The Los Angeles Metro
subway consists of two routes, both starting downtown at Union Station.
The lines split after five further stops outbound.
The shorter Purple Line heads only another two
stations from that last joint platform, Wilshire/Vermont, out to a terminal
at Wilshire/Western. The much longer Red Line goes generally
northwest from the split into below-ground Hollywood, and then under the Hollywood Hills, ending up at North Hollywood in the San
Fernando Valley. The system's total length is about fifteen miles,
all within the L.A. city limits.
Of the fourteen heavy rail systems operating in eleven metropolitan
areas of the country, only the
LA Metro has its entire passenger route network underground.
Its running is
efficient, but hardly fascinating.
This view is at Union Station, with an empty car awaiting outbound
passengers.
