Passenger Trains > L.A. Metrolink/Red Line excursion question

We are heading from Portland to Southern California in a couple of weeks and my son is eager to ride a Metrolink train and the Red Line...

I'm proposing the following itinerary - first we stop at Travel Town until he's tired of looking at the trains.

From that point we will drive to the Burbank Metrolink station (hopefully there is parking there) and ride to Los Angeles Union Station. There we will walk around the station briefly, and then connect to a Red Line train.

Red Line to Hollywood & Highland to have lunch at the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store (unless anyone knows of a much better restaurant that is friendly to a 4-year old. Heck, he loves Subway - the restaurant, but there are more Subways than there are McDonalds in Portland so I'd rather do something that I can't do here.)

Back on the Red Line to North Hollywood.

From there I anticipate riding the Orange Line to either transfer to the 741 or 761 back to Metrolink and back to Burbank.

Is there anything I should be aware of with this, or is there a better way I can get around? I actually do have an interest in riding a "real" BRT line and seeing a Rapid line (compared to the crap we have in Portland) along with a portion of the rail system - thus the Orange Line and Rapid trips...

Thanks!

The Red Line is a neat operation, I really like that it accelerates and brakes fast, unlike the MAX system that has the mentality that we must go as slow as much as possible, open doors for all the last minute runners, etc. I rode the Red Line last week to the Highland station with no problems. The Gold and Blue Lines are really slow, except the Blue Line and Green Line do a decent pace in central LA.

When I rode the Orange Line last year, I was impressed with how the BRT was built, but less impressed with the equipment (nice when new, not so nice after TONS of usage!) and the traffic lights that weren't in favor of the BRT. Depending on the time of day and breakdowns, be prepared to board full buses, I actually had to let two buses pass before I could board one comfortably. They really should have just brought the Red Line to ground level on this route for capacity's sake.

Uh-oh--that nasty sound was the proverbial "can of worms" opening. Many of us here in Southern Cal. were in favor of extending the Red Line along the old PE/SP line through the southern San Fernando Valley. One objection was that a subway extension was financially impossible, and Red Line trains are third-rail powered. Of course in Boston, MBTA has been running their Blue Line with third rail in the tunnel and pantographs in the open air for decades, and the Key System ran third rail on the Bay Bridge and pantographs in the East Bay for nearly 20 years, but apparently nobody at Metro wanted to listen to the voice of experience. Also, there were some neighborhoods that were hotbeds of anti-transit sentiment, and they managed to stall any rail project long enough for Metro to go with the "compromise" busway. Now they have crowded buses in a place were trains could just have cars added during busy times. It's a wonder anything gets done here in LA County.

wigwagfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We are heading from Portland to Southern
> California in a couple of weeks and my son is
> eager to ride a Metrolink train and the Red
> Line...
>
> I'm proposing the following itinerary - first we
> stop at Travel Town until he's tired of looking at
> the trains.
>
> From that point we will drive to the Burbank
> Metrolink station (hopefully there is parking
> there) and ride to Los Angeles Union Station.
> There we will walk around the station briefly, and
> then connect to a Red Line train.
>
> Red Line to Hollywood & Highland to have lunch at
> the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store (unless
> anyone knows of a much better restaurant that is
> friendly to a 4-year old. Heck, he loves Subway -
> the restaurant, but there are more Subways than
> there are McDonalds in Portland so I'd rather do
> something that I can't do here.)
>
> Back on the Red Line to North Hollywood.
>
> From there I anticipate riding the Orange Line to
> either transfer to the 741 or 761 back to
> Metrolink and back to Burbank.
>
> Is there anything I should be aware of with this,
> or is there a better way I can get around? I
> actually do have an interest in riding a "real"
> BRT line and seeing a Rapid line (compared to the
> crap we have in Portland) along with a portion of
> the rail system - thus the Orange Line and Rapid
> trips...
>
> Thanks!

Between North Hollywood and Downtown Burbank. You would have to take Metro Bus Line 154. This is the only direct Bus Line to Burbank Metrolink. Line 741 doesn't connect to any rail Station. Line 761 would connect you to the Van Nuys Amtrak/Metrolink. And it does also connect to the Orange Line. If you want. you can get of the at Universal City Station and take. Metro Rapid Line 750 to Warner Center. And then take the Orange Line back to North Hollywood. But remember. Only Line 154 is the only direct service to Burbank Metrolink. But this Bus runs once an hour. And only runs during the week. Not on weekends. The other Buses I would also suggest you could use to Downtown Burbank. Would be Line 183. It will drop you off about a couple blocks from Downtown Burbank Metrolink.

Here is the Metro Bus link. click the trip planner to help make your trips or to look up schedules
http://metro.net

Oh yea, if the 154 is your only option, I wouldn't count on it. It's a little shuttle crap of a line, and there are a lot of old timers that operate that line and like to breakdown.

That is a very long day for a four year old and he'll either be cranky or asleep by the time you are halfway through the trip. Realize that you will have to walk a distance to the Soda Fountain and you should plan on carrying him because by this time he will be pretty tired. Kids have little legs that are much shorter than an adult and they have to run at a higher RPM to keep up. My kids at 4 were good for maybe a 1/4 mile before they pooped out.

We go to the Disney ice cream place twice a year, but I don't think it is worth it unless you have something else to do there. Good luck finding a restroom in Hollywood. We go there after watching a movie at the El Capitan Theater next door. Personally, I don't like taking my kids to Hollywood as there are some interesting characters around. The place is like a freak show.

I would suggest you drive down to Union Station and park under the MTA building. Take him on a short Metrolink ride on one of the lines then take a short Subway trip. That should be enough for the day for a four year old.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

I have to agree with Todd on this, you will carrying your son a lot.

But....if you are here on a Sunday, next to Travel town is the Los Angeles Live Steamers, and it is worth the trip, especially for a 4 year old. Open 11-3pm.

From Union Station, take the Blue Line to Long Beach and take him to the Aquariaum of the Pacific. Kids love that place!

Sal Garcia
Pico Rivera, Ca.

Re: Parking at Burbank Metrolink station.

I come into and go out of Burbank Airport twice a week and have yet to see any available parking spaces at the Metrolink lot (right across from the airport) after 6:00 A.M.(or earlier). You could park at one of the remote (A or B) Airport parking lots and take a short and reliable shuttle. I park there, however it is $9.00/day. Alternatively, as suggested, drive to Union Station...should be parking there...and proceed from there.

Regards,

Auburnrail

Auburnrail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Re: Parking at Burbank Metrolink station.
>
> I come into and go out of Burbank Airport twice a
> week and have yet to see any available parking
> spaces at the Metrolink lot (right across from the
> airport) after 6:00 A.M.(or earlier).

There are two stations in Burbank and I think he is referring to the other one.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

saw your item about rideing metro link,and the red line down in LA.IM going to be down there nov 8th,and 9th,am riding the coaststarlight detour train from seattle, and will spend sunday the 9th,in LA. I lived there 35 years and know the railroads there real well,if you there on my dates,let me know,and i could show you around. am going back to bellingham on no.15 the 10th.

Go have lunch at Phillipes across the street one block from Union Station. In one room there are model trains on display. Good food original Los Angeles stuff.

How about a short joyride on the Gold Line from Union Station? Nice overhead view of the private cars parked north of the station, light rail yard, and glimpse of railroad activity along the Los Angeles River to the north. Shouldn't take that long if you just go 2-3 stations and turn back.

All - thanks for the great suggestions.

I think I'm going to follow the plan to visit Travel Town, then go to LAUS, park, go to Phillipe's for lunch (that's actually an excellent idea! Thanks!), then ride the Red Line, Gold Line, and a Metrolink train...

I'll be in LA from the 16th through the 22nd, and I'll be on my adventure with my son on Wednesday the 19th. Unfortunately going to LALS on Sunday is out of the question but I know my son would love it if I could make it work, he loves riding live steam when the opportunity arises. The Blue Line to the Aquarium of the Pacific is a good idea but he has a very low interest level in animals; we even have a membership to the Oregon Zoo and his favorite animal is the train. (I can eventually get him to say giraffe...) So I think I'm going to pass on that. Of course the rest of the week we'll be in Anaheim where he will get his steam engine and monorail fix (he was saying monorail from the age of one...why we don't live in Seattle, I don't know.)

He is insistent on the subway so I'm not sure how far I'll ride the subway, or whether I'll try to go out to North Hollywood and ride the Orange Line (which I'm more personally interested in for other reasons.) That'll depend on time.

Thanks again for everyone's help!!