So today I found out that Los Angeles has an abandoned subway system..

[mayorhaggar]

Had no idea that existed, definitely looks similar in concept to the Metro tunnel in downtown SF. Looks like the terminal at Hill was one end, and the other end went to Toluca in Westlake?

Belmont Tunnel / Toluca Substation and Yard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If the whole tunnel was intact they could probably use it today, maybe as a spur for the Gold Line or something like that, though I bet the tunnel outside of downtown was destroyed or cut off--maybe the current Red Line cuts through it. The streetcar system in SF had the Twin Peaks Tunnel built in 1918 which was used by the old-school streetcars, but I think it was shut down after a while. When the current Metro system was set up in the 70's they refurbished the tunnel and now it's used by modern light-rail lines. (if you can call the flaky Metro system modern, heh)

[Bunjee]

Work out proper entry and egress and they could turn it into a (literally) underground restaurant/nightclub. Oh, the themes I could conjure!

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Bunjee

Work out proper entry and egress and they could turn it into a (literally) underground restaurant/nightclub. Oh, the themes I could conjure!

Raging black/death/speed/thrash metal and punk rock/psychobilly mecca. With intermittent ghosthunts and MMJ festivals. Could probably store good wine down there. Speakeasy/distillery would work.

[transitfan]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Had no idea that existed, definitely looks similar in concept to the Metro tunnel in downtown SF. Looks like the terminal at Hill was one end, and the other end went to Toluca in Westlake?

Belmont Tunnel / Toluca Substation and Yard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If the whole tunnel was intact they could probably use it today, maybe as a spur for the Gold Line or something like that, though I bet the tunnel outside of downtown was destroyed or cut off--maybe the current Red Line cuts through it. The streetcar system in SF had the Twin Peaks Tunnel built in 1918 which was used by the old-school streetcars, but I think it was shut down after a while. When the current Metro system was set up in the 70's they refurbished the tunnel and now it's used by modern light-rail lines. (if you can call the flaky Metro system modern, heh)

The Twin Peaks tunnel was never shut down. Well, maybe temporarily (like over a weekend) for work to convert it from the old-time streetcars to the modern LRVs. There was a beautiful portal at the west end of the tunnel, which had to be sacrificed as part of the conversion. But it was in continuous use as construction allowed.

[wrcousert]

I seem to remember reading something about an abandoned (never completed) people mover project. Supposedly some of the tunnels are being used as storage.

Does anyone know anything about it? Why was it abandoned? Is there any chance that the project could be resumed at some point in the future?

[HarryKerryJr]

Originally Posted by wrcousert

I seem to remember reading something about an abandoned (never completed) people mover project. Supposedly some of the tunnels are being used as storage.

Does anyone know anything about it? Why was it abandoned? Is there any chance that the project could be resumed at some point in the future?

Are you referring to Mayor Bradley's proposed people mover of the late 1970's, or was it early 1980's, that died pretty soon after it was proposed. Or perhaps the even older proposed monorail that was to run along Wilshire connecting downtown with then Mid-Wilsher district back in the 1950's/1960's that is also died. No, these seem to be quite dead today with little chance of resurrection.

The new girl in town is the "modern streetcar" such as in Portland and Seattle. The measure to fund the streetcar has passed, and it seems that it will most likely get built. It is supposed to run along Broadway, but also serve LA Live. Modern Streecars are "in" now.