i like to knoww were this expo line is ther is no neration and hate vidios like that but were does it go to and what is the statis is ere plasn for a light rail on it or a bike trail will there be a big fight over that matter to bad I don,t think it could be both,oh is see something about expoline opening last year I will chekc it out
Great video showing the line, but it's really not that wide through the Cheviot Hills area. Maybe 40 yards max. Also, I don't think the poster realizes that starting from the time he exits the the 10 Fwy undercrossing, there are homes all the along the right and from the Palms Rec Center and Library, there are homes on both sides. If you lived there, would you want what is essentially a train going right by your backyard? The home values have already depreciated because of this...
No one wants to buy a home when a rail is planned to go by your property. We have been looking for a home and found one we liked on Dunleer, but because the rail goes behind it, we didn't even want to look at it. I can completely understand why residents there are against it. I would be if I lived there.
@SuperVillaTube Look up "Pacific Electric" on wikipedia. Los Angeles had a massive streetcar system at one time. Many of the tracks are still around in pieces.
There is a very good short film, here in youtube called "3rd Avenue El - early 1950's" it was filmed in that elevated line un NYC shortly before it was tore down in 1955, it's worth watching.
Search it in youtube by "3rd Avenue El - early 1950's" Youtube don't let me put the link.
I can't believe the NIMBY crowd. The city should fly them all to Portland and show them how much better having public transit helps not only the city, but their property values.
@TheGentlemanCaller88 These tracks were used for a Pacific Electric interurban line called the "Air Line" from Los Angeles to Santa Monica. Prior to that it was a narrow gauge steam line.
The interurban closed in 1953 and tracks were occasionally used for diesel delivered freight until about 1989. Look up Expo Line on Wikipedia for detail.
@bendix5 long live the pacific electric!!!!!!!! I woulda started running diesels back and forth once the NIMBYs started bitching Just to be a dick to them....I wonder what they can do about it if its NOT theiir property.... What can they do anyhow?
Great video. I live in West LA and I laugh when I see the signs in peoples' front yards protesting the Expo Line. Obviously they don't have to commute to downtown LA each day. Question: What will happen with the Pacific Concrete facility (Pico/Sawtelle) once the rail construction begins???
Cool Vids 5***** u think u can make a vid of the old Pacific Elctric that went from Santa Ana all the way to LA its amazing how Orange County and LA have alot historic Pacific Electric Landmarks still there
I'm actually mystified by the six "dislikes." Regardless of what your personal convictions may be about this particular project, or public transportation in general, (never mind that the automobile is the second largest taxpayer-subsidized welfare queen on the planet behind the Pentagon), this video is great.
bendix...WAY COOL! you should check out another you tube and web site..abandonedrails and post this video there if you can. I'm a puter idiot, but this was cool!
I think I have found my soulmate:) This is soo cool, it's like we were on the same page for 5.10 minutes;) I followed the same line about 3 years ago on my msn maps and directions-bird's eye view...and I live in Texas, never been to LA. How cool is that?
i seriously hope this gets built.. stupid nimby ppl dont understand anything about how much this can benefit downtown and west la... and shit if they dont want a train being built around their house built it around mine!! haha would be easier for me to get to places instead of using my car -__-''
@EzraHorne They were a bit suspicious of me and got up to leave as I came down the track, but I explained the concept to them and told them it would be more interesting if they just stayed there. They hang out there regularly anyway and the point was to show that this wonderful, valuable right-of-way is just sitting there unused.
What a great video! Thank you so much for showing us the route! It's crazy that we had this awesome rail line criss crossing ALL of the Southland and the idiots ripped it up, thanks to greed and the mighty dollar. There's another remnent track not all too far
from me, complete with a plaque talking about the "old days" and the system that was in place. Waiting for the day that that nice "hiking trail" gets tracks put back on it!!! LOL!!!
@bendix5 - No. I'm in North - Western O.C. We had a ballot measure up several years back asking for a lightrail to Santa Ana and John Wayne Airport, but it was voted down. :-(
Should be a pretty cool line. Much better than riding a bus from downtown to Santa Monica once it opens...visited LA 3 years ago and trying to take a bus using Wilshire from SM to Downtown was an unmitigated disaster...
Nice vid. If car crazy LA can bring back Trams i hope that my hometown of Glasgow can do the same. Mind you Edinburgh's attempt seems to have stalled due to idiocy & greed!
This is wicked awesome! I hate seeing abandoned track. Will be very glad when the light rail system is in place and you can make an updated video from the cab car!
This is very well done. I like music too. Great archival footage, if they ever finish this line. Building new tracks and crossings into Santa Monica will be the real trick. People lived with trains in LA before, but I can guess why the nimbys howl so loud.
Good thing those 10 & 405 underpasses are still there, somebody hedged their bets right;)
@xylophonistic Coming soon. It's much more difficult as most of the line has been re-purposed for buildings, parking lots, etc. They are all being kicked out as their lease is up and the train is coming - I may have to wait for some to leave before I can get that segment.
thanks so much for putting this up. it's extremely well done. thanks to this video, i'm planning to get some friends together to walk this route. funny, i grew up around this area and really never had a sense of the continuity of those tracks. were all the sections easy to access?
@pahool Most of what you see in this video is pretty easy to get to, a few portions require using a map to figure it out. I have heard from some friends who live nearby that the tunnel has already been cleared out and that some pre-construction has started. If you go, take a video and post!
Amazing. Truly, wonderfully amazing to this LA native and railfan. This is one of the finest videos I have ever seen on YouTube. Looking forward to part two!
thank you, that was enjoyable. both the music, and the idea that we will be able to traverse Southern California by rail more easily. Lay the tracks!!!
As an aside, it's interesting to take a walk around the neighborhood of Pico and Sepulveda. A lot of the commercial, light industrial structures were originally built with loading doors to accommodate railcars--and not just along Exposition itself. The presence of numerous railcar loading docks elsewhere in the area betray what must have been an elaborate network of branch spurs. I think local rail freight has been decimated even more than passenger transit.
What will they do about stretches where the tracks are not only paved over, but built on as well and occupied by any number of businesses? Like, for example, the concrete and cement company nestled under the 405? Does the MTA already own the land and plan to evict such tenants, or must the properties in question be condemned?
@Pithecanthropus2483 The MTA owns the property and all of the people on it have their leases expiring by the end of the year. You will notice "moving" and "going out of business" signs on most of them. The construction process will remove everything and dig down several feet, lay in a new track bed and a track in each direction.
There are great photographs of the original light rail passenger cars running on this line with commentary at the "Hello Expo" page on Facebook. A discussion started there recently on all the places to go on Expo. See the Discussions tab there. If you are a Facebook member, please feel free to show support by "liking" the Hello Expo page.
Are you sure this track was originally for street cars? I thought this was freight. I could be wrong though.
Also, two things: The original Pacific Electric Railway should've never been dismantled in the first place. Secondly, I hate how they're just using an unused rail line to build a new rail line, especially since there aren't really any significant stops around most of the line. It passes through warehouse areas and residential areas. No main hubs of commerce or anything.
@DiverseLA The Expo Line, officially called the Santa Monica Air Line is said to be the oldest RR in greater L.A. and goes back to the 1870s. Originally it was for anything and anyone you'd want to use a train to carry. Of course, the PE did use it until the 1950s, at which we automatically thing "people", but the PE also did some freight business. The last delivery was supposedly to Anawalt Lumber at Pico and Sepulveda.
Make it into a bike path and you would have something. Mass transit is a failure. Just pick a destination say -Santa Monica Pier to Dodger Stadium
17.2 mi – about 22 mins (up to 1 hour 20 mins in traffic) by car
2 hours by transit
6 hours walking
2 hours by bike! Put in paths along the rivers and freeways and right of ways - get around at least as fast a public trans while getting healthier on your schedule not some socialist train worker.
@loveboobhsqd the pacific pacific electric car tracks.. it used to run from downtown to the beach in santa monica... until GM bought them out and stopped the service and destroyed all the trains, so that people would be forced to get around only by automobile.
sounds unbelievable? nah, it's all real, unfortunately. and now the city is implementing what used to be exist all the way back at 1938!!!
just look it up on wikipedia, it's called the "Great American streetcar scandal"
walking through deserted areas of downtown l.a. is not on the list of secrets to a long, healthy life. if it were like 20 years ago, you would have never been heard from again. those kids on the tracks would have taken your sneakers from your lifeless feet and thrown them on the telephone wires. nice job excellent filming brilliant idea. entering deserted l.a. tunnels is the ultimate badge of courage.
@mtb416 Los Angeles County voters approved Measure R by at 68% majority to pay for building lots of rail in Los Angeles. You need to mind your own business or meddle elsewhere. The citizens voted by Super Majority for these projects.
@mtb416 I wasn't talking about California. Saying this won't happen is akin to claiming bridges won't get repaired or old water pipelines won't be replaced. Maybe those things won't happen, but they should. It's all infrastructure. People think this is optional because there are freeways there. It's not.
@mtb416 - wut an a-hole. LA county voted to fund mass transit to be funded with sales tax revenue. The network being built right now will help the area tremendously when the economy rebounds. And yes it will rebound, regardless of what anyone in any other part of the country says. You've heard it before... mind your own business.
@critter2324 Yeah, crips, bloods - part of our city. Love it or leave it. I love it. Really. Better than provincial attitudes and gossip circles any day.
this railway would be a great addition to the city of Los Angeles. The more accessible the metro system is, the more people will use it due to cost effectiveness and mere convenience. I like the busses in LA, but I love just jumping on the train, the view is better, it's a little faster, and just a relaxing experience.
Video is great!! Light rail with no regard for major intersections is not so great. NIMBY's are right to ask that major intersections be gone over or under.
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
This is an amazing video. We will ride this train in less than five years from now. The Palms/National and Westwood/Exposition Stations will be great!
Note that the tracks only go adjacent to Cheviot Hills but not actually through Cheviot Hills. Therefore, the tracks are either in Palms or Rancho Park, but they border Cheviot Hills between the Santa Monica Freeway underpass (aka Palms Overhad) northwest portal and Overland Avenue.
Wonderfully presented. I knew about parts of this, but seeing it all put together in this format is a great service for all interested parties. Bravo! Can't wait till the next installment.
A fascinating revisit for one who rode the original Santa Monica Air Line (that was over fifty years ago, maybe closer to sixty!). We even published timetables for the daily round trip, put them in the timetable racks at 6th & Main, and then watched as the Special Agents removed them (only to be replaced by more from our pockets). Oh the glorious days of youth. Great video, bullying one's way through fences and autos and chain link fences. More, more!
@marniespeaks Why would trolley rail be better than light rail? For that matter an electric trolley bus might have been an option too, except I think the projected ridership would be too high for that.
This is an excellent video - no attention to detail spared! I look forward to riding this part of the train for reals. Good work, please keep it up! Too much of LA gets lost through the years, as this video perversely demonstrates.
These NIMBYs are full of shit. The Right-of-way, bridges, and appropriate crossings are already in-place, MTA would just have make them look nicer. Building the Expo line through there would be cost effective, because everything is already set for a rail through there. Complain, Complain,Complain. Don't these Rich white folks from Cheviot Hills (not being racist, we all know who these NIMBYs are) have anything else to do?
The only problem with that route is that it ends at 23 street in Santa Monica. After that, to my knowledge, there is no open space from 23rd to the ocean. But watching the video made me realize it would be cost effective to build the the last 2 miles as a subway if necessary.
@jojopuppyfish - It's buried, but it is there - the route continues up to 17th and Colorado, where it will come out at the corner and travel down Colorado to 4th street. The station is going where the old Sears Automotive center was.
@bendix5 Ok.....thanks......So its even less than 2 miles.
They are making a big mistake in LA using at rail crossings and street level. Going down Colorado is a mistake too. And terminating next to Sears is a mistake.
The city badly needs rapid transit.
The MTA made huge mistakes on the gold line and as a result the line is NOT rapid transit. Anyways, just one of the reasons I moved out of Los Angeles.
Still exciting to see them build the Metro Expo Line.
Something like this happened in Vancouver B.C. The local transit authority wanted to re-activate an old tram line that happened to run through a wealthy neighbourhood. Well, all hell broke loose when they found out that the riff-raff could be travelling through their "creme de la creme" as they called it (really!) part of town. Apparently it was all right 50 years ago but they're too good for that now.
Great video it will be nice to see when it is built up as a rail line and not let to disrepair as it is now. Much like the transformation of whats todays Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley this will be a gem when built.
The Cheviot Hills people complain that the line can "Bring Crime" but duh wake up and smell the aerosol people look at all the graff up in "Motor Yard" as its called.
WoW - Nice to see so much of the old line still in situ. This video will be an historic video when they build the new line and all of this disappears. Quite intrigued comparing your video at 2:36 Overland crossing with another video showing a simulation of what Overland crossing will look like...It's at [watch?v=GurZ2DTnGAU&feature=related] Go to 1:20.
this is the old Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line, not Cheviot Hills. Passenger service on this line ended 30 October 1953. I wonder if the rail bonds are still in place.
What a great video. How did you do it? When will they start rehabing the line? How did you get through the fences and the bushes? Great Job whoever you are.
@cforssi Using a weighted camera balance and a lot of walking. Tracing the line on a map and driving all over the place to get to each section. Kind of a fun Sunday. The next part will be a bit more challenging, but we'll get there.
@MaTaRu39 I assume you're not from around here. Yes, it's mostly L.A. but will pass through Culver City and Santa Monica, which are separately incorporated cities in their own right.. As for Torrance and L.A. I think the proposed Crenshaw corridor would come pretty close; it would connect with the Expo Line and eventually the Purple Line.
i like to knoww were this expo line is ther is no neration and hate vidios like that but were does it go to and what is the statis is ere plasn for a light rail on it or a bike trail will there be a big fight over that matter to bad I don,t think it could be both,oh is see something about expoline opening last year I will chekc it out
SUPERDAVIDLEVINE 6 days ago
This is AMAZING! Great work Bendix,
Is there any chance you're going to do a part 2? Because WE NEED IT!
ADogHowls 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Great video showing the line, but it's really not that wide through the Cheviot Hills area. Maybe 40 yards max. Also, I don't think the poster realizes that starting from the time he exits the the 10 Fwy undercrossing, there are homes all the along the right and from the Palms Rec Center and Library, there are homes on both sides. If you lived there, would you want what is essentially a train going right by your backyard? The home values have already depreciated because of this...
HowieDub 1 month ago
No one wants to buy a home when a rail is planned to go by your property. We have been looking for a home and found one we liked on Dunleer, but because the rail goes behind it, we didn't even want to look at it. I can completely understand why residents there are against it. I would be if I lived there.
HowieDub 1 month ago
Comment removed
HowieDub 1 month ago
As a railfan, I am extremely disappointed at the two top comments.
ziggypwner 2 months ago
I love this so much, I'm surprised I didn't do it myself. Great job.
waltarrrrr 4 months ago
super video, pls continue
inMANvisible 4 months ago
id lovd to go there
bigpoppapumps09 4 months ago
Wonderful tour. I've walked a lot of this route, but never as thoroughly as this. Time for another walk. Thank you.
dafeinstein 5 months ago
Great video it would be nice to see the line revived!
Intransitman 5 months ago
i was in LA and i saw some rails on the middle of the road and going into builindings and stuff like that. know what that is?
SuperVillaTube 5 months ago
@SuperVillaTube Look up "Pacific Electric" on wikipedia. Los Angeles had a massive streetcar system at one time. Many of the tracks are still around in pieces.
bendix5 5 months ago
they really need rail service to Santa Monica, even with a "rapid" bus it took me two hours to get from Downtown to Santa Monica.
Moepabc 5 months ago
What year was this made, and how different would the same filmed "track" look now in 2011?
istj04 6 months ago
There is a very good short film, here in youtube called "3rd Avenue El - early 1950's" it was filmed in that elevated line un NYC shortly before it was tore down in 1955, it's worth watching.
Search it in youtube by "3rd Avenue El - early 1950's" Youtube don't let me put the link.
aCCs77a 6 months ago
Comment removed
LeeGeorge08 6 months ago
I can't believe the NIMBY crowd. The city should fly them all to Portland and show them how much better having public transit helps not only the city, but their property values.
amarstan 7 months ago 2
Part 2! Now!!
Glencie 7 months ago
Great job!
billradley 7 months ago
Good, no overhead wires.
Scoinsoffaterocks 8 months ago
Does anyone know what those old rails were used for? Was it for trains or did the interurban Redcar use these tracks?
TheGentlemanCaller88 9 months ago
@TheGentlemanCaller88 These tracks were used for a Pacific Electric interurban line called the "Air Line" from Los Angeles to Santa Monica. Prior to that it was a narrow gauge steam line.
The interurban closed in 1953 and tracks were occasionally used for diesel delivered freight until about 1989. Look up Expo Line on Wikipedia for detail.
bendix5 8 months ago
@bendix5 long live the pacific electric!!!!!!!! I woulda started running diesels back and forth once the NIMBYs started bitching Just to be a dick to them....I wonder what they can do about it if its NOT theiir property.... What can they do anyhow?
MilwaukeeSDman 8 months ago
Respond to this video... how many years were those rails sitting there? unused quiet???
MilwaukeeSDman 8 months ago
@MilwaukeeSDman Passenger service stopped in 1953, there was limited freight until about 1987...
bendix5 7 months ago
I thought this was an actual cab ride at first, lol!
Anyway, great job on the preview of LA's newest light rail line. :)
Wingnutcaseman 9 months ago
Great video. I live in West LA and I laugh when I see the signs in peoples' front yards protesting the Expo Line. Obviously they don't have to commute to downtown LA each day. Question: What will happen with the Pacific Concrete facility (Pico/Sawtelle) once the rail construction begins???
krautie66 9 months ago
@krautie66 Thanks! My understanding is it has been bought and a mixed use apartment/stores is going in there around a stop.
bendix5 9 months ago
Este video es genial....
aCCs77a 10 months ago
@aCCs77a Muchas gracias!
bendix5 10 months ago
@bendix5 De nada, You're welcome
the way it's made is very simple yet very clever, including "passing through" the obstacles.
When you see it finished seems pretty obvius, but you have to think of it.
aCCs77a 10 months ago
Nice video.
Artstar 10 months ago
Cool Vids 5***** u think u can make a vid of the old Pacific Elctric that went from Santa Ana all the way to LA its amazing how Orange County and LA have alot historic Pacific Electric Landmarks still there
sanchezv8 11 months ago
I'm actually mystified by the six "dislikes." Regardless of what your personal convictions may be about this particular project, or public transportation in general, (never mind that the automobile is the second largest taxpayer-subsidized welfare queen on the planet behind the Pentagon), this video is great.
inforiocity 11 months ago
Are they going widen the tunnel under the10 freeway?
AnimationReCreation 1 year ago
@AnimationReCreation No. Luckily it will JUST fit and no modification will be needed. I suppose just a good clean!
bendix5 1 year ago
bendix...WAY COOL! you should check out another you tube and web site..abandonedrails and post this video there if you can. I'm a puter idiot, but this was cool!
pgronemeier 1 year ago
I think I have found my soulmate:) This is soo cool, it's like we were on the same page for 5.10 minutes;) I followed the same line about 3 years ago on my msn maps and directions-bird's eye view...and I live in Texas, never been to LA. How cool is that?
texashsad 1 year ago
i seriously hope this gets built.. stupid nimby ppl dont understand anything about how much this can benefit downtown and west la... and shit if they dont want a train being built around their house built it around mine!! haha would be easier for me to get to places instead of using my car -__-''
DaygoJer 1 year ago
HOLLA 2 DA PPL IN 2:14
DulcEmiGUElito1 1 year ago
awesome video. looking forward to part 2 (will go pretty close to my house)!
khoutz 1 year ago
Scenic thru Cheviot Hills. I look forward to riding it.
acs1789 1 year ago
I love the kids hanging out on the track at 2:14. Did they ask you what you were doing?
Great video though!
EzraHorne 1 year ago
@EzraHorne They were a bit suspicious of me and got up to leave as I came down the track, but I explained the concept to them and told them it would be more interesting if they just stayed there. They hang out there regularly anyway and the point was to show that this wonderful, valuable right-of-way is just sitting there unused.
bendix5 1 year ago
What a great video! Thank you so much for showing us the route! It's crazy that we had this awesome rail line criss crossing ALL of the Southland and the idiots ripped it up, thanks to greed and the mighty dollar. There's another remnent track not all too far
from me, complete with a plaque talking about the "old days" and the system that was in place. Waiting for the day that that nice "hiking trail" gets tracks put back on it!!! LOL!!!
trollinda 1 year ago
@trollinda You wouldn't happen to live between the 2 and Riverside drive? That's next!
bendix5 1 year ago
Comment removed
trollinda 1 year ago
@bendix5 - No. I'm in North - Western O.C. We had a ballot measure up several years back asking for a lightrail to Santa Ana and John Wayne Airport, but it was voted down. :-(
trollinda 1 year ago
Hope this gets finished and doesn't become another MTA line to nowhere.
The L.A. Weekly just slammed the MTA-
(Gene Maddaus Thursday, Dec 2 2010)
AnimationReCreation 1 year ago
Great vid man!! Thanks for doing the walk for all of us lazy folk ;-)
yotokan 1 year ago
Should be a pretty cool line. Much better than riding a bus from downtown to Santa Monica once it opens...visited LA 3 years ago and trying to take a bus using Wilshire from SM to Downtown was an unmitigated disaster...
twistedchinaman 1 year ago
Nice vid. If car crazy LA can bring back Trams i hope that my hometown of Glasgow can do the same. Mind you Edinburgh's attempt seems to have stalled due to idiocy & greed!
Allyb1305 1 year ago
@Allyb1305 Nothing to do with lobbying by "Worst"Group by any chance..??
JollyRodders 1 year ago
@JollyRodders you may well be right mate!
Allyb1305 1 year ago
Those dudes at 2:15 were totally smoking weed lol
sakrilego 1 year ago
This is wicked awesome! I hate seeing abandoned track. Will be very glad when the light rail system is in place and you can make an updated video from the cab car!
prorobo 1 year ago
@prorobo Glad you liked it. To see more, look for "Hello Expo" or "Expo Line" on Facebook.
bendix5 1 year ago
Comment removed
prorobo 1 year ago
This is very well done. I like music too. Great archival footage, if they ever finish this line. Building new tracks and crossings into Santa Monica will be the real trick. People lived with trains in LA before, but I can guess why the nimbys howl so loud.
Good thing those 10 & 405 underpasses are still there, somebody hedged their bets right;)
AnimationReCreation 1 year ago
I want Part 2!!!
Glencie 1 year ago
@Glencie Coming soon! Promise!
bendix5 1 year ago
Great video, when I part 2 coming? Looking forward to seeing it, I grew up near pico and bundy
xylophonistic 1 year ago
@xylophonistic Coming soon. It's much more difficult as most of the line has been re-purposed for buildings, parking lots, etc. They are all being kicked out as their lease is up and the train is coming - I may have to wait for some to leave before I can get that segment.
bendix5 1 year ago
Bravo - not being totally familiar with the area, I now finally understand just how ridiculous the complaints of the neighbors are!
steelearch 1 year ago
thanks so much for putting this up. it's extremely well done. thanks to this video, i'm planning to get some friends together to walk this route. funny, i grew up around this area and really never had a sense of the continuity of those tracks. were all the sections easy to access?
pahool 1 year ago
@pahool Most of what you see in this video is pretty easy to get to, a few portions require using a map to figure it out. I have heard from some friends who live nearby that the tunnel has already been cleared out and that some pre-construction has started. If you go, take a video and post!
bendix5 1 year ago
Amazing. Truly, wonderfully amazing to this LA native and railfan. This is one of the finest videos I have ever seen on YouTube. Looking forward to part two!
DismayingObservation 1 year ago
1. This is brilliant, just completely well done.
2. I sometimes forget how beautiful L.A. is in it's natural vegetation state.
3. You didn't slow your choo-choo down even a bit at 2:17, oh the carnage! :-)
Loved you're video.
tonybklyn 1 year ago
thank you, that was enjoyable. both the music, and the idea that we will be able to traverse Southern California by rail more easily. Lay the tracks!!!
lomalandboy 1 year ago
I LOVE how you hop the barbed wire fence @ 4:50 even though theres only like 15 feet of track within that enclosed space : ) Great video!
mtgentry 1 year ago 2
As an aside, it's interesting to take a walk around the neighborhood of Pico and Sepulveda. A lot of the commercial, light industrial structures were originally built with loading doors to accommodate railcars--and not just along Exposition itself. The presence of numerous railcar loading docks elsewhere in the area betray what must have been an elaborate network of branch spurs. I think local rail freight has been decimated even more than passenger transit.
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
What will they do about stretches where the tracks are not only paved over, but built on as well and occupied by any number of businesses? Like, for example, the concrete and cement company nestled under the 405? Does the MTA already own the land and plan to evict such tenants, or must the properties in question be condemned?
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
@Pithecanthropus2483 The MTA owns the property and all of the people on it have their leases expiring by the end of the year. You will notice "moving" and "going out of business" signs on most of them. The construction process will remove everything and dig down several feet, lay in a new track bed and a track in each direction.
bendix5 1 year ago
Very nice Video! Thank you!
ichbinwakeBerg 1 year ago
There are great photographs of the original light rail passenger cars running on this line with commentary at the "Hello Expo" page on Facebook. A discussion started there recently on all the places to go on Expo. See the Discussions tab there. If you are a Facebook member, please feel free to show support by "liking" the Hello Expo page.
jmackel 1 year ago
Are you sure this track was originally for street cars? I thought this was freight. I could be wrong though.
Also, two things: The original Pacific Electric Railway should've never been dismantled in the first place. Secondly, I hate how they're just using an unused rail line to build a new rail line, especially since there aren't really any significant stops around most of the line. It passes through warehouse areas and residential areas. No main hubs of commerce or anything.
DiverseLA 1 year ago
@DiverseLA The Expo Line, officially called the Santa Monica Air Line is said to be the oldest RR in greater L.A. and goes back to the 1870s. Originally it was for anything and anyone you'd want to use a train to carry. Of course, the PE did use it until the 1950s, at which we automatically thing "people", but the PE also did some freight business. The last delivery was supposedly to Anawalt Lumber at Pico and Sepulveda.
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
cannot wait for expo part 2!!!!!
MeIsSully 1 year ago
Make it into a bike path and you would have something. Mass transit is a failure. Just pick a destination say -Santa Monica Pier to Dodger Stadium
17.2 mi – about 22 mins (up to 1 hour 20 mins in traffic) by car
2 hours by transit
6 hours walking
2 hours by bike! Put in paths along the rivers and freeways and right of ways - get around at least as fast a public trans while getting healthier on your schedule not some socialist train worker.
grunt12000 1 year ago
@grunt12000 Ah yes, the anarcho-primitivists have arrived.
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
so these old tracks r from what now? pls explain
loveboobhsqd 1 year ago
@loveboobhsqd the pacific pacific electric car tracks.. it used to run from downtown to the beach in santa monica... until GM bought them out and stopped the service and destroyed all the trains, so that people would be forced to get around only by automobile.
sounds unbelievable? nah, it's all real, unfortunately. and now the city is implementing what used to be exist all the way back at 1938!!!
just look it up on wikipedia, it's called the "Great American streetcar scandal"
Armandooooo 1 year ago
Waiting (im)patiently for part 2!
jengod1 1 year ago
Excellent video! I was showing this video to my wife and she reminded me to comment. Keep up the great work! Let's Go Expo!
jmackel 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
walking through deserted areas of downtown l.a. is not on the list of secrets to a long, healthy life. if it were like 20 years ago, you would have never been heard from again. those kids on the tracks would have taken your sneakers from your lifeless feet and thrown them on the telephone wires. nice job excellent filming brilliant idea. entering deserted l.a. tunnels is the ultimate badge of courage.
ma2566 1 year ago
@mtb416 Los Angeles County voters approved Measure R by at 68% majority to pay for building lots of rail in Los Angeles. You need to mind your own business or meddle elsewhere. The citizens voted by Super Majority for these projects.
frankboothe 1 year ago 2
That's really fun to watch
shanebieda 1 year ago
That's a surprisingly clear RoW
dickiesmon 1 year ago
You people are talking about new rail systems when Cali cannot even afford standard city activity. You idiots in your la-la land.
mtb416 1 year ago
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ltlblugrl 1 year ago
@mtb416 It's been there all along. This isn't new. It's the Red Car line. It will rise again! Yay!
ltlblugrl 1 year ago
@ltlblugrl California is in the financial shitter. No it will not. Not anytime soon at least.
mtb416 1 year ago
@mtb416 I wasn't talking about California. Saying this won't happen is akin to claiming bridges won't get repaired or old water pipelines won't be replaced. Maybe those things won't happen, but they should. It's all infrastructure. People think this is optional because there are freeways there. It's not.
ltlblugrl 1 year ago
@mtb416 you have no idea what you're talking about. Preliminary planning for a line running from orange county to LAX!!
mediaxpuppet 1 year ago
@mtb416 - wut an a-hole. LA county voted to fund mass transit to be funded with sales tax revenue. The network being built right now will help the area tremendously when the economy rebounds. And yes it will rebound, regardless of what anyone in any other part of the country says. You've heard it before... mind your own business.
mediaxpuppet 1 year ago
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momo1mark 1 year ago
Fascinating video. Everything comes together so perfectly. Excellent score, and a fantastic job. 5/5
momo1mark 1 year ago
this is so creative. awesome job!
GLim117 1 year ago
Awesome! I hope the city wins on this one too! LA doesn't have enough rails, and it can allow us to work in Santa Monica or vice versa.
TruthCeeker333 1 year ago
Great vid!
strangersound 1 year ago
Smashing video! This is the future winking at us. Totally amazing
ST2K 1 year ago
In these times of ridiculous gas prices, i believe that trains are the future. Electric trains, preferably.
BasicallyAwesomeful 1 year ago
@BasicallyAwesomeful Tell me, where will the electricity come from?
mtb416 1 year ago
Great video. Next up do the PE Row of going through Southeast LA county, and Northwest Orange County.
marcodanderson 1 year ago
Wow, I dont how i got to the video but it is the most unique I have seen in a very long time.
I hope the city wins also, Cheers
unowild 1 year ago
great job, it looks like it took a lot of effort.
guitars2112 1 year ago
...and the dispute is? Because I can not imagine a cleaner/clearer ROW exists? End the 'debate' build the rail line!! Great video, more, more!
jrh323 1 year ago
once public transport gets fully integrated, la will truly snatch the crown from nyc as most desirable city to live in.
proefound 1 year ago
@proefound Exactly! Many forget what a wonderful city we have!
bendix5 1 year ago
@bendix5 yes with all the gangs and violence a wonderful city im glad to live in a city with the la crips ahhh just dandy
critter2324 1 year ago
@critter2324 Yeah, crips, bloods - part of our city. Love it or leave it. I love it. Really. Better than provincial attitudes and gossip circles any day.
bendix5 1 year ago
Engineers' view from a spectral locomotive
DrLeroyGreen 1 year ago
yo!
Byakuya1345 1 year ago
Stupid Car or Automobile Obsessed Americans or U.S.A.s DROP YOUR FUCKING CARS AND TAKE THE TRAIN PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
armoredtruck1984 1 year ago
@armoredtruck1984 - CALIFORNIANS! keep your car, and take transit to work on the weekdays, and somewhere fun on the weekends!
mediaxpuppet 1 year ago
Great job
MissTeenPregnancy 1 year ago
Someone used iMovie. (the titles and transitions)
mstolle1 1 year ago
@mstolle1 Bam! You got it! Good eye - just me and my mac!
bendix5 1 year ago
sounds like sim city 4 music. Fitting.
SandraBullcocked 1 year ago
Cool video. Nice work.
sqhschief 1 year ago
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cappaprince 1 year ago
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GO TO "hesway17" to check out the new whale wars video and please subscribe and comment...
hesway17 1 year ago
this railway would be a great addition to the city of Los Angeles. The more accessible the metro system is, the more people will use it due to cost effectiveness and mere convenience. I like the busses in LA, but I love just jumping on the train, the view is better, it's a little faster, and just a relaxing experience.
88kidballer1 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
go to my channel plz
aploe11 1 year ago
Video is great!! Light rail with no regard for major intersections is not so great. NIMBY's are right to ask that major intersections be gone over or under.
mlwalman1 1 year ago
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
smugbunny 1 year ago
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
smugbunny 1 year ago
You are awesome! Great job! Is this track left over from the Red Car still? My mom has stories of taking the Red Car all over LA when she was a kid, before the car and tire companies shut it down. Such a shame!
smugbunny 1 year ago
This is an amazing video. We will ride this train in less than five years from now. The Palms/National and Westwood/Exposition Stations will be great!
Note that the tracks only go adjacent to Cheviot Hills but not actually through Cheviot Hills. Therefore, the tracks are either in Palms or Rancho Park, but they border Cheviot Hills between the Santa Monica Freeway underpass (aka Palms Overhad) northwest portal and Overland Avenue.
gesirgen 1 year ago
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gesirgen 1 year ago
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gesirgen 1 year ago
great job! thank you so much for this.
babeapea 1 year ago
congrats on the train you put in our heads. awesome job bendix5.
sierrasnow24 1 year ago
Absolutely fantastic video!!!!!!!! Do you know the timetable for the completion of this project???
tmcg888 1 year ago
@tmcg888 Construction is starting now. You will see stuff really happening by next summer and it should open by Summer 2015 or sooner.
bendix5 1 year ago
Good stuff!
toddnath 1 year ago
Wonderfully presented. I knew about parts of this, but seeing it all put together in this format is a great service for all interested parties. Bravo! Can't wait till the next installment.
djshagadellic 1 year ago
Loved the kids on the tracks. It is a perfect random example of typical pre-teen group behavior.
absbug 1 year ago 2
@absbug They were very friendly. I told them to stay there as it made it more interesting, Just hanging out!
bendix5 1 year ago
Bendix. Great video. I really enjoyed it. especially the little touches that most don't see. Thanks for the trip!
jbronson3 1 year ago
A fascinating revisit for one who rode the original Santa Monica Air Line (that was over fifty years ago, maybe closer to sixty!). We even published timetables for the daily round trip, put them in the timetable racks at 6th & Main, and then watched as the Special Agents removed them (only to be replaced by more from our pockets). Oh the glorious days of youth. Great video, bullying one's way through fences and autos and chain link fences. More, more!
sptrain98 1 year ago
Great Video! Been tracking this on Google Maps - tracing the old lines. Most are still visible in the wide boulevards through Beverly Hills.
By the way, what music did you use?
BansheeNarwhal 1 year ago
@BansheeNarwhal See link via YouTube - John Adams Chairman Dances.
bendix5 1 year ago
well done.
I like the idea, but I think it would be nice if it was a trolley rail instead of light rail - bit of a compromise for the neighbors
marniespeaks 1 year ago
@marniespeaks Why would trolley rail be better than light rail? For that matter an electric trolley bus might have been an option too, except I think the projected ridership would be too high for that.
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
Well done! Build that Expo Line ASAP!
dmurphy04 1 year ago
The crossings at street level is not a good idea. Build it over or under, but not at street level.
app321 1 year ago
This is an excellent video - no attention to detail spared! I look forward to riding this part of the train for reals. Good work, please keep it up! Too much of LA gets lost through the years, as this video perversely demonstrates.
cjlittle 1 year ago
These NIMBYs are full of shit. The Right-of-way, bridges, and appropriate crossings are already in-place, MTA would just have make them look nicer. Building the Expo line through there would be cost effective, because everything is already set for a rail through there. Complain, Complain,Complain. Don't these Rich white folks from Cheviot Hills (not being racist, we all know who these NIMBYs are) have anything else to do?
PanzerVIZeke 1 year ago
The only problem with that route is that it ends at 23 street in Santa Monica. After that, to my knowledge, there is no open space from 23rd to the ocean. But watching the video made me realize it would be cost effective to build the the last 2 miles as a subway if necessary.
jojopuppyfish 1 year ago
@jojopuppyfish - It's buried, but it is there - the route continues up to 17th and Colorado, where it will come out at the corner and travel down Colorado to 4th street. The station is going where the old Sears Automotive center was.
bendix5 1 year ago
@bendix5 Ok.....thanks......So its even less than 2 miles.
They are making a big mistake in LA using at rail crossings and street level. Going down Colorado is a mistake too. And terminating next to Sears is a mistake.
The city badly needs rapid transit.
The MTA made huge mistakes on the gold line and as a result the line is NOT rapid transit. Anyways, just one of the reasons I moved out of Los Angeles.
Still exciting to see them build the Metro Expo Line.
BTW your video is awesome.
jojopuppyfish 1 year ago
Something like this happened in Vancouver B.C. The local transit authority wanted to re-activate an old tram line that happened to run through a wealthy neighbourhood. Well, all hell broke loose when they found out that the riff-raff could be travelling through their "creme de la creme" as they called it (really!) part of town. Apparently it was all right 50 years ago but they're too good for that now.
kaizerzydeco 1 year ago
Jesus dude, you didn't cut any corners, did you?
districtdirt 1 year ago 2
Great video it will be nice to see when it is built up as a rail line and not let to disrepair as it is now. Much like the transformation of whats todays Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley this will be a gem when built.
The Cheviot Hills people complain that the line can "Bring Crime" but duh wake up and smell the aerosol people look at all the graff up in "Motor Yard" as its called.
RTD1 1 year ago
@RTD1 The whole area was deserted when I went through it except for the kids on the tracks.
bendix5 1 year ago
WoW - Nice to see so much of the old line still in situ. This video will be an historic video when they build the new line and all of this disappears. Quite intrigued comparing your video at 2:36 Overland crossing with another video showing a simulation of what Overland crossing will look like...It's at [watch?v=GurZ2DTnGAU&feature=related] Go to 1:20.
Butchuk2007 1 year ago 3
this is the old Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line, not Cheviot Hills. Passenger service on this line ended 30 October 1953. I wonder if the rail bonds are still in place.
thaihungthinh 1 year ago 2
Well Done!
nealhershenson 1 year ago
Turn it into a freeway!
Spokker 1 year ago
What a great video. How did you do it? When will they start rehabing the line? How did you get through the fences and the bushes? Great Job whoever you are.
cforssi 1 year ago
@cforssi Using a weighted camera balance and a lot of walking. Tracing the line on a map and driving all over the place to get to each section. Kind of a fun Sunday. The next part will be a bit more challenging, but we'll get there.
bendix5 1 year ago
@bendix5 I would've used a bike... but you're fucking patient to do this
MaTaRu39 1 year ago
@MaTaRu39 What's the difference between this and hiking in Runyon Canyon? Not much and more fun. I'm glad you liked it tho' - thanks!
bendix5 1 year ago
@bendix5 would this shit connect Torrance and LA or is it just for LA?
I know nothing about street names, but I CAN orient myself very well in a car and walking it's just those fucking streets with their names!
MaTaRu39 1 year ago
@MaTaRu39 I assume you're not from around here. Yes, it's mostly L.A. but will pass through Culver City and Santa Monica, which are separately incorporated cities in their own right.. As for Torrance and L.A. I think the proposed Crenshaw corridor would come pretty close; it would connect with the Expo Line and eventually the Purple Line.
Pithecanthropus2483 1 year ago
what had happened to the dink,dink,dink wigwags? They're music to me.
thaihungthinh 1 year ago
a nice ride on a phantom PE 950 class wooden interurban. Thanks for the video.
thaihungthinh 1 year ago
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gesirgen 1 year ago
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gesirgen 1 year ago