Man dies who was struck by Blue Line train

The Blue Line light rail between Los Angeles and Long Beach has claimed its 91st victim since the train opened in 1990. The 54-year-old man who was hit by a train Saturday has died of his injuries, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Officials think the death may have been a suicide.

In case you missed it, here's the story that ran in the paper Sunday:

By Jia-Rui Chong, Chong is a Times staff writer.

A 54-year-old man was hit Saturday evening by a Blue Line Metro train in the same area of downtown Los Angeles where another Blue Line train hit a vehicle earlier in the day.

Witnesses said they saw the man step in front of the southbound train about 5 p.m., near where the train goes beneath the Santa Monica Freeway, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. Nothing was known about the man's possible motivation.

The man was taken to California Hospital Medical Center in critical condition with multiple fractures and contusions, Humphrey said. No other people were injured.

The collision with the car occurred about 2:30 p.m., just south of the station at Pico Boulevard and Flower Street, where the light rail runs at street level, said Metro spokesman Rick Jager. The vehicle got in front of the train and sustained minor damage, but there were no injuries, he said.

Jager said that part of the track has not been problematic in the past and the two accidents on Saturday were coincidental.

"It's an unfortunate situation. But our trains are safe," he said. "The trains have the right of way. People have to pay attention out there."

--Steve Hymon

Blue Line train and bus collide Friday morning

A Blue Line light rail train derailed this morning about 6:15 a.m. after being involved in a collision with a bus in downtown on Washington Boulevard. The bus wasn't carrying any passengers, but 13 aboard the Blue Line suffered very minor injuries, according to the LAFD. The Blue Line has had a history of safety issues involving street crossings since opening in 1990.

Metro (the MTA) has this service alert on their website:

"Friday, September 19, 7:30 a.m. Metro Blue Line service is operating between Seventh and Metro Station and Grand Station downtown and between Washington Station and Long Beach. A bus bridge is shuttling passengers between Grand and Washington stations until further notice."

That means that one station is closed -- at San Pedro and Washington. The accident happened in the stretch of track where the Blue Line runs at-grade along Washington.

--Steve Hymon

One rider's view from the Blue Line

This post comes from Lauren A. Williams, a Cal State Long Beach senior who also works here at The Times. She is a newcomer to mass transit, and on the day that Los Angeles commuter rail ridership sets an all-time record, she tells us what she sees during a typical ride:

"Every time I take the Blue Line from where I live in Long Beach, I try to sit at a window seat on the east side of the car. From there, the ride is a bit more scenic. The east side is closest to Watts Towers and I get a good view of what remains of the L.A. River.

"It's 11 in the morning -- long past the morning rush hour -- but still the Blue Line is filling up quickly where I board at Anaheim Street station, one of the first stops as the train heads north. Although it’s only the second month I’ve been riding the Metro, I feel like an expert, having run the gamut of possible ways to get to work without driving my car. When I lived in the South Bay, I was taking the Green Line to the Blue Line to the Red, but since moving recently I only have to take the Blue and the Red to a stop in Los Angeles only two blocks from work.

"The crowd on each line differs. Generally, men and women clad in business suits ride the Red Line heading downtown. Tourists and travelers with suitcases are a common sight on the Red and Purple Lines, both of which end at Union Station. The Blue and Green Lines, meanwhile, often have napping transients in tattered clothes, large families and people heading to work in blue-collar uniforms.

"For me, these are the people who make riding the Metro enjoyable. Part of why I take the rail is the chance to people-watch and pass through parts of Los Angeles I wouldn't see from a freeway.

"Missing today were the pleasant regulars. There’s the man selling candy that he buys in bulk, wearing two price tags in the crease of his glasses. Absent, too, was the blind man who taps his cane, carefully holding on to the railing and asking (impressively in both English and Spanish) for spare change.

"Passing a Shell station at Central and Washington, I remember the other reason why I take the train. The sign reads $4.89 for regular unleaded gas. Filling the beat-up old Benz that I've left parked at home costs about $90. Even though it takes me an extra 45 minutes to get to work, the extra time is worth the savings. If I drove, it would cost me about $40 a day, I figure.

"Right now, my car sits along the sidewalk outside my apartment. Now that I think of it, a ticket is probably on the windshield because it's street-sweeping day. I can't afford to drive it and I can't afford to park it.

"Anyone in the market for an eight mile-per-gallon car?"

--Bill Nottingham

Photos: Luis Sinco and Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times