I was keen to explore one of the Los Angeles-area’s most recent light rail extensions: Metro Rail’s so-called Expo Line that runs west from a connection with the Blue Line (near downtown) and roughly follows the alignment of an old Pacific Electric route along Exposition Boulevard to Santa Monica.
The portion of the line from Culver City to Santa Monica was opened in May this year, and so still has that newly-built appearance.
LA Metro Rail pays tribute to the old Pacific Electric at its stations with artwork and historical interludes.
Attention to the platform art will yield the viewer bits of history and PE heritage.
Using my Lumix LX7 and FujiFilm X-T1 I made these images under bright sunny skies. Yet, I wonder about the opportunities for evening and twilight images on this line?
The Expo Line’s largely east-west alignment combined with LA’s propensity for air-pollution should present some impressive lighting conditions.
I’m not the first observer to embrace the pictorial effects of Los Angeles air quality.
Perhaps a visit with a very long lens during a smog alert could yield some colorful results?
A telephoto view exposed with my FujiFilm X-T1 of a modern light rail car approaching Santa Monica.The Expo Line features a variety of light rail equipment, which is an uncommon feature for such a new line. Exposed at Santa Monica with my FujiFilm X-T1Many stations are decorated with artwork and embellished with historical tidbits. Exposed with my FujiFilm X-T1Expo Line station at Santa Monica.A Lumix LX7 view of an LA-bound car departing Santa Monica.Trailing view of the same cars. Metro Rail is advertising the Expo Line on the side of this car.An old car in new paint graces the streets of Santa Monica. LX7 photo.Clean new signs are a feature of the Expo Line extension.Outbound cars at Jefferson. Lumix LX7 photo.Jefferson; cars stop just long enough to make a photo before boarding. This one is 1027; do YOU remember the significance of that number?
At Pico, the Expo Line shares platforms with the Blue Line (that runs to Long Beach). Careful, you might board the wrong car outbound!Pico looking toward downtown LA. Lumix LX7 view.
For more on the Expo Line see this article in the LA Times:
