Subway passengers in Los Angeles and Hollywood will soon be riding in new train cars that incorporate bench seating resembling trains running under New York City and London, and “open gangways” enabling passengers to pass unencumbered between train cars.
Earlier this month, LA Metro took delivery of 64 brand new subway cars that will replace aging cars on the B (Red) and D (Purple) lines and also add rolling stock to the new sections of the D Line expanding nine miles out to Westwood by 2027.
Some of the trains on the B and D lines are between 20 and 30 years old and badly need replacing. Metro will put the new cars in service in six to eight months, said Patrick Chandler, spokesman, in an emailed response.
The stainless steel cars are 75 feet long, 10.2 feet wide and 12.3 feet in height. Each car is equipped with 41 seats with a total seating capacity of 246 per car. Each car has 12 USB ports for charging phones or laptop computers, according to Metro records.
Side-facing seating allows for wider walkways and more room for standing passengers, Metro reported.
“There is bench seating. Instead of always facing forward, there are seats on the side. You will have more capacity,” said Bart Reed, executive director of The Transit Coalition, a San Fernando Valley-based nonprofit advocating for public transit.
“This is being done so Metro is in line for the Olympics in five years,” Reed added, referring to the Summer Olympic Games coming to LA in 2028. “If the Olympics are a success, you will have massive amounts of people to move because you are connecting UCLA and Wilshire Boulevard to Downtown LA. Plus, you have the Expo Line connecting to the Coliseum.”
By being able to walk from car to car while the train is moving without opening emergency doors, it allows passengers to find a better seat or avoid an annoying passenger. The “open gangway” function is similar to what exists on an articulated bus, sometimes called an accordion…
Read the full article here
