offered free shuttles during the second half of the 2008 season, but the service was discontinued last season when the city said it could no longer afford the cost and the Dodgers declined to pick up the tab.

"The $300,000 to cover this season's shuttles comes from state funding administered by the Air Quality Management District. The Dodgers have agreed to spend a similar amount to publicize the service at Dodger Stadium on the team website and on radio and television broadcasts, said Howard Sunkin, senior vice president of the McCourt Group."

About 2,500 fans per game are expected to use the service. The L.A. Times item didn't say whether one of the buses will be dedicated to shuttling the legion of lawyers working on the McCourts' divorce case.
 
WhoozOn1st said:
"The Dodgers have agreed to spend a similar amount to publicize the service at Dodger Stadium on the team website and on radio and television broadcasts, said Howard Sunkin, senior vice president of the McCourt Group."
Click to expand...
The resumption of shuttle service does in fact appear on the Dodger website:

Free Dodger Stadium shuttle is back (includes schedule info)

"The shuttle will be fully integrated in Southern California's Metrolink and Amtrak systems, as well as the bus, railway and subway systems in Southern California."

Haven't listened to or watched any Spring Training games on radio or TV, so don't know about that yet. One fan commenter is "glad the Dodgers stepped foward and found a way to get it done with the cities budget crisis." Yeah, right. The first comment on the item is closer to the mark: "congrats on seeing transportation put back in, but honestly, money had to be allocated to perform this basic task..it's your team mc court, and yet you had to wait for the city [actually state] to give u money to do this..u promised a ride and yet mta, and city council has to pay"
 
I've both walked and taken the bus from LAUS to Dodger Stadium.

I'd gladly pay $1 each way to have a direct shuttle.

If those numbers are correct; that service would turn a profit.

Then the McCourts could have more $ to fight over.
 

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