Assembly of the Regional Connector’s tunnel boring machine (TBM), Angeli, has commenced. The machine’s heaviest components were lowered by a heavy-duty crane known as a gantry system. Each segment of the machine is lowered slowly into the launch pit and then connected in order to build the 344 foot long machine. Efforts to lower and assemble the machine are ongoing. Tunneling is scheduled to start in early 2017.

A naming and lowering ceremony was held for the Connector’s TBM in October.

The $1.55-billion Regional Connector will tie together the Blue, Expo and Gold Lines via 1.9-mile twin tunnels. That will allow for quicker light rail rides to and through DTLA with far fewer transfers. The project also includes three new stations: 1st/Central in Little Tokyo, 2nd/Broadway adjacent to the Civic Center and 2nd/Hope adjacent to Bunker Hill, the Music Center, Disney Concert Hall, the Broad, MOCA and other attractions. Here’s the project home page.