Los Angeles

SoCal Public Transit Overwhelmed by Women's March Participants

Hundreds of people heading to downtown Los Angeles for Saturday's Women's March stood stranded on Metro and Metrolink platforms unable to squeeze onto packed trains.

Spokeswoman Kim Upton said Metro had already added trains, increased their frequency and beefed up security in anticipation of heavy crowds, but trains remained jammed, particularly at the North Hollywood and Universal City Red Line stations and on the Westside, with some people waiting hours to purchase TAP cards and board the trains.

Upton suggested that one reason for the long lines might be a lot of people purchasing TAP cards for the first time, but said Metro was doing everything possible to accommodate the high number of travelers.

"The trains are running smoothly and the people on the trains are happy," she said.

Riders carrying signs reading "bridges not walls" and wearing pink "pussy hats" crowded the Culver City Expo Line platform with their daughter and sons, including at least one toddler, in tow.

"I was born for this, people," said a woman named Liberty in response to others hoisting a sign picturing the Statue of Liberty. The volunteer at Mark Twain Middle School was headed to the march with her daughter, Saoirse, which is Irish for liberty.

Many would-be marchers ultimately crowded onto a westbound train to ride it to the end of the line and then back downtown.

As those waiting at stations farther west brainstormed alternate ways to get downtown, Uber was quoting prices in excess of $99 to deliver riders to Pershing Square.

Trains on the Metrolink's San Bernardino and Antelope Valley lines were at capacity Saturday morning and could not pick up additional passengers as they traveled to Union Station, said Scott Johnson a spokesman for Metrolink. The San Bernardino Line was carrying about 1,000 people, and the Antelope Valley line out of Lancaster was carrying about 600.

Amtrack 763, traveling through Orange County, was also at capacity but Johnson could not confirm whether or not it was picking up additional passengers.

But despite the difficulties, Metro riders remained upbeat.

"I think this is all positive," said clinical psychologist Marilyn Ruman. "It's not a protest, it's about doing something."

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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