THE BLUE LINE

Prompted by concern over the mounting death toll on the Metro Blue Line, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is reviewing operating procedures and other safety issues along California’s deadliest light rail line.

Since 1990, when the Blue Line opened, 53 motorists and pedestrians have died after being run over by trains, more than California’s other four light rail lines combined.

An analysis by The Times showed that 85% of the fatal accidents caused by Blue Line trains were on the fastest segment of the 22-mile system--the stretch from the Washington station in Los Angeles to the Willow station in Long Beach, where trains routinely reach a maximum speed of 55 mph.

Even though Blue Line trains travel north and south at about the same speeds, the last 18 fatal accidents involved southbound trains. With most Blue Line stations built south of intersections, critics note that southbound trains move through intersections at 35 mph to 40 mph before stopping at stations, whereas northbound trains leave the stations at a much reduced rate of speed.

For the most part, the Blue Line runs down the center of streets at street level. Some suggest that elevating or lowering the tracks would reduce deaths, but transit officials say money is not available for such a massive project. A Blue Line extension being built to Pasadena will also be at street level.

Paul Lennon, the MTA’s safety chief, said the agency is counting on the public to be smarter in walking or driving along the Blue Line right of way. “There is only so much we can do. We can educate the public and give them the tools to protect themselves,” Lennon said. “The rest is up to them.”

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Trains and riders

The Blue Line operates two-car trains from the underground 7th Street Metro Station in downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach. Most of the line runs at ground level, sometimes sharing city streets with vehicular traffic and pedestrians. The MTA plans to add a third car and lengthen platforms.

Distance: 22 miles

Daily trips: About 250

Hours of operation: 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Cost: $1.35; 25 cents for transfer

Ridership: 59,000 on average weekday; 30,000 on average Saturday and Sunday.

Ridership (1998 figures)

By age:

37%: 26-40 years old

27%: 18-25

25%: 41-55

6%: 56+

5%: under 18

By race:

48%: Latino

31%: African American

11%: White

6%: Asian

4%: Others

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Danger Zones

Of 53 deaths that have involved Metro Blue Line trains, 85% of them have occurred on the fastest stretch of the 22-mile system, a segment from the Washington station in Los Angeles to the Willow station in Long Beach.

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Segment Accidents* Deaths** Los Angeles 233 3 Washington/Willow 111 46 Long Beach 142 4 TOTAL 486 53

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From July 1990 to September 1999.

From July 1990 through December 1999.

What’s being done to prevent accidents

* Quad gates

Most light-rail intersections operate with two gates, but MTA officials recently finished gathering data at the intersection of 12th Street and Willowbrook Avenue, where two additional gates close, the 28-foot wooden arms are only inches apart, effectively closing off the tracks. Sensors in the roadbed detect if a car has been trapped inside the gates, and open them to let the car out.

* Education

MTA officials say informing the public about light-rail dangers is a never-ending task because the population in the area served by the line changes rapidly. Most newcomers are not used to sharing the roadway with a train. As part of the education campaign, MTA officials have visited more than 20 schools and lectured to about 6,000 students. They have also organized safety fairs and distributed brochures to residents. Radio spots and cable TV commercials are also used, soon to be joined by movie theater trailers.

* Signs

Thirty-eight fiber-optic signs with train images have been installed at 20 intersections to warn drivers of approaching trains.

* Fines and surveillance

Ten cameras are rotated among 17 intersections to photograph vehicles and their license plate numbers. The fine for ignoring a warning signal rose to $271 on Jan. 1.

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Death on the tracks: How it happened Nov. 27

1. Cab with six occupants: Unlicensed driver speeds alongside train at 55 mph in 30 mph zone.

2. Fatal move: Cab races to beat train to intersection, runs stop sign, turns left and goes around railroad gate, but is too late crossing train’s path.

Stopping distance at 55 mph:

* In dry conditions on straight track: 633 feet

* Emergency braking on straight, dry track: 369 feet

A variety of methods are used in emergency braking, among them: dropping sand from the bottom of the train and track braking, where a steel device drops down from between wheels onto the track to create more friction.

Gates include standard double flashing red lights and bells.

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Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Times archives

Researched by DOUGLAS P. SHUIT and EDGAR SANDOVAL / Los Angeles Times