MetroRiderLA

[tags]culver city, allied model trains, model trains[/tags]

Allied Model Trains, “the largest train store ever built,” has been sold and it is moving out of its current store to another space across the street. The store closes in today, but the new owner promises to reopen in July.

All merchandise is discounted up to 80 percent.

Allied is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. It is located at 4411 Sepulveda Boulevard, Culver City. Transit access is available via Culver CityBus lines 6 (weekend schedule) and 7.

[tags]metro, mta, los angeles, service changes[/tags]

Metro’s semi-annual service changes go into effect today. Several route and schedules have been altered. Here’s a summary of service changes:

San Fernando Valley

Lines 90/91 and new 290: Lines 90 and 91 are now going to operate between downtown Los Angeles and Sunland. New Line 290 operates between Sunland and Sylmar.

Line 92 and new Line 292: Line 92 will only operate between downtown L.A. and Burbank. Line 292 operates between Burbank and Sylmar.

Line 154: Saturday service eliminated.

Line 155: Weekend service eliminated. Also, it will be rerouted in Burbank to operate via Olive Avenue and Riverside Drive instead of directly along Alameda Avenue.

Line 183: The routing between Burbank and Glendale remains, but will operate weekdays only.

Line 239: Weekend service eliminated.

Line 656: Service shortened to operate to Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Buses will no longer travel downtown. Passengers must transfer to Line 4 to continue to downtown L.A.

From Metro.net:

Feast on delicious Thai dishes, listen to traditional Thai music, shop for colorful Asian art and explore Los Angeles’ Thai Town on one of the best days to do so, Sunday, April 1, during Songkran, the annual Thai New Year festival celebration. Avoid traffic and the high-price of gas by taking the Metro Red Line to the heart of the action, all around the Hollywood/Western Metro Rail Station.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Thai community outside Thailand so it is natural that the annual Water Splashing Festival of Songkran – one of the most celebrated holidays in Thailand — is a major event here, weaving together traditional observances and contemporary performances.

This year’s festival will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., April 1, and will include a huge multicultural parade of more than 1,000 participants from local and neighboring communities and nearby schools. It will showcase the costumes and customs of Thailand’s four regions, as well as those of the Armenian, Laotian, Hispanic, Burmese, Pilipino, African-American and Korean communities. Also included will be a water blessing ceremony, a health fair and dozens of food and arts and crafts booths. Songkran celebrates the new year as the sun progresses through the vernal equinox and into spring. Traditionally it is celebrated for three days, April 13, 14 and 15 and is commonly referred to as the water festival. Water is considered a symbol of renewal.

One of the festival’s two stages — Stage II — will showcase traditional performances at Hollywood and Western, near the Metro Red Line station. The other stage will host contemporary performances at Hollywood Boulevard and Kingsley Avenue.

For information on taking Metro to the Thai New Year Festival, go to www.metro.net or call 1-800-COMMUTE. For information on the Thai New Year Festival go to www.thainewyear.com.

[tags]high speed rail, los angeles, glendale, san fernando valley, antelope valley, orange county[/tags]

California’s High Speed Rail Authority is holding a series of scoping meetings throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The meeting locations, dates, times and transit access are as follows:

Wednesday, March 28, 6 p.m.
Norwalk Arts and Sports Complex, Multi-Purpose Room,
13000 Clarkdale Ave., Norwalk
Transit access: Metro Local line 62; and Norwalk Transit lines 1 and 2.

Thursday, March 29, 6 p.m.
Gordon Hoyt Conference Room, Anaheim City Hall West
201 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim
Transit access: Orange County Transportation Authority lines 42, 43, 47 and 147.

Wednesday, April 4, 6 p.m.,
Glendale Public Library,
222 E. Harvard St., Glendale
Transit access: Metro Rapid Line 780, and Local lines 92, 180/181, 183, 201 and 603; and Glendale Beeline lines 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 12

Thursday, April 5 , 6 p.m.,
Metro Board Room,
One Gateway Plaza (at Union Station), Los Angeles.
Transit access: Metro Red/Purple and Gold Lines, Rapid lines 740 and 745, express lines in the 400-499 series except 450 and 460, most local and limited-stop services to downtown Los Angeles; all Metrolink trains except Inland Empire/Orange County Line, Amtrak; FlyAway; Foothill Transit Silver Streak and lines 481, 493, 497, 498, 499 and 699; AVTA Line 785; LADOT DASH Downtown Line D and Lincoln Heights/Chinatown; Santa Clarita Transit lines 794 and 799; Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus Line 10; and Torrance Transit lines 1 and 2

Tuesday, April 10, 6 p.m.
Sylmar Park Recreation Center
13109 Borden Ave., Sylmar
Transit access: Metro Local lines 234 and 236

Thursday, April 12, 6 p.m.
Palmdale City Hall
38300 Sierra Hwy., Palmdale
Transit access: Antelope Valley Transit Authority local lines 1, 2 and 3

Tuesday, April 17, 6 p.m.
Los Angeles River Center & Gardens
570 W. Avenue 26, Los Angeles
Transit access: Metro Gold Line, Rapid line 751, and Local lines 81/381, 84, 90/91, 94/394 and 251.

[tags]los angeles, saving la conference[/tags]

Saving L.A., a conference about the city’s history and historic preservation efforts, takes place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles.

City officials will be on hand. The event also has historic photographs and other displays, a book sale and a sneak preview of the new Los Angeles museum.

Connecting transit service: Metro Red/Purple Line and a short walk from every local and express bus line serving downtown Los Angeles; LADOT  DASH downtown lines Downtown Discovery, E and F; Foothill Transit Silver Streak (first day of service); Gardena Municipal Bus Line 1; and Montebello Bus Line 40 (east and west).

[tags]foothill transit, silver streak[/tags] 

The two-week period for free fares on Foothill Transit’s Silver Streak service ends today.