Riding the rails in Los Angeles

Thank you for the story on transit artworks [“L.A. Subculture,” March 29]. As a fairly regular rider, I’ve enjoyed and photographed many of these installations. When I show visitors (and even some locals) around the Metro Rail lines, they are delighted and astonished -- the latter reaction because L.A. has rail transit and people actually use it.

However, L.A. subway travel does not demand “considerable faith that the Big One isn’t going to hit.” Recent history shows that any leap of faith should be reserved for freeways: In the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, San Francisco Bay Area freeways and a section of the Bay Bridge collapsed, causing loss of life. The subway system (Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART) was undamaged and up and running in no time after safety inspections. Good thing too, since the unavailability of the Bay Bridge would have caused even greater economic disruption had not BART taken up much of the trans-bay commuter slack.

And let’s not forget the 1994 Northridge quake, in which freeways (most notably the Santa Monica) also collapsed. Pure luck that the wee hour of the temblor dodged the rush-hour bullet. Many Angelenos surely recall the ensuing commuter chaos. Only the initial segment of the Red Line was open at the time, but it remained undamaged. Subways 2, freeways 0.

I like my chances underground, thank you, and all the cool art is a welcome bonus.

PATRICK GALLIGAN

Ventura

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One day at 3 p.m., I spent 15 minutes driving around the North Hollywood Metro station, looking in vain for a place to park ‘n’ ride. I have no problem with the ride part. The problem was that there was no place to park. I knew the North Hollywood station parking lot fills to capacity in the morning, but I thought it would have a few spaces free by 3 p.m. at least. Wrong.

Nice article on the station art, though. I do hope it does incite some Angelenos and visitors to take the train and see the stations. However, the current decor of the 7th Street/Metro Center station -- lovely banner ads for McDonald’s and its new Third Pound Burger -- is not exactly world-class art.

TESSA LUCERO

Canyon Country

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I am a regular commuter who uses the Metro Red Line to get to work. I found the article interesting regarding the artwork in the Metro system. However, there was no mention of the crass advertising that is being plastered all over the walls, floors, columns and apparently every blank space for companies such as McDonald’s, pay-per-view fights and movies. This new form of advertising within the Metro system is an offense to the original intent of public art within the stations. I cannot imagine that the revenue brought in by these advertisements would provide any true financial gain to the MTA. The Metro started with a just and noble purpose, but they have now desecrated the artwork and beauty of our Metro system.

RICHARD DACHMAN

Valley Village

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As a member of the Metro Art Council Docent program, and an avid fan of our Metro system’s magnificent art, I, for one, appreciate Chris Lee’s article and the information written about Metro stations and their art. We are all desperately trying to educate the public about our Metro system and its meaningful and magnificent art installations.

MORLEY J. HELFAND

Arcadia