Stories have popped up recently regarding the 20th anniversary of the Blue Line, but today is the official b-day for the LA to Long Beach line. As the Militant Angeleno shows via their shaky-at-parts video, the line kicked off at the Pico station (which looked a lot more desolate without the Staples Center and expanded convention center). The line would later extend underground and north to 7th Street and south to downtown Long Beach. At the ceremony, former LA County Supervisor Ed Edelman described the Blue Line as the beginning of the city's new rail network, which would one day stretch to Pasadena (check), the San Fernando Valley (check), LAX (close but no cigar), and count 150 miles of track (at 79 currently). Fun fact: fares were only 40 cents less than what they are today. If you can stand to sit through the 10 minute long video, you'll be rewarded with closing music provided by the legendary Wilson Phillips.
· Happy 20th Birthday, Metro Rail [Militant Angeleno]
· A Look at LA's Most Controversial Rail Line [Curbed LA]
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