Grinding the Gold Line

Photo by Jose Ubaldo/Metro. Used with permission

If you see activity during the workweek taking place on the Gold Line's Eastside Extension tracks it's because Metro Rail has begun the process of "grinding the rails." Using a machine that moves at about 2.5 to 3 miles and hour, workers are making their way down the six mile stretch along Third Street in East Los Angeles. They began at Atlantic Boulevard and Pomona Street and will move westbound along Third Street until Indiana Avenue and end up at Lorena and First streets at the East Portal tunnel entrance.

According to a media release, "the grinding removes oxidation on the rails to make sure the train wheels and the rail make proper contact and safety features work properly on the new light rail line, which is scheduled to open in summer 2009." You'll see the grinding taking place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will have a total of eight stations (two underground), and runs from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles via the Arts District/Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights to Atlantic/Pomona Boulevards in East Los Angeles.