Light-rail is almost always a boon to commuters, but a consistent problem with above-ground rapid transit is the speed of trains—coexisting with cars, pedestrians, and traffic lights slows down the process. On the new Gold Line Eastside Extension, riders have noticed that the monorail-esque portion of the line that traverses the 101—between Union Station and Little Tokyo—is frustratingly slow, 10 miles an hour to be exact. Apparently, the curves are tight on the overpass, and Metro engineers are extra careful to avoid sending a train tumbling onto the 101. But there's a plan to boost the speed. "Metro is purchasing new software that will allow the train to increase their speed so the traveling time will be reduced by 1 minute on this segment by the end of next week," writes Metro's Jose Ubaldo. "Stay tuned. The segment is from Union Station to Little Tokyo." The trip between the two stations should be cut from four minutes to three. UPDATE: Blogdowntown also has been covering the speed issue. [Photo courtesy Metro]
· Even More Coverage of the Gold Line Extension [Curbed LA]
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