The Gold Line uses tracks 1 and 2 at Union Station alongside the main line railroad tracks and platforms offering nice views of the Metrolink Trains to L.A. Suburbs Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, along with the daily long-distance Coast Starlight and Southwest Chief, and combined triweekly Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle.
The light rail platforms are the only ones at Union Station that are electrified and high-level, along with being much shorter. The station was the southern terminus of the gold line from its opening on July 26, 2003 until the Edward R. Roybal Linea de Oro Eastside Extension opened on November 15, 2009. This means the Gold Line has the only elevated tracks in Union Station that are not stub-ended with trains able to go south of the station. Trains going south of the station cross a unique grade-crossing at station level. This is the Amtrak service road that allows red caps and other service vechiles to access each of the rail platforms beyond there bumper blocks. The grade-crossing is complete with crossing gates and trains also activate a red traffic signal before the gates go down to tell red caps driving their electric carts that go quite slowly to stop and not get stuck on the tracks.
All access to the Gold Line platform is from the same single underpass pedestrian tunnel that provides the only access to all of the Amtrak and Metrolink platforms. There is a single station entrance area along the pedestrian tunnel decorated with Solar Shift: San Bernardino and Santa Monica by Roy Nicholson, where the TVMs are, and has a single wide staircase followed by an elevator up to the Gold Line's platform.
Photos 1-9 taken on March 18, 2010, 10-11: January 19, 2014; 12-22: December 22, 2019
Chinatown
