We held a sneak peak for the K Line for the media, Metro Board Members, VIPs and stakeholders on Monday morning. Check out the view from the train cab above.
Pre-revenue service testing is underway with more trains running from early morning to late night this week. If you walk, bike, roll or drive near the K Line, be safe and watch for trains! Because…trains haven’t run in the Crenshaw and Inglewood corridor since the 1950s, back in the days of the streetcar. To learn more about the project, click here.
Before you ask: we don’t yet have an opening date to announce. Hopefully we’ll have the date very soon! We’re working hard to get there and we also need to first get approval from the California Public Utilities Commission. Stay tuned to The Source and our social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) — and thanks for your support, tax dollars and interest in our new light rail line. We’re eager and excited to deliver the line to you and see you on board!
Metro Board Members past and present enjoy the view from the train.
Metro Board Members past and present and Metro CEO Stephanie N. Wiggins.
The Westchester/Veterans Station will be the temporary southern terminus of the K Line when it opens. The K Line will extend to Aviation/Century Station near LAX in 2023 and the new LAX/Metro Transit Center station in 2024 — which will be the transfer point between Metro and the LAX Automated People Mover serving the airport terminals.
Metro staff during the event on Monday.
Peering through the cab as the train approaches one of the K Line’s three underground stations.
The section of the line that runs down the middle of Crenshaw Boulevard — as the streetcars once did.
A southbound train just south of Leimert Park.
Categories: Projects
Unrelated, though minor: I just noticed that the map shows the J Line’s 37th/USC stop as being right next to the E Line’s Jefferson/USC stop – when, in reality, the latter is nearly 1/2 mile north of the former. It isn’t marked as a transfer station, but the dots need to more accurately reflect the distance between stations.
“and the new LAX/Metro Transit Center station in 2024” Huh? Another delay? The people mover will be open in 2023, next year, yet the station itself won’t be open until 2024. What a mess. When will the K line be fully linked with the Green Line. That’s the plan right? Never mind another delay on the Centinela overpass.
Just a suggestion: please don’t cover the train windows with ads. Sitting in a carriage (or bus, for that matter) with an ad across the window makes for a much less pleasant riding experience. There are transit agencies that never cover windows when they wrap their buses and trains with ads. Metro should follow their lead.
Sneak Peak? Is that a preview of a mountain?
Hi Derek;
I screwed up “peak” across about 3 million different platforms the other day. I blame…getting old? 🙂
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Will the Westchester/Veterans station have a shuttle to go to LAX until the APM opens? Similar to the G shuttle
Hi Tony;
A bus shuttle will link the K Line at Westchester/Veterans Stations to the C Line (Green) at Aviation/LAX Station.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Please tell us when the line will open, given that you are 3 years late into the opening!
Will the majority of the at-grade intersections have gates to allow the trains to seamlessly pass through, or they going to be similar to the Expo Line, which has to stop at traffic lights for almost the entirety of its first half? Any information on the length of time it takes to ride the K Line from Expo/Crenshaw to Westchester/Veterans?
This is an important question that must be answered. Steve help us!!!
Hi B;
The traffic signals along the street-running segment of K Line on Crenshaw Boulevard will prioritize trains much of the time — but the signals will not outright give every train a green light. In other words, the signals are set up to favor trains. That’s the nature of street-running rail.
As for run time the other day, I didn’t time it but it was quick — 15 minutes or a little longer by my estimate. But it was a media ride — we weren’t picking up or dropping off people at stations. I’ll post the schedule as soon as it’s released. Much of the line is underground or separated from the street — and like Foothill Extension to Azusa and Expo 2 — that helps keep trains moving.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
This is the nature of street-running operations. Only gating can guarantee trains will never have to stop.
Also during the this time until 2024, we should begin extending the Aviation/Imperial platform for 3 car service between Norwalk and Expo/Crenshaw.
I hear September 30
Hi Christian;
I just want to stress we don’t have a date yet and we need the CPUC approval before it opens (as do all rail transit projects in our state). We’ll let everyone know as soon as we can.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Without a solid opening date: let’s make some assumptions and work backwards: if you received approval from the PUC right this second, when would the opening date be? If that’s dependent on other things happening, what’s the expected date for those things to happen and then the earliest the PUC can give the go ahead? Is it two weeks? Two months? Two quarters? Give us sooommmmeeeething.
Tell us the planned (yes we understand that it may not happen a week later) opening day.