Los Angeles Union Station 75th Anniversaryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VfjlW8xqB0
In conjunction with National Train Day on May 3 (in Los Angeles)
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In Los Angeles, NTD is May 3 to correspond with the 75th of LAUS. Elsewhere, its a week later on May 10.
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Related to the 75th Anniversary of LA Union Station...
View restored footage of Union Station's 1939 opening parade
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/21/43664/view-restored-footage-of-union-station-s-1939-open/
View restored footage of Union Station's 1939 opening parade
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/21/43664/view-restored-footage-of-union-station-s-1939-open/
May 10th
Fixed it...Thanks!
Also in Toledo, NTD is May 3. Always a week earlier than other cities.
brentrain17
Service Attendant
does anyone know what may be planned for Seattle on National Train Day?
http://nationaltrainday.com/s/#!/about/trainequipment
At top right is a drop-down where you can select Seattle.
rusty spike
OBS Chief
It looks like a couple of doze Superliner cars and several P42's will be participating in various NTD events' I didn't know Amtrak had that much extra rolling stock and P42's to sit around for a whole day. Anyone know how they pulled that off?
Green Maned Lion
Engineer
Pulling together a lot of equipment for one day is not hard. Pulling it together for extended periods is the problem. As much as 20% of the fleet is down for required maintenance and inspections on any given day
brentrain17
Service Attendant
wow 20% of fleet down on any given day. hard to believe
rickycourtney
Conductor
Happened to be in the area yesterday so I decided to swing by LAUS. The crews are in full swing preparing the old lady for her 75th anniversary. A lot of the new signage is up (including a little signage for the metropolitan lounge), there are construction barricades around the old "gates" and arrivals/departures board. The transit plaza is all torn up and parts still need a final coat of paint... but I think it's gonna look great in another month!
As a native Angeleno I couldn't be prouder... kudos to the folks at Metro. After so many years being owned by the railroads and investment groups... It's nice to have LAUS owned and operated by a group that really cares.
Oh and as an aside, Amtrak's boarding gate/kindergarten walk charade is officially dead at LAUS. When it's time to board they post the track number on the large departures board in the waiting room and announce it over the speakers. Then passengers walk themselves out to the track (or take a red cap's electric cart). It's boarding the way it should be done... and is done at every station other than the ones managed by Amtrak.
I'll post pictures later.
As a native Angeleno I couldn't be prouder... kudos to the folks at Metro. After so many years being owned by the railroads and investment groups... It's nice to have LAUS owned and operated by a group that really cares.
Oh and as an aside, Amtrak's boarding gate/kindergarten walk charade is officially dead at LAUS. When it's time to board they post the track number on the large departures board in the waiting room and announce it over the speakers. Then passengers walk themselves out to the track (or take a red cap's electric cart). It's boarding the way it should be done... and is done at every station other than the ones managed by Amtrak.
I'll post pictures later.
rickycourtney
Conductor
As promised... here are some pictures of the construction going on at LAUS.
First the waiting room has the new departures and arrivals boards up. The restrictions on the seating in the waiting room remains but at least there is some nicer signage and leather wrapped ropes and stanchions.
In "the passageway" the old departures and arrivals board is gone (replaced with plywood boards over the reconstruction area) as are the old Amtrak boarding "gates".
Without the boarding "gates" and the kindergarten walk, passengers are just expected to find the track their train will be departing on... made easier by these signs above each track pair. Amtrak goes one step further and wheels a small sign out into the middle of the passageway that says "Pacific Surfliner" and has arrows pointing passengers towards business class.
The other thing to know is that all platforms at LAUS are now a "fare paid zone." If you are caught on the platform without a ticket (or a good excuse) you can be fined.
First the waiting room has the new departures and arrivals boards up. The restrictions on the seating in the waiting room remains but at least there is some nicer signage and leather wrapped ropes and stanchions.
In "the passageway" the old departures and arrivals board is gone (replaced with plywood boards over the reconstruction area) as are the old Amtrak boarding "gates".
Without the boarding "gates" and the kindergarten walk, passengers are just expected to find the track their train will be departing on... made easier by these signs above each track pair. Amtrak goes one step further and wheels a small sign out into the middle of the passageway that says "Pacific Surfliner" and has arrows pointing passengers towards business class.
The other thing to know is that all platforms at LAUS are now a "fare paid zone." If you are caught on the platform without a ticket (or a good excuse) you can be fined.
rickycourtney
Conductor
The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge has better signage now (although it still could be better, IMHO.)
For the moment Amtrak has this big (and rather ugly) wall advertisement near the entrance to the passageway to build awareness of the lounge. I don't expect it to last long.
When you get to the station (by train, bus or car) follow the overhead signs for "Amtrak Services" or "Rental Cars." That will get you close to the area you need to be. (See picture in the post above for an example.)
Across from the ticket counter they have the first real sign pointing you towards the lounge.
When you make it to the rental counter and turn to the left you'll see this sign...
The door on the far right will take you to a flight of stairs that leads to the lounge. But if you have bags you'll walk down the hallway until you see this sign on the left...
When you finally make it to the second floor... you'll be greeted by this nice wooden door.
For the moment Amtrak has this big (and rather ugly) wall advertisement near the entrance to the passageway to build awareness of the lounge. I don't expect it to last long.
When you get to the station (by train, bus or car) follow the overhead signs for "Amtrak Services" or "Rental Cars." That will get you close to the area you need to be. (See picture in the post above for an example.)
Across from the ticket counter they have the first real sign pointing you towards the lounge.
When you make it to the rental counter and turn to the left you'll see this sign...
The door on the far right will take you to a flight of stairs that leads to the lounge. But if you have bags you'll walk down the hallway until you see this sign on the left...
When you finally make it to the second floor... you'll be greeted by this nice wooden door.
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rickycourtney
Conductor
Metro now has a whole website setup for the 75th anniversary celebration. You can check it out here.
Highlights:
Highlights:
- The station will be rededicated at 10am in the historic ticketing room.
- A lot of cars will be on display including 10 private railcars and 5 Amtrak cars (Superliner Sleeper, Pacific Parlour Car, Superliner Sightseer Lounge Car, Superliner Cross Country Cafe and a Superliner Coach).
- Locomotives on display from UP, BNSF, Pacific Harbor Line.
- Metrolink and Amtrak will be running free excursion trains to Glendale.
Thanks. Hope I can make it.
Noticed this AM and PM on my commute through LAUS there are still several areas boarded up and work going on including the large train status display.. Lighted display panels are being installed on the walls of the tunnel to the platforms (for advertising?).
rickycourtney
Conductor
I was wondering what those lighted display panels were too... but now we have our answer. They are lightboxes to showcase photographic artwork. Metro installed 30 of them in the passageway between Union Station West and Union Station East. Take a look at the pictures at that link posted above... they look great!
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