Union Station

Architects from some of the most prominent firms in the world -- including Renzo Piano and UN Studio's Ben Van Berkel -- joined a long list of well-known local designers Wednesday in presenting hugely ambitious if  largely fanciful plans for expanding Los Angeles' Union Station. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which now owns the station and a 40-acre parcel of land surrounding it, plans to choose a single team of designers as the master planner for the station site by late June.

Train tracks carry a lot of history. In 1862, President Lincoln inked the Pacific Railroad Act to fund construction of a transcontinental rail route. Seven years later it was completed with the symbolic golden spike ceremony at Promontory Summit in what was then the Utah territory. National Train Day on Saturday marks the 143rd anniversary of the completion of the route with free events in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles, and many cities and towns in between.

Among Los Angeles landmarks, Union Station in downtown is certainly one of the most trafficked. Seen here in a photo taken by Times reader "kayone73," this transportation hub has seen plenty of travelers pass through since it opened in 1939. The passenger station, in Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco style, is in the National Register of Historic Places and has been called one of the last great train stations built in America. Besides a restaurant, newsstand and coffee shop, the station has featured several works of art throughout its grounds . If you're interested in learning more, the Los Angeles Conservancy offers a walking tour of Union Station on the third Saturday of each month.

Talk about raining on your own parade. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority coaxed Renzo Piano from Paris, Ban van Berkel from Amsterdam and a bunch of talented local architects from the far Westside and brought them together Wednesday afternoon at Union Station. The occasion was the unveiling of six conceptual plans for Union Station and the surrounding neighborhood. Metro bought the historic landmark and an attached 40-acre parcel of land last year; it holds entitlements to build as much as 6 million square feet of new shops, offices and housing there, and it is running an international competition to find a master-planning team.

It's a sweeping romantic moment set against the grandeur of New York's Grand Central Terminal, venue to countless poignant moments of tearful farewells. A forlorn young woman, suitcase in hand, buys her train ticket from the kiosk as her lover appears from out of the shadows to present her with a bouquet of flowers. The couple embrace and leave together on a horse and buggy waiting outside the station. Cut. The scene, from the Justin Timberlake romantic comedy "Friends With Benefits," is supposed to unfold in New York's renowned example of Beaux Arts architecture.

Talk about raining on your own parade. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority coaxed Renzo Piano from Paris, Ban van Berkel from Amsterdam and a bunch of talented local architects from the far Westside and brought them together Wednesday afternoon at Union Station. The occasion was the unveiling of six conceptual plans for Union Station and the surrounding neighborhood. Metro bought the historic landmark and an attached 40-acre parcel of land last year; it holds entitlements to build as much as 6 million square feet of new shops, offices and housing there, and it is running an international competition to find a master-planning team.

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday unanimously urged the California High Speed Rail Authority to consider two proposed alternatives for the bullet train stop at Union Station downtown. Councilman Ed Reyes said the alternatives were crucial to protecting residents in East L.A. as planners determine the route for the 800-mile bullet train between Northern California and San Diego. Proponents say the train would carry passengers from L.A. to San Francisco in about 2 1/2 hours.

When the going gets tough, some counterculture wag observed a couple of decades ago, the tough get weird. So as the record industry continues to grapple with sliding sales, file-sharing and other woes, strange new trends keep emerging. Case in point: Fans of Alison Krauss and Union Station who pick up the country-bluegrass queen's new album, "Home on the Highways," can ask the cashier to ring it up with a side order of baked apple dumplings to go.

Following the buttery smell of popping popcorn wafting into the majestic, marble-floored hall of Union Station, Metrolink conductor David Tellez entered McCarthy's newsstand one day last week and ordered a bag. "It'll be 10 minutes," cashier Phan Long told him. "OK, I'll hold the train," Tellez joked. Then Long broke the bad news: "Did you know we're closing this week?"

California's High-Speed Rail Authority announced Wednesday that it is earmarking more than $30 million for land acquisition and related projects in the Los Angeles area, much of it expected to go toward buying downtown's Union Station. The historic rail hub, which would be jointly purchased with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is slated to be a major stop on the 800-mile statewide bullet train system. Officials want control of the 38-acre site so they can make improvements needed to handle an expected surge in passenger traffic from a proposed Westside subway extension and a new downtown rail connection, as well as high-speed rail.

Architects from some of the most prominent firms in the world -- including Renzo Piano and UN Studio's Ben Van Berkel -- joined a long list of well-known local designers Wednesday in presenting hugely ambitious if  largely fanciful plans for expanding Los Angeles' Union Station. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which now owns the station and a 40-acre parcel of land surrounding it, plans to choose a single team of designers as the master planner for the station site by late June.

In a blow to Orange County's hopes for a boost to business and tourism, the California bullet train project has dropped a link to Anaheim from its current, $68-billion plan. The rail agency confirmed the shift Friday, marking a significant departure for the Bay Area-to-Southern California high-speed rail system that state voters approved in 2008. Under newly revised plans, the first phase of the line would have its southern terminus near downtown Los Angeles rather than in Orange County.

The Metrolink commuter railroad held a safety workshop Tuesday for officials responsible for overseeing transportation agencies that operate buses, trains, subways and light rail lines throughout the region. The one-day program at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles brought together federal and state safety experts, transportation agency executives and members of transportation commissions in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. The program included presentations by National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt and former Deputy Secretary of Transportation Mortimer Downey, who now serves on the Washington Metro board of directors.

Welcome to the Civic Center subway station in downtown Los Angeles. Walk up these steep stairs and you'll find yourself near the corner of First and Hill streets. Descend and you'll find trains that lead to destinations all across Los Angeles, including Union Station, Universal Studios Hollywood and the Kodak Theater. Times reader "markphotog" shot this photo. View past photos we've featured . To upload your own, visit our reader travel photo gallery . When you upload your photo, tell us where it was taken and when.

Among Los Angeles landmarks, Union Station in downtown is certainly one of the most trafficked. Seen here in a photo taken by Times reader "kayone73," this transportation hub has seen plenty of travelers pass through since it opened in 1939. The passenger station, in Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco style, is in the National Register of Historic Places and has been called one of the last great train stations built in America. Besides a restaurant, newsstand and coffee shop, the station has featured several works of art throughout its grounds . If you're interested in learning more, the Los Angeles Conservancy offers a walking tour of Union Station on the third Saturday of each month.

Southern California's commuter rail service will soon launch its first rush-hour express trains to downtown Los Angeles, cutting the longest travel times by about half an hour each way. The pilot program, coming as gas prices soar, could make Metrolink trains a more attractive alternative to driving to work, particularly for residents of far-flung suburbs. "It'll change the dynamics," said Bart Reed, executive director of the Transit Coalition, a grass-roots public transportation advocacy group.

Los Angeles County transportation officials approved an agreement Thursday to buy historic Union Station in downtown L.A. for $75 million ? a purchase that will clear the way for the expansion of transit operations and new development on the property. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board decided to buy the rail hub from Catellus Operating Limited Partnership, which is owned by ProLogis based in Colorado. The deal, which is expected to close in 30 days, includes 38 acres and development rights to 5.9 million square feet of property around the station.

May 3, 1939: Half a million people attended the opening of Union Station, built at a cost of $11 million by the three major railroads serving Los Angeles. The three-day celebration included pageants and a historical transportation parade made up of horsemen, mule drivers, stagecoaches, trolleys and an 1869 locomotive. People jammed into downtown "to see a dream come true right before their eyes," The Times reported.

Los Angeles County transportation officials approved an agreement Thursday to buy historic Union Station in downtown L.A. for $75 million ? a purchase that will clear the way for the expansion of transit operations and new development on the property. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board decided to buy the rail hub from Catellus Operating Limited Partnership, which is owned by ProLogis based in Colorado. The deal, which is expected to close in 30 days, includes 38 acres and development rights to 5.9 million square feet of property around the station.

California's High-Speed Rail Authority announced Wednesday that it is earmarking more than $30 million for land acquisition and related projects in the Los Angeles area, much of it expected to go toward buying downtown's Union Station. The historic rail hub, which would be jointly purchased with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is slated to be a major stop on the 800-mile statewide bullet train system. Officials want control of the 38-acre site so they can make improvements needed to handle an expected surge in passenger traffic from a proposed Westside subway extension and a new downtown rail connection, as well as high-speed rail.