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Glendale's train stop IS part of Metro. It's on the Metro Blue line that goes out to Burbank and Chatsworth. You can ride it into Union Station and take other trains.
This is not correct. The blue line goes to long Beach.
This is not correct. The blue line goes to long Beach.
Glendale is not part of the light rail system.
It is! I've ridden on it! Train Routes | Metrolink Maybe they changed the color to yellow? Anyway, it goes out to Ventura. It used to be that Simi Valley was the last stop but they probably have extended it by now.
Actually, the trains that run through Burbank and Glendale go to either Palmdale/Lancaster OR Ventura. There are two routes that go through those two cities.
It is! I've ridden on it! Train Routes | Metrolink Maybe they changed the color to yellow? Anyway, it goes out to Ventura. It used to be that Simi Valley was the last stop but they probably have extended it by now.
Actually, the trains that run through Burbank and Glendale go to either Palmdale/Lancaster OR Ventura. There are two routes that go through those two cities.
Metro and Metrolink are not the same thing.
Metrolink is not light rail. It is commuter rail run by SCRRA. The one that goes through Glendale and Burbank is part of the Ventura line.
The blue line is part of the Metro light rail system and goes from Union Station to long Beach (for now) .
Metrolink is not light rail. It is commuter rail run by SCRRA. The one that goes through Glendale and Burbank is part of the Ventura line.
The blue line is part of the Metro light rail system and goes from Union Station to long Beach (for now) .
You are confusing me. SCRRA is a "joint powers authority" and METRO (LA County Metropolitan Transportation authority) is a member: Member Agencies | Metrolink
You are confusing me. SCRRA is a "joint powers authority" and METRO (LA County Metropolitan Transportation authority) is a member: Member Agencies | Metrolink
Anyway, my whole point is, the whole system is connected. You can get the train in Burbank or Glendale and take it to Union Station where you can catch the Gold Line to Pasadena or any of the other light rail lines. Most of the connections are free: Train Tickets and Prices | MetrolinkTransit Connections | Metrolink
I can see how the names can be confusing. Let me clarify.
The Glendale stop is not part of the Blue Line. The "Metro" refers to the regular, color-coded train lines in the LA region. The Metro runs throughout the day and on the weekends. The Metro has no stops in Glendale.
"Metrolink," which is what you're talking about, is different; it's a commuter train, with commuter hours and a commuter-type schedule, i.e. the days and hours it runs are limited. It does stop in Burbank and Glendale. It also goes far beyond that area, too, which makes sense, since it is the regional commuter train.
Both Metro and Metrolink stop at Union Station, so yes, they do connect. But Metrolink's schedule is really limited, meaning you can't rely on Metrolink for much else beyond commuting to/from work and a few other limited uses. That's why you can't treat Metrolink as simply another line within the Metro system.
It's like this:
LA Metro is to Metrolink (LA)
as
BART is to CalTrain (SF Bay Area)
as
CTA is to Metra (Chicago)
I lived in midtown Manhattan for ten years. No we live in "sleepy" Connecticut. I've really had my fill of sleepy. But, alas, we're here because we have kids.
Thanks to sydlee for the thorough reply. I actually lived in Alhambra for six months and commuted to Hollywood, which wasn't terrible in the off-hours. It was a long time ago, but Alhambra was cute. I'll bet it's even nicer now.
I definitely intend to have a car, I just don't want my vehicle to be my second home. I don't want to get into my car to find a good cup of coffee. I don't want to run out of milk or bread and have to drive somewhere to remedy the situation. In almost any neighborhood in New York, you can find everything you need within a two block walk and/or have it picked up or delivered. I was spoiled there. The wilds of Connecticut are beautiful, but in L.A. I'm hoping to find a compromise between the two.
To compromise, you give something up. I much prefer downtown Culver City or downtown Burbank to South Pas, but it's hard to find anyone who doesn't praise South Pas for its schools. And if we can find something walking distance to the Metro, that would help a lot in the compromise, as HarryKerryJr suggests. But, yeah, man, South Pasadena real estate is outrageous. I have an acquaintance with kids and a "reasonable" rental near downtown, but we won't be buying anything there unless our financial situation improves considerably.
Back to sleepy. People who live where I live now love it for some of the same reasons I don't, so it's ultimately a personal preference. We've been educating ourselves on the various L.A. options via friends who live there and forums like these, so everyone's response is very much appreciated. I'm confident will land somewhere good for all of us.
Word about the South Pas Gold Line stop: That line is beautiful -- beautiful scenery, but man, it can be soooo slow. It is great that it takes you to Union Station, though, which is the main hub. I only mention the slow speed because that alone can be enough to convince you to take the car instead. I am a big fan of taking buses and trains and walking, but sometimes it just doesn't make sense since the Gold Line at some points can be so slow. At one point, I worked downtown, and it was faster driving from Alhambra than taking the Gold Line from South Pas (even if I didn't count the time it took to take the bus to the South Pas station).
I've had some near mishaps on the Gold Line -- like the one time I took the Metro to the Hollywood Bowl. Almost missed the last train (service ends early) on the Gold Line home -- people got off one train at Union Station and all together, we RAN like crazy through the station to catch the very last Gold Line train home -- a bunch of strangers all huffing and puffing, all high-fiving ourselves because we actually made it. Don't want to discourage you from taking the Metro, because it's a good option. But just want to note its limitations as far as using it as a main form of transportation. (We're not NYC or Chicago train-wise.)
(FWIW, the Gold Line is the opposite of the Red Line, which is underground, goes super fast, and is much more usable, for that reason.)
Be sure to live within walking/biking distance of the South Pas station if you're going to rely on the Gold Line as your main form of transportation. There is no parking around the station by design. (There are some places where you can park X # of hours, and you can park all day if you park farther away, of course, but there is no real parking near the station.)
As for schools, I'll say this: South Pas is known for its excellent school district, and it certainly has that. But other good schools exist in the LA area, too, and after a certain point, there is little difference between the "good" schools in the area, IMO. If you do your job as a parent and also pick a reasonably good school that offers the classes your kid wants to take, and there is a sizeable group of kids in the school for which learning/academic achievement/sports/whatever you value is important, your kids will be fine. If you're concerned about kids' ability to get into prestigious colleges or get well-paying jobs, the truth is South Pas kids end up in the same colleges and jobs as kids from schools that are good, but perhaps not considered "South Pas" quality.
Since you prefer Culver City, perhaps you can live there and take the Metro from the Culver stop. Don't know about the schools, but I've never heard anything bad about it, and several of my friends have families (grade school kids) there. Best of luck, whatever you decide!
Ha! That's interesting about the Gold Line. I've been on it once or twice before, a year or so after it opened, and I didn't notice it being slow -- but then I wasn't in a rush and was simply mesmerized by the idea I was on a "subway" in Los Angeles. I definitely noticed the Red Line was much more of a real, fast-moving subway and the Gold Line is more of a commuter train, even thought they're technically part of the same system.
I wouldn't rely on it exclusively by any means, but the psychology of knowing it's there and available to me is very comforting. Even if it takes longer than driving, I like that the timing is more predictable. That, to me, is one of the difficulties I found about L.A. It could take 15 minutes to get between point A and point B, or it could take 90 minutes to do the same route -- depending on traffic and (my personal pet peeve) time and money it takes to park. If you can't be late for something, you almost need to allow the 90 minutes just in case. At least trains run on a reasonably reliable schedule and there isn't the ongoing nuisance of hunting down a parking space or paying to park.
You make a good point about schools. There's this universal agreement that South Pasadena has great schools; but what is that based on, exactly? Test scores, I presume. Where we live now, there's a school district nearby that is universally considered the best in the region, yet they're beset with drug problems and constant controversy. Mostly, I suspect, because the town is very wealthy and many of the kids are entitled and bored. Yet on paper, that's the place to send your kid if you want to give them the best education. I don't think I'd want my kids to go there.
From my perspective, a good school has the resources to nourish a child's curiosity if s/he excels at something and support that same child if there's a weakness. The student body is large enough to offer a range of extracurricular activities.
In any event, siydlee, thanks for your insight and information. It's much appreciated.
Word about the South Pas Gold Line stop: That line is beautiful -- beautiful scenery, but man, it can be soooo slow. It is great that it takes you to Union Station, though, which is the main hub. I only mention the slow speed because that alone can be enough to convince you to take the car instead. I am a big fan of taking buses and trains and walking, but sometimes it just doesn't make sense since the Gold Line at some points can be so slow. At one point, I worked downtown, and it was faster driving from Alhambra than taking the Gold Line from South Pas (even if I didn't count the time it took to take the bus to the South Pas station).
The Gold Line is light rail; Red and Purple lines are traditional underground rapid transit subways which of course will be faster. I can't say I agree that the Gold Line is so slow that it's faster to drive from certain places in the long run, especially in traffic. If that were the case, everybody would drive, as that is the first instinct in LA. (Many/most people in SP who use the Gold Line have one or two cars, too.) There are definitely parts of the track where it slows down, though.
One must also consider what's at the end of the route: will it be easy or inexpensive to park at the workplace/destination or is there no parking/costly parking available? That's another reason for commute via light rail metro instead of car, especially to DTLA and other places with limited parking. I know professors going both directions (to the Pasadena area proper and to LA, esp. USC connecting with the Expo Line) who find the Gold Line very convenient for avoiding hassles with parking.
I don't know that many people have recommended getting around LA without a car in general, even when using the Metro for commuting for work or entertainment. I think the OP wrote in a response that *ideally* he could go without a car (but not really ) and I think it was you who suggested above that it could be done:
Quote:
You mention you want to nix the car and use trains and Uber instead. It sounds like your kids no longer need car seats, so your plan has so real possibility. I'm based in Alhambra and much of what I do is via bus and train (city bus, regional bus, Metro train). It can be a pain sometimes, as certain bus lines aren't always as, shall we say, reliable. ;-) But even if you don't live next to a Metro stop, as long as you have a reliable bus line to a train stop, it's almost as good.
Quote:
Be sure to live within walking/biking distance of the South Pas station if you're going to rely on the Gold Line as your main form of transportation. There is no parking around the station by design. (There are some places where you can park X # of hours, and you can park all day if you park farther away, of course, but there is no real parking near the station.)
Not sure what you mean about no real parking near the station. There's a parking garage with the mixed-use project adjacent to the station with about 150 spots that can be reserved monthly from 4 am-6 pm M-F. Otherwise, non-reserved spaces are $3 a day before 6 pm and free after 6 and on weekends. So those who don't live around Mission can park and ride. (Reserved parking began last year, so you may not have been aware of it.) There are 14 bike racks.
You make a good point about schools. There's this universal agreement that South Pasadena has great schools; but what is that based on, exactly? Test scores, I presume. (snip) From my perspective, a good school has the resources to nourish a child's curiosity if s/he excels at something and support that same child if there's a weakness. The student body is large enough to offer a range of extracurricular activities.
Official rankings are based on test scores and a number of other criteria such as the faculty's educational backgrounds, number of AP and honors courses available, etc. Unofficial ratings usually include college matriculation results - parents looking to which colleges the students from certain schools are admitted.
Anecdotal ratings (the ones that most people look at online, like greatschools.org) are just that, a few people noting their experiences with various schools. (Some are parents, some are students, some are teachers.) People take those 1-10 rankings very seriously, and they are a good starting point, but people need to remember there are very few people (sometimes a few dozen, sometimes less than 10 over several years) determining those 1-10 rankings, and some of them are probably more motivated to write bad reviews because they are unhappy with their particular situation.
But mainly, what makes "the best school" is word of mouth reputation amongst peer parents or desired peer parents, which parents often follow for FOMO (fear of missing out). OP, you yourself said you preferred Burbank, which has a reputation for good schools(though I don't know a lot of particulars) and good rankings. I responded somewhere upthread that SP schools are going to rank higher (officially), but Burbank might be a good compromise for you because the schools are still supposed to be good. You replied:
Quote:
I'm rather fond of Burbank, as South Pas feels a bit sterile for my taste. But I know it probably comes down to a choice between wants and needs, and needs requirement is the best school district.
So the "best school" rep self-perpetuates because some parents won't consider the "very good to excellent" schools. They feel like they need to make a sacrifice for their children, and sacrifice means "the best". When in actuality their children will probably have the same college admission results nowadays from various other good schools as they will from the "best school". (It's much, much tougher to get into most of the UCs and other well-known public and private Stanford/Ivy League universities than it was even 8-10 years ago.)
The Gold Line is light rail; Red and Purple lines are traditional underground rapid transit subways which of course will be faster. I can't say I agree that the Gold Line is so slow that it's faster to drive from certain places in the long run, especially in traffic. If that were the case, everybody would drive, as that is the first instinct in LA. (Many/most people in SP who use the Gold Line have one or two cars, too.) There are definitely parts of the track where it slows down, though.
One must also consider what's at the end of the route: will it be easy or inexpensive to park at the workplace/destination or is there no parking/costly parking available? That's another reason for commute via light rail metro instead of car, especially to DTLA and other places with limited parking. I know professors going both directions (to the Pasadena area proper and to LA, esp. USC connecting with the Expo Line) who find the Gold Line very convenient for avoiding hassles with parking.
I don't know that many people have recommended getting around LA without a car in general, even when using the Metro for commuting for work or entertainment. I think the OP wrote in a response that *ideally* he could go without a car (but not really ) and I think it was you who suggested above that it could be done:
Not sure what you mean about no real parking near the station. There's a parking garage with the mixed-use project adjacent to the station with about 150 spots that can be reserved monthly from 4 am-6 pm M-F. Otherwise, non-reserved spaces are $3 a day before 6 pm and free after 6 and on weekends. So those who don't live around Mission can park and ride. (Reserved parking began last year, so you may not have been aware of it.) There are 14 bike racks.
Hey, great to know! I usually bus there or find parking on a street w/o limited hours if taking the bus is not feasible. Thanks for sharing the info.
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Don't want to discourage you from taking the Metro, because it's a good option. But just want to note its limitations as far as using it as a main form of transportation. (We're not NYC or Chicago train-wise.)
I can't say I agree that the Gold Line is so slow that it's faster to drive from certain places in the long run, especially in traffic. If that were the case, everybody would drive, as that is the first instinct in LA. (Many/most people in SP who use the Gold Line have one or two cars, too.) There are definitely parts of the track where it slows down, though.
