In this edition of Metro Motion the focus is on beautiful Los Angeles Union Station, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary on May 3. The 1939 opening was an amazing party and half a million spectators turned out to explore the last of the great railway stations and see the parade of bands, floats and massive steam engines.

From the beginning, Union Station has been Hollywood’s train station and like any great Hollywood star it has appeared in hundreds of films, TV shows and commercials. Find out which ones and why the beguiling but aging star still appears frequently in movies … even as she moves toward her golden years.

In another segment we visit beautiful Harvey House restaurant in Union Station and find out about the women who waited tables there – the Harvey Girls – and how they were part of the settling of the West. We also tour a luxurious private rail car – the Patron Tequila Express – that is sometimes parked in Union Station’s private rail car yard. We meet some of the early settlers of L.A.’s Chinatown, whose parents were residents of the original Chinatown located where Union Station now stands.

We talk with the head of the Union Station planning team who tells us what’s in store for the iconic building as it develops into the hub of transit for our region. And finally, we meet fourth graders from Utah Street Elementary School who draw pictures of what they want the Union Station of the future to look like. Some will surprise you.

Metro Motion is co-produced by Metro and Santa Monica City TV.