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How to join SO.CA.TA: Yearly dues are $30.00 cates. In all other cases, permission must be ($12.00 low income). Dues are prorated on a secured from the copyright holder. THE TRANSIT ADVOCATE quarterly basis. Disclaimer: The Southern California Transit Submission of materials: ALL materials for the Advocates is not affiliated with any governmental Newsletter of the Southern California Transit Advocates TRANSIT ADVOCATE newsletter go to Andrew agency or transportation provider. Names and October 2013 Vol. 21, No. 10 Novak at P.O. Box 2383, Downey California 90242 logos of agencies appear for information and or to [email protected]. Please enclose a self reference purposes only. addressed stamped envelope for returns. SO.CA.TA officers, 2013 Newsletter deadlines are the Fridays a week President: Nate Zablen before SO.CA.TA meetings, at 6:00 PM Pacific Vice President: Kent Landfield time, unless otherwise announced. Recording Secretary: Edmund Buckley Executive Secretary: Dana Gabbard Opinions: Unless clearly marked as "Editorial" or Treasurer: Dave Snowden "Position Paper", all written material within, Directors at Large: Ken Ruben including all inserted flyers and postcards, are the J.K. Drummond expressed opinions of the authors and not Craig Weingarten necessarily that of the Southern California Transit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Advocates. Newsletter Editor: Andrew Novak Newsletter Prod. Mgr: Dana Gabbard Copyright: © 2013 Southern California Transit Webmaster: Charles Hobbs

Advocates. Permission is freely granted to repro- th th duce/reprint ORIGINAL articles from the Transit NEXT SO.CA.TA MEETINGS : Oct 12 and Nov 9 at Angelus Plaza, 4th Floor, 255 S. Hill, Los Angeles Advocate, provided credit is given to both the author and the Southern California Transit Advo- October 2013 — Issue 251

Southern California Transit Advocates 3010 Wilshire #362 Los Angeles, CA 90010 46¢ First 213.388.2364 Class http://www.socata.net Postage [email protected]

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Inside This Issue: Disneyland Resort Express Van Hool 66189 in • Anaheim on September 26, 2013. Bulletin Board (pg. 2) • Members in Action (pg.2) —Andrew Novak Photo • Transit Updates (pg. 3) • Transit Topics (pg. 5) ISSN 1525-2892 • Public/Legislative Affairs (pg. 6) • A trip on the Starlight (pg. 7) • Day After Thanksgiving (pg. 10) • Photos of the month (pg. 11) Bulletin Board / Members in Action Photos of the Month

Bulletin Board: Hopstop Live! is an I-phone app to facili- Our thanks to Martha Butler of Metro for an tate transit users sharing information about illuminating presentation at our September service plus maps, schedules etc.; another A Glenn Ride Gillig st 21 meeting on the status of the Wilshire app (for I-phone or Android) that does this pauses at a red traffic th bus lane project. The October 12 speaker is Moovit. signal in Willows, is Linda Culp of the Los Angeles-San Diego- Members in Action: California on San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor September 11th Ken Ruben and Alek Fried- September 3, 2013. Agency. Patrick Tomcheck of Los Ange- man attended the Metro Westside/Central les World Airports is the speaker at the No- Glenn Ride provides fix Service Council meeting. Friedman spoke in vember 9th meeting about what is happening -route bus service in support of preserving Rapid 704 all-day, 7- with FlyAway. The holiday banquet will be Glenn County in the days-a-week service. Presentations indi- held at Taix (1911 West Sunset Boulevard cities of Willows, Chico, cate Metro is no longer considering cutting just east of Alvarado) on Saturday Decem- Artois, Orland, and midday and weekend service, which Fried- ber 14th starting at 5:00 PM. Hamilton City in man is quite pleased about. northern California. At the September meeting the by-laws Ruben also attended the Los Angeles - San change proposal was adopted after a spir- —Andrew Novak Photo Diego - San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor ited discussion. The new by-laws will take Agency Board meeting on September effect January 1st and should be posted 25th, saw the free aspect of the Station to shortly on our website. As of January 1st our Station train event at Union Station on Sep- officers consist of the President, Vice Presi- tember 26th and saw the train itself at Glen- dent, Treasurer and a Secretary with the dale station on the 27th. Newsletter editor and webmaster as ex- officios of the Executive Board. There will be Ruben along with Dana Gabbard attended at least two monthly meetings per year the September 25th meeting of the Metro (November for nominations and December Citizens' Advisory Council meeting. for the election) along with community Amtrak California Van events, panels, transit service study tours Hool 61458 at Los

(including the Day After Thanksgiving), and Angeles Union Station tours of transit facilities. The Executive Sec- on September 27, retary welcomes suggestions as we lay out 2013. This bus has the first year of this new paradigm: the new Amtrak 213.388.2364 or [email protected] Are you interested in getting your California graphics on the side. In addition at the September meeting we SO.CA.TA newsletter in PDF? approved a motion by Director J.K. Drum- We now offer the SO.CA.TA newsletter in —Jeremy Dickson mond to support the effort by the city of PDF format to our members. The PDF Photo Long Beach to have signal prioritization for newsletters are available a week before the street running portion of the Blue Line in the meeting and are in full color. If you Long Beach. We will shortly communicate would like to get the PDF newsletter in- this to the city. stead of the printed version email us at: [email protected]

Page 2 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 11 Day After Thanksgiving Trip Transit Updates

This year for our Day After Thanksgiving VVTA Route 48 Amtrak Foothill Transit Trip we will be traveling to Victor Valley on DP Main & E: 1:00 PM Effective October 7th, several Amtrak Pacific Effective October 7th the new City of Indus- the newly expanded BV Link Service oper- AR G & Olive: 1:07 PM Surfliners train began stopping at several try Park and Ride lot opened. The new facil- ated by the Victor Valley Transit Authority Coaster stations between Oceanside and ity is located at 500 South Brea Canyon VVTA Route 45 (VVTA). San Diego. Previously these stations were Road is adjacent to the City of Industry DP G & Olive: : 1:10 PM th only served by Coaster trains. Northbound Metrolink Station. The new parking structure Below are the details of our trip which will AR Lorene & 7 : 1:58 PM Amtrak Trains 567, 573 and 595 and has 622 parking spaces (422 reserved for be on Friday November 29th. VVTA Route 15 (BV Link) southbound trains 784, 790/1790 and 796 Foothill Transit customers), lighting, emer- We hope to see you there! DP Lorene & 7th: 2:15 PM are now stopping at Sorrento Valley, Encini- gency assistance phones, bike racks, video AR 4th & G: 3:00 PM* tas, Carlsbad/Poinsettia and Carlsbad/ surveillance and security. The structure is Our trip begins at Los Angeles Union Station AR San Bernardino: 3:08 PM Village. Passengers holding Coaster tickets open from 4:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Monday and we will meet between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AR Fontana Metrolink: 3:40 PM can ride those previously mentioned Amtrak through Friday. Foothill Lines 493 and 497

AM at the fish tank under Gateway Plaza. Metrolink Train 333 Trains within the limits of their ticket with- serve the new park and ride and in Novem- out an additional fee. Amtrak fares are re- ber 2013 will provide all day service to the Metrolink Train 300 DP San Bernardino: 4:00 PM AR Fontana Metrolink: 4:11 PM quired on all other Amtrak Trains and there new facility. Departs (DP) LA: 5:45 AM AR LA: 6:05 PM is no longer a Coaster step-up ticket. Arrives (AR) San Bernardino 7:50 AM For more information contact visit Foothill

If the train is running late we can catch the BV Link at *Optional riding including Omnitrans or a round For more information contact Amtrak at Transit online at: www.foothilltransit.org or Fontana at 8:40 AM. Train 300 is scheduled in Fontana trip on Pass Transit Line 120 to Beaumont. 800.872.7245 or online at: email at: [email protected] at 7:30 AM. www.amtrak.com Projected Cost: VVTA Route 15 (BV Link) Metrolink: Round Trip to San Bernardino DP San Bernardino: 8:08 AM $26.50 ($13.25 one-way) (In years past AR Lorene & 7th: 9:30 AM Metrolink has offered the $10 weekend pass on the day after Thanksgiving.) VVTA Route 52 DP Lorene & 7th: 10:00 AM VVTA Round Trip on BV Link and all other AR Mall of Victor Valley: 10:21 AM VVTA buses $12.00

VVTA Route 53 To download complete schedules and get DP Mall of Victor Valley: 10:45 AM information on senior/disabled fares visit: AR Victor Valley College: 11:10 AM www.metrolinktrains.com Big Blue Bus th VVTA Route 45 www.vvta.org Starting September 30 Route 5 has been LADOT moved from Colorado Avenue to Broadway DP Victor Valley College: 11:30 AM As always you are welcome to join us for all Effective October 6th the Los Angeles De- between 20th Street and 4th Street due to partment of Transportation (LADOT) will AR G & Olive: 11:55 AM or any portion of the trip. Expo Line construction. New stops on Broad- make a schedule adjustment to the DASH VVTA Route 48 way are at 20th Street, 14th Street Wilshire Center/Koreatown route to improve DP G & Olive: 12:00 PM (eastbound only), 11th Street and Lincoln the on-time performance of the line. The AR Main & E: 12:05 PM Boulevard. There will be an additional stop service still operates every 20 minutes how- at 17th Street that is coming soon. All of LUNCH 12:05 PM to 1:00 PM ever the arrival times have changed. these stops on Broadway are located east of (Sizzler and Madz Pizza and Pasta on Main) the crosswalk and intersection. (Continued on Page 4)

Page 10 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 3 Transit Updates Continued A trip north on the Coast Starlight Continued

LADOT Continued Orange County Line: I called on my cell phone while stopped at Overall it was a great adventure and I cer- Effective October 7th the east and west- -Trains 601, 607, 634, 635, 641, 643 and the station and left a message thanking tainly will ride in a sleeper car again when bound stops at 23rd and Flower have been 685 have had schedule adjustments. them for a wonderful article (which by the next I venture north. eliminated on DASH Route D due to a lack of way concludes in their opinion the For more information contact Metrolink at ridership and the frequency will be increased northbound trip is the most scenic -- lucky 800.371.5465 or online at: to every 5 minutes on this line. me!). www.metrolinktrains.com For more information contact LADOT at 818, Now we started to cross the Cascade Range, 323, 310, 213.808.2273 or online at: Norwalk Transit traversing forests, steep Cliffside down- www.ladottransit.com Effective November 17th Norwalk Transit will grades and tunnels to make our way into be implementing a new fare structure on the Willamette Valley. I had hoped to try out Metrolink their fixed-route service. Below are details the Parlour Car during the afternoon wine Effective September 30th Metrolink made the on the changes. and cheese tasting (bringing an Italian following changes to their service. lemon soda to drink since I am a teetotaler) Base Fare: $1.25 Ventura County Line/Burbank Airport: only to find all the seats already taken. Student (K-12): $1 -Trains 102, 106, 108, 110 and 902 arrive When Gabriella asked why I was returning Senior/Disabled: 60¢ at Union Station later to my seat so soon I told her what had hap- NTS transfer: 50¢ -Train 101 departs Union Station later pened and she volunteered to go up and Interagency Transfer: 50¢ bring me some samples of the cheese, prov- A view of the Pacific Ocean from the author’s Antelope Valley Line: ing again what a above and beyond type of roomette on the Starlight. -Dana Gabbard -Trains 206 and 282 arrive at Union Station Paramount College Bound employee she is! later Recently the City of Paramount began oper- Editor's note on Starlight Scenery. -Train 212 departs Lancaster later and ar- ating a service transporting students to/ While nibbling the artisan cheese slices I One of the most scenic portions of the Coast rives at Union Station later from Cerritos College and Long Beach City watched a sheep flock in an orchard set in Starlight’s route is the Sacramento River Can- College from Paramount. Buses pick up and the midst of a vast flat valley. A malfunc- yon which the train travels through in dark- San Bernardino Line: drop off from Progress Park, Paramount tioning crossing gate forced us to stop and ness both north and south. Between 1949 and -Trains 300, 305 and 383 have been ad- Park, Century/Orange, and Orange/ while it was being handled we fell further 1954 the Southern Pacific built coaches with justed in response to customer input Somerset Monday through Thursday from and further behind schedule. We then ran extra large windows called “Shasta Daylight -Train 309 arrives at Union Station later 6:30 AM to 12:00 PM and from 3:30 PM to down the median of a divided suburban Coaches.” The Shasta Daylight ran from Oak- -Trains 311 and 315 depart San Bernardino 10:00 PM. Fares are $1.00 per ride or street and saw a power boat zoom by as we land to Portland traveling through the Sacra- later mento River Canyon in daylight hours. The $25.00 for a semester and the service is travelled alongside the Willamette River. -Train 357 departs San Bernardino earlier to large windows gave passengers spectacular available to the general public. Only to stop again, this time for a "track views of Mount Shasta and the canyon. improve connections with the Antelope Val- problem" that needed an inspector to deter- ley Line For more information contact Paramount mine if we could safely proceed. I spotted Riverside Line: Community Services at 562.220.2121 some young men walking along the right of -Trains 403, 407 and 409 now arrive at way past us and someone water skiing on Union Station later the river.

91 Line: We finally arrived In Portland circa 6:00 PM (we were scheduled to be there at 3:32 PM) -Train 701 departs Riverside earlier Former SP Shasta Daylight Coach 2397 in -Train 703 arrives at Union Station later where I deboarded, met up with my Mom Dunsmuir in 1991. The 2397 is now owned by and via TriMet light rail reached the park Pacific Railroad Society. -Albert Novak Photo and ride where Mom parked her pickup.

Page 4 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 9 A trip north on the Coast Starlight Continued Transit Topics By Andrew Novak

The sharp pain in the shoulder blades signi- (Merrill, Oregon) and may well have trav- This month in Transit Topics we have a few Proud Bird’s final flight: After 48 years in fied I needed a lumbar support. But even elled along that same route when we went things you might have missed from the Westchester the aviation theme restaurant rolling up towels and placing them under my to San Francisco to seek his fortune in the world of transit. will close its doors in November. Located on back didn't alleviate the discomfort. I finally teens of the last century. And I wondered the south side of Los Angeles International SMART onto Larkspur: The Sonoma- gave up and had Gabriella return my com- how much that area had changed in the in- Airport the restaurant has a large collection Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) district re- partment to the seating configuration and tervening 100 years. of vintage airplanes on site and is a popular cently received acceptance into the Federal entertained myself through the night read- hang out for airplane buffs. Reports state Transportation Administration’s (FTA) Small ing and listening to music, noting the sight changes in rental agreements with the Los Starts Program. Acceptance in the program and sound of an occasional train crossing Angeles World Airports has prompted the gives the agency $2.5 million to complete signal whizzing by. closure of the landmark. For more informa- engineering work and environmental impact tion visit www.theproudbird.com Our small city on wheels (which I had real- reports for a 2.2 mile extension of the ized we were) travelled through the dark- SMART Line from San Rafael to the Larkspur YCAT in Busline: I will conclude this month ness, arriving in Sacramento at 3:00 AM. I Ferry Terminal. With the agency in the pro- with congratulations to my friend John An- came across Gabriella at work preparing gram they can compete for federal funding doh for getting his picture on the cover of rooms for passengers who would be board- for the extension. SMART is currently re- the September/October 2013 Issue of Bus- ing in the wee hours. She actually was doing building the old Northwestern Pacific line line Magazine. The issues cover story is on this outside her work hours, explaining this from San Rafael to Santa Rosa with service the Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT) in was a consequence of our running late. She expecting to start in 2016. SMART is also Yuma Arizona where John is Transit Direc- wanted to make sure things were done right seeking funds to extend the service north tor. It is a very interesting article on YCAT instead of hoping some other member of the from Santa Rosa to Cloverdale. and some of the new and innovative things train crew would be able to handle the A late running Coast Starlight passes they are doing in Yuma. Congratulations tasks. I spontaneously took the $20 I had through Dunsmuir on September 1, 2012. John! planned to give as a tip at the end of the -Andrew Novak Photo The issue can be read on line by visiting trip and gave it to her right then (she was Busline Magazine at www.buslinemag.com doing all this with only 3 hours of sleep!) as There were miles of farmland between a thanks for going above and beyond. Dunsmuir and Klamath Falls. We Navigating the stairs to the lower level I skirted Lake Klamath and I saw the Klamath showered and changed clothes. On the way River that connects the upper and lower Tri-Delta drops service: Recently the Tri- back to my roomette I enjoyed some of the lakes. Just before my trip I was delighted to Delta Transit (Eastern Contra Costa County) fruit and juice for snaking available in discover the latest issue of Passenger Train board of directors opted to cancel the popu- an alcove adjacent to the stairs. It was early Journal serendipitously included a piece ti- lar 49er express bus service for next year’s morning and I spotted cow pastures amid tled "Where Does the Sun Shine on the football season when the team moves to a the rural countryside we were passing Coast Starlight" comparing the northbound new stadium in Santa Clara. Currently the through. One highlight was Lake Shasta and and southbound trips as to scenery during service operates from Brentwood, Antioch some beautiful forests before we reached daylight hours. It was by train travel experts and Pittsburg to 49er home games at Can- Dunsmuir (which a sign proclaimed is "An Ted & Sylvia Blishak, whose travel agency dlestick Park. The board of directors has Amtrak served community"). This was small Train Travel Consulting is located in Klamath raised concerns about bus parking at the town America. With a start I realized the Falls. new stadium and has opted not to continue writer/artist of the comic book reprints I had the service in the 2014 football season. Pas- brought, Carl Barks, grew up in this area (Continued on Page 9) aAz sengers can still use the service in 2013.

Page 8 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 5 Public and Legislative Affairs By Dana Gabbard Public and Legislative Affairs Continued

On February 27, 2013 for the first time I For those interested here is the actual word- I sympathize with Steven White's recent blog post "Union Station: A Half-Baked Mas- heard the annunciator on a Metro bus giving ing of the procedure: ter Plan". When I saw the presentation on the master plan by Calvin Hollis, Executive Offi- verbal announcements for stops: "For your Under normal circumstances the bus should cer for Countywide Planning and Development at Metro, at the Metro Citizens' Advisory safety please watch your step when exiting be spotted in the bus zone 12 to 18 inches Council meeting September 25th I also found the PowerPoint slides not too helpful to grasp the bus". Intrigued as to the origins of this from and parallel to the curb, (up to 24” if where this effort is leading, until Hollis ran an animation that made things much clearer. addition to the standard "Approaching ... using the lift/ramp) Avoid placing either When I shared this news with White he inquired is the animation posted on the internet. Followed by ..." callout for stops, I made an front or rear doors near obstructions or haz- Seemingly not yet but I hope once White contacts Mr. Hollis that this oversight will soon inquiry to some contacts I have at the ards. When unable to spot the bus ideally be rectified. The awkward Gateway Transit Plaza is to be replaced with a bus facility much agency. and before opening the door(s), inform cus- easier to access (and without those high maintenance paving bricks). There is even talk of tomers to watch their step, especially if they Hector A. Guerrero, Director - Operations removing the hideous Mozaic apartment complex that crowds and hides the historic struc- are stepping off onto the street. The same Training & Improvement at Operations Cen- ture. Yippee to that idea! caution will be given to customers boarding tral Instruction informed me "The new an- from the street up onto the bus. If neces- nouncement was developed in response to sary, assist by using the kneeling device. A trip north on the Coast Starlight (Part 2) By Dana Gabbard comments received from bus operators from Division 2 ARTS team. Bus operators Stupid quote of the month: Rep. Daryl Met- (Continued from last month) dream of opening passenger service to com- felt that advising customers to watch their calfe of Pennsylvania has a rural district and petition. He seems to have no notion of the As we approached the station in Santa Bar- step when exiting might help them be more thus sees any funding for public transit as huge expense of crew bases, capital bara a gentleman trackside waved to those aware to hold on until the bus comes to a wasteful. "It's a very small minority of peo- cost, etc. that would entail plus the freight of us on board. I also spotted a man at an full stop and watch their footing as they ple who actually ride the buses. It's hun- railroads have pointedly expressed no inter- easel engaged in painting. It was a contem- were exiting through the doors, which might dreds of millions of dollars for a very small est in running passenger service. After all, it plative time as I took stock of this impend- prevent onboard and boarding/alighting percentage of the population of our state." was they who helped foster the creation of ing first visit with my family in 5 years. Con- falls". This guy actually claims he thinks transit Amtrak to relieve them of doing it. And does should be run as private, for-profit opera- tinuing northward we passed through the I also asked what are the standards Metro Mica expect we aboard long trips to subsist tions. But when pressed couldn't name a miles of rolling countryside -- -- like the has regarding bus operators serving stops in on vending machine food? BAH! single company interested in running a tran- Scottish moors -- that I had found so haunt- regard to how close to the curb they should sit agency out of the farebox. Yesh! ("Short ing and beautiful during previous Starlight One less than happy moment came when I be. Guerrero noted "[Standard Operating of funding, SEPTA unveils doomsday trips. Tranquil rolling hills with grassland and witnessed the sad phenomenon of some of Procedure] 3.129 provides guidelines for plan" philly.com) few trees for miles and miles -- a nary a hu- my fellow passengers rushing out at spotting the bus in the zone, kneeling the man in sight. a smoke stop to get their nicotine fix. The bus, and avoiding stopping the bus doors in countryside was now prairie-like grassland Then almost as if crossing a boundary sud- the path of hazards or obstructions. This is and we wound our way through hills pierced denly we were amidst cultivated fields of the same procedure that has been in place by tunnels. Twilight came as we entered the some sort then passed the cemetery of Gua- [since the 1970s]. The only change has Salinas Valley (3 hours more or less behind dalupe, a farming community. We crossed been the distance going from 6”-12” way schedule). back when and the 12”-18” that is currently lagoons and vibrant countryside with trees required. The distance was changed to pre- and fields and then passed through Grover Gabriella set up my bed (with pillows and vent damage to the doors when they were Beach and San Luis Obispo. bedding). I set up my CPAP machine I use due to sleep apnea only to discover that the engineered to swing out. However, we do My excellent meals made me wonder at the bed didn't agree with me. still teach to get a little closer when board- idiocy of Congressman Mica who seems to ing/alighting an elderly or disabled cus- have never-ending fits about the cost of on- (Continued on Page 8) tomer". SEPTA LRV 101 in May 2013 -Wayne Doran Photo board food service and promotes the pipe-

Page 6 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 7 Public and Legislative Affairs By Dana Gabbard Public and Legislative Affairs Continued

Page 6 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 7 A trip north on the Coast Starlight Continued Transit Topics By Andrew Novak

Page 8 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 5 Transit Updates Continued A trip north on the Coast Starlight Continued

Page 4 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 9 Day After Thanksgiving Trip Transit Updates

Page 10 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 3 Bulletin Board / Members in Action Photos of the Month

Page 2 The TRANSIT Advocate www.socata.net Page 11

Southern California Transit Advocates 3010 Wilshire #362 Los Angeles, CA 90010 46¢ First 213.388.2364 Class http://www.socata.net Postage [email protected]

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