When three transcontinental railroads teamed up to build L.A.’s Union Station in the 1930s, they decided to terminate their tracks at the station, the nation’s last stop westward. Nine decades later, that simple choice would have massive—and messy—consequences.

Today Union Station’s archaic track layout conflicts with its modern role as an urban transportation hub. A Metrolink train from Santa Ana to Burbank, for example, must go past the station, then back into the passenger platform before continuing northbound on the mainline tracks — adding up to 20 minutes to what could otherwise be a 53-minute journey — a 38% time penalty.

Read more on Substack