April 6: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1904:  The first electric streetcar rolls into Glendale via the Los Angeles Interurban Railway Company.

 

 

2001:  Siemens P2000 cars roll out on the Metro Green Line.

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For passengers, the most noticeable features of the $3.8 million cars are the swept-back windshields, bright interiors and sea green padded and contoured seats.

One small feature which also catches the eye: mounted beside each exit is a lighted button passengers can push to open the doors.

Undetected to passengers, but important to operators, is the Automatic Train Operation (ATO) equipment.

 

2001:  The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority releases a draft environmental study of three transit alternatives aimed at moving people faster and more efficiently through Los Angeles’ Mid-City and Westside — two areas of the city expected to experience substantial growth in population in the next two decades.

Modes explored include a Wilshire Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit project and an Exposition Corridor Light Rail project, both of which are later completed.

More information can be found in the Mid-City/Westside Transit Corridor Draft EIS/EIR – Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit & Exposition Transitway Draft EIS/EIR full-text report.