Final Update, 12 p.m.: Limited Blue and Expo Line service will continue into 7th/Metro through Wednesday evening due to ongoing repairs. Regular six minute service will resume Thursday morning with Expo Line trains boarding on platform 1 and Blue Line trains boarding on platform 2.
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Update, 5:45 p.m.: Signals and track personnel report considerable progress being made to the repairs at 7th/Metro. Staff will conduct testing to the equipment to ensure that all repairs are done correctly. If all of the system test are performed successfully normal Blue Line and Expo Line service will resume the morning of Thursday, Aug. 3.
Meanwhile, limited Blue Line and Expo Line service will continue into 7th/Metro through Wednesday, Aug. 2. Trains will run every 8 to 10 minutes through the AM and PM rush — instead of their usual every six minutes during peak hours. Blue Line trains board on platform 2 and Expo Line on platform 1 at 7th/Metro. Once again, we thank you for your patience and please stay tuned for any updates here and on Twitter @metrolosangeles and @metroLAalerts.
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Limited Blue Line and Expo Line service will continue into 7th/Metro through Tuesday due to ongoing repair work. Trains will run every 8 to 10 minutes through Tuesday, Aug. 1 AM and PM rush — instead of their usual every six minutes during peak hours. Blue Line trains board on platform 2 and Expo Line on platform 1 at 7th/Metro. At this time, the same service levels may extend into Wednesday. We’ll continue to update here and on Twitter @metrolosangeles and @metroLAalerts.
The reason for the limited service? A small fire broke out on a signal box shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday and was quickly extinguished. The fire was on equipment adjacent to the ‘tail’ track where out-of-service Blue Line and Expo Line trains are turned around. This means there is currently no way to store trains at 7th/Metro, and Metro must run limited service to prevent train congestion. While the repairs to the surface area are mostly completed, the fire also damaged the wires beneath the signal box. Crews are working to remove the damaged wires and replace them as quickly and safely as possible.
We appreciate your patience as we work to restore regular service.
Categories: Service Alerts
Due to this fire having trains on their own dedicated platform seemed like an almost natural way to operate 7th Street Metro Center; no one uses this station for transfers to Blue or Expo lines anyway, Pico station is much more suitable for that. No more boarding the wrong train, no more crowding of the platform. Delays for one line do not affect the other line. The tail track can still be used for both lines.
The only setback seems to be the break room and restrooms for the crews; or am I missing something?
I think the answer is: 1) it makes the turning around of trains less efficient, and; 2) constant switching of trains between Expo and Blue, which is not desirable.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source