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Railtown: The Fight for the Los Angeles Metro Rail and the Future of the City
The familiar image of Los Angeles as a metropolis built for the automobile is crumbling. Traffic, air pollution, and sprawl motivated citizens to support urban rail as an alternative to driving, and the city has started to reinvent itself by developing compact neighborhoods adjacent to transit. As a result of pressure from local leaders, particularly with the election of Tom Bradley as mayor in 1973, the Los Angeles Metro Rail gradually took shape in the consummate car city.
Railtown presents the history of this system by drawing on archival documents, contemporary news accounts, and interviews with many of the key players to provide critical behind-the-scenes accounts of the people and forces that shaped the system. Ethan Elkind brings this important story to life by showing how ambitious local leaders zealously advocated for rail transit and ultimately persuaded an ambivalent electorate and federal leaders to support their vision.
Although Metro Rail is growing in ridership and political importance, with expansions in the pipeline, Elkind argues that local leaders will need to reform the rail planning and implementation process to avoid repeating past mistakes and to ensure that Metro Rail supports a burgeoning demand for transit-oriented neighborhoods in Los Angeles. This engaging history of Metro Rail provides lessons for how the American car-dominated cities of today can reinvent themselves as thriving railtowns of tomorrow.
Railtown presents the history of this system by drawing on archival documents, contemporary news accounts, and interviews with many of the key players to provide critical behind-the-scenes accounts of the people and forces that shaped the system. Ethan Elkind brings this important story to life by showing how ambitious local leaders zealously advocated for rail transit and ultimately persuaded an ambivalent electorate and federal leaders to support their vision.
Although Metro Rail is growing in ridership and political importance, with expansions in the pipeline, Elkind argues that local leaders will need to reform the rail planning and implementation process to avoid repeating past mistakes and to ensure that Metro Rail supports a burgeoning demand for transit-oriented neighborhoods in Los Angeles. This engaging history of Metro Rail provides lessons for how the American car-dominated cities of today can reinvent themselves as thriving railtowns of tomorrow.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 13, 2016
This book answers all the glaring Metro questions that any resident of Los Angeles County has wondered about for decades. Why doesn't the Green Line go to LAX? Why isn't there a subway along Wilshire Boulevard, where God clearly intended there to be one? WHY, BY ALL THAT IS HOLY, do the Blue Line and the Expo Line, in contravention of logic and goodness and accepted practice in every other civic rail system, STOP AT RED LIGHTS? The answers aren't likely to make you happy, but they are here in Elkind's comprehensive and thoroughly sourced history.
Elkind is clearly a fan of the rail system, almost a booster. He gives short shrift sometimes to the arguments and positions of anti-rail advocates, from NIMBY homeowner associations in the Valley to various county supervisors and congressmen. That said, he does do a good job of at least presenting the basics of the anti-rail arguments (especially those of the Bus Riders Union), and the large bibliography will give any motivated reader a way to get further information. Henry Waxman, my former representative, is portrayed in a particularly negative light. One entire chapter is named "Henry Waxman's Hot Air," and his anti-scientific and stubborn refusal to allow the construction of the county's most sensible rail line was frustrating to read about, and made me lose some respect for a congressman I generally liked.
The last book I read about local infrastructure, Brown Acres (about the LA County sewer system), was full of information, but so boringly written I could barely get through it. That's not a problem here; Elkind has written an engaging history that knows when to zoom in to committee meetings and political rivalries, and when to zoom out and look at the Metro as a whole and the rider's experience.
Elkind is clearly a fan of the rail system, almost a booster. He gives short shrift sometimes to the arguments and positions of anti-rail advocates, from NIMBY homeowner associations in the Valley to various county supervisors and congressmen. That said, he does do a good job of at least presenting the basics of the anti-rail arguments (especially those of the Bus Riders Union), and the large bibliography will give any motivated reader a way to get further information. Henry Waxman, my former representative, is portrayed in a particularly negative light. One entire chapter is named "Henry Waxman's Hot Air," and his anti-scientific and stubborn refusal to allow the construction of the county's most sensible rail line was frustrating to read about, and made me lose some respect for a congressman I generally liked.
The last book I read about local infrastructure, Brown Acres (about the LA County sewer system), was full of information, but so boringly written I could barely get through it. That's not a problem here; Elkind has written an engaging history that knows when to zoom in to committee meetings and political rivalries, and when to zoom out and look at the Metro as a whole and the rider's experience.
May 6, 2020
can’t believe it took so long for me to discover this book. extremely useful, although i resent how condescendingly it treats the bus riders union
October 5, 2022
I am a car-free Angeleno studying urban planning and working as an LA Metro Board Deputy for the Metro Directors representing the city. So it is probably unsurprising for me to say this was a very valuable read to better understand the origin and context of building rail in Los Angeles County. I am proud to say that I read over half the pages of this book aboard a Metro bus, light rail, or subway...
So yes, I am a capital-N Nerd for this kind of thing, but I was pretty impressed with the quality of the writing. Concise enough to keep the story moving, comprehensive enough to cover the important bits. I've heard nuggets from professors and coworkers about many of the key points, but it's great to get the unabridged, complete tale.
My takeaways: Metro has always been a mess, not least because of the politicking that has gotten in the way of reality to determine which infrastructure goes where and when. Elkind's conclusion of where Metro should go is still spot on, but his timeline for most projects was unsurprisingly optimistic, with notable exception of the Purple Line Extension being pushed ahead about 9 years.
Finally, my mother told me her parents would have an annual argument over Thanksgiving dinner on the viability of transit in LA in the 1960s and 1970s, always thinking it was a lost cause. I'm glad that 50-60 years later, we finally made it happen to forge a new chapter. May the future contain less car-dependency and carbon emissions.
So yes, I am a capital-N Nerd for this kind of thing, but I was pretty impressed with the quality of the writing. Concise enough to keep the story moving, comprehensive enough to cover the important bits. I've heard nuggets from professors and coworkers about many of the key points, but it's great to get the unabridged, complete tale.
My takeaways: Metro has always been a mess, not least because of the politicking that has gotten in the way of reality to determine which infrastructure goes where and when. Elkind's conclusion of where Metro should go is still spot on, but his timeline for most projects was unsurprisingly optimistic, with notable exception of the Purple Line Extension being pushed ahead about 9 years.
Finally, my mother told me her parents would have an annual argument over Thanksgiving dinner on the viability of transit in LA in the 1960s and 1970s, always thinking it was a lost cause. I'm glad that 50-60 years later, we finally made it happen to forge a new chapter. May the future contain less car-dependency and carbon emissions.
July 1, 2014
I looked to Mr. Elkind's book to find out why public transportation doesn't go where I need in Los Angeles. After a methane explosion in Fairfax, Henry Waxman, a politician, prevented rail from running through his district. The safety concerns/excuses helped assuage the Westside's Not In My Backyard sentiments by killing a much needed subway line. Commuters can thank Waxman for their horrible commutes to the Westside, especially if they use Wilshire. The tunneling ban has been reversed, but the damage is done. Railtown documents behind-the-scenes work on rail in Los Angeles. I hope future city planners don't let politics get in the way of serving the public's needs. Insightful and informative book.
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December 31, 2019
I’m a junkie for the niche world of transportation nonfiction. Railtown, by Elkind (another reviewer full disclosure moment, I know and respect him as a colleague, so take salt as you will), chronicles the history of rail in Los Angeles. LA is not a city widely known for its transit, but has seen somewhat of an upswing in the rail department, with the last decade seeing significant build out of both their subway and light rail. The political challenges and rollercoaster of progress and failure, over and over again are a bit exhausting to read about. But there is a lot to take away as life and work lessons on the value of perseverance and the importance of building a solid coalition.
For other readers who like this sort of thing, the Great Society Subway and the Race Underground are also essential reading in this topic area.
2019 Reading Challenge Update
Book number: 03 / 41
Scorecard (see below):
W: 1/20
NW: 1/20
NA: 0/20
T: 0/8
F:
NF: 3
-------
Notes: I'm trying to read 41 books this year (one more than last year). To make sure I'm getting a broad range, I'm tracking some metrics. This year, I’m also picking a regional focus across both fiction and nonfiction. The last few years I’ve found that having several books on one theme or region enriched the experience because I got multiple perspectives. My goal is to read books that are: half by women, half not by white people, half by non-americans, and at least 8 that are regionally- and topically themed on asia, genocide, and / or the Khmer Rouge specifically, a topic I don’t feel I know enough about. I'll also go for about half fiction and half non-fiction, which I neglected last year.
For other readers who like this sort of thing, the Great Society Subway and the Race Underground are also essential reading in this topic area.
2019 Reading Challenge Update
Book number: 03 / 41
Scorecard (see below):
W: 1/20
NW: 1/20
NA: 0/20
T: 0/8
F:
NF: 3
-------
Notes: I'm trying to read 41 books this year (one more than last year). To make sure I'm getting a broad range, I'm tracking some metrics. This year, I’m also picking a regional focus across both fiction and nonfiction. The last few years I’ve found that having several books on one theme or region enriched the experience because I got multiple perspectives. My goal is to read books that are: half by women, half not by white people, half by non-americans, and at least 8 that are regionally- and topically themed on asia, genocide, and / or the Khmer Rouge specifically, a topic I don’t feel I know enough about. I'll also go for about half fiction and half non-fiction, which I neglected last year.
September 11, 2017
"By balancing Proposition A between rail (35 percent) and bus (40 percent), with the remaining 25 percent to go to the county's cities for 'local transit needs,' the plan was more likely to appeal to a majority of voters beyond the 40 percent for rail. Its smaller scale also may have swayed voters and critical media leaders who were reluctant to support a massive rail project without trying a pilot approach first." (48)
"The MTA experienced significant fallout from the signing of the consent decree. Its leaders appeared to concede that rail disadvantaged low-income riders of color, which dampened enthusiasm for rail among its liberal supporters in Los Angeles. 'It became accepted wisdom that rail was being built on the backs of people of color whose civil rights were being abused so white people could ride the train,' commented Roger Christensen, vice chairman of the MTA Citizens Advisory Council at the time. 'Rail lost a major liberal base because it was now racist to build subways.'" (171)
"[R]ail supports need to ensure better development around existing and proposed rail stations and corridors. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) would insist that cities with rail stations life restrictions on development within walking distance of stations." (225)
"Perhaps in the coming decades, the city that once showed the world the joys of the auto-oriented life will be equally known as a twenty-first-century railtown." (227)
"The MTA experienced significant fallout from the signing of the consent decree. Its leaders appeared to concede that rail disadvantaged low-income riders of color, which dampened enthusiasm for rail among its liberal supporters in Los Angeles. 'It became accepted wisdom that rail was being built on the backs of people of color whose civil rights were being abused so white people could ride the train,' commented Roger Christensen, vice chairman of the MTA Citizens Advisory Council at the time. 'Rail lost a major liberal base because it was now racist to build subways.'" (171)
"[R]ail supports need to ensure better development around existing and proposed rail stations and corridors. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) would insist that cities with rail stations life restrictions on development within walking distance of stations." (225)
"Perhaps in the coming decades, the city that once showed the world the joys of the auto-oriented life will be equally known as a twenty-first-century railtown." (227)
May 13, 2025
Chronicles the timeline of L.A.’s modern transit system with meticulous research and comprehensive detail. I’ve lived in L.A. without a car for nearly 18 years, so naturally I’m a nerd about all this, but I was impressed with all the anecdotes and stories presented, some of which I had never heard before. Beyond that, it’s a window into the political process and how urban planning, construction projects, and of course, money can evolve or de-evolve our cities. Essential reading for anyone interested in the subject.
July 4, 2017
Rather than building rail lines objectively, Los Angeles has been held hostage for decades by myopic politicians and recalcitrant NIMBYs. Documented here is the squabbling between the various local fiefdoms. At long last, in 2017, we're nearing something resembling a "complete" urban rail system in Los Angeles, no thanks to Henry Waxman and his ilk.
If you're an Angeleno who supports rail transit, look no further for a history of Metro's rail system.
If you're an Angeleno who supports rail transit, look no further for a history of Metro's rail system.
September 8, 2019
There's good information in here but it's pretty dry and the overall tone is pretty negative. For example, the book frequently cites the LA Times who tends to pick something they don't like and run negative story after negative story: Elon Musk now and the California High Speed Rail before that. I know people who worked on the Red Line subway and it was not as bad as this book makes it out to be. So I'd still read the book but take it with a grain of salt.
August 22, 2025
This was one of the nerdiest books I've read, and I loved it. It dived into the history of the efforts to get Metrorail (subway) in Los Angeles. The history was much more complicated and fraught with political infighting than I had realized (combined with an unfortunately timed methane gas explosion in the Ross right behind my apartment building). I learned a lot, and I am soooo looking forward to the long awaited Wilshire line to finally come to fruition in the next year or so.
August 27, 2025
Surprisingly interesting read, though I wonder if others that have not relied on LA public transport would be as invested.
Elkind's writing is good and well researched. He organized a complex web of politics, engineering limitations, and mismanagement into a coherent and interesting story. The subject matter's niche audience is its only real shortfall.
Elkind's writing is good and well researched. He organized a complex web of politics, engineering limitations, and mismanagement into a coherent and interesting story. The subject matter's niche audience is its only real shortfall.
July 10, 2018
Good summary of Los Angeles' tortuous path to a rail transit system, 1973 to 2014. Only for those interested in the topic.
March 7, 2022
A dry read, I couldn't finish the book.
June 26, 2022
This book taught (confirmed to) me that transportation is all about politics. Planning and engineering come second. Politics determine everything.
November 29, 2022
Amazing read, although it is very heavy on the propositions and taxes side of how transit is funded, still amazing information that explains how LA Metro Rail system was formed.
April 17, 2020
How Rail Came to the Land of Cars
LA has always been considered the home of car culture, but the fact is that Los Angeles County has one of America's largest rail transportation networks. But that rail network didn't come quickly or easily; "Railtown" chronicles the political struggles that created LA's rail system.
The Pacific Electric Red Cars helped build and expand the LA suburbs, but with the 1950s and the expansion of the LA freeways, public transportation in LA went into decline. As early as the mid-1970s, ambitious plans were announced to build a rail network in LA, but it took some time to build the popular support, line up political backing, and find revenue sources to start building the Blue Line to Long Beach and the Red Line to Hollywood and Universal City. The transportation authorities in LA faced a lot of challenges in making the stars align and faced determined opposition, but by the 2000s LA had the beginnings of a rail network. The book introduces us to the personalities involved and the key events involved in building the rail system.
Railtown covers a long history and covers some complicated subject matter, but shares the story in terms that make everything accessible to folks who aren't transportation wonks or political junkies. Even knowing how the story ends, it was interesting to learn how much had to happen to make rail in LA possible - and how many times the plans could have been derailed (no pun intended). The only real drawback to the book is that it hasn't been updated to include what's happened since 2008, since winning the bid for the 2028 Olympics and how the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House has impacted the system planning and operation. Great reading for folks interested in LA history and how politics work in southern California. Recommended!
LA has always been considered the home of car culture, but the fact is that Los Angeles County has one of America's largest rail transportation networks. But that rail network didn't come quickly or easily; "Railtown" chronicles the political struggles that created LA's rail system.
The Pacific Electric Red Cars helped build and expand the LA suburbs, but with the 1950s and the expansion of the LA freeways, public transportation in LA went into decline. As early as the mid-1970s, ambitious plans were announced to build a rail network in LA, but it took some time to build the popular support, line up political backing, and find revenue sources to start building the Blue Line to Long Beach and the Red Line to Hollywood and Universal City. The transportation authorities in LA faced a lot of challenges in making the stars align and faced determined opposition, but by the 2000s LA had the beginnings of a rail network. The book introduces us to the personalities involved and the key events involved in building the rail system.
Railtown covers a long history and covers some complicated subject matter, but shares the story in terms that make everything accessible to folks who aren't transportation wonks or political junkies. Even knowing how the story ends, it was interesting to learn how much had to happen to make rail in LA possible - and how many times the plans could have been derailed (no pun intended). The only real drawback to the book is that it hasn't been updated to include what's happened since 2008, since winning the bid for the 2028 Olympics and how the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House has impacted the system planning and operation. Great reading for folks interested in LA history and how politics work in southern California. Recommended!
August 3, 2015
An incredible, detailed, yet easy-to-follow history of the current Metro rail system in Los Angeles. Including all the city, county, state, and federal political intrigue that made the system what it is today--both good and bad. The best introduction to L.A. Metro's rail system and also the only one with the entire history in one concise read. I waited for a book like this for years. A great companion piece to Scott Bottles' out-of-print history of L.A.'s original streetcar and interurban rail systems, "Los Angeles and the Automobile."
May 24, 2015
This answered so many of my "why?" and "why not?" questions about the current state of LA public transit.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews