Angels Flight Shut Down for Wheel Repairs
Eric Richardson
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — State inspectors ordered Angels Flight to shut down on Thursday, the second time the short incline railway has been forced to suspend operations since it returned to service last March.
Inspectors from the Public Utilities Commission discovered what it considered unsafe wear to wheel flanges—the part of the wheel that keeps the rail car on the tracks—during a routine inspection.
It could take several weeks for new steel wheels to arrive.
The 109-year-old line was briefly shut down last year when inspectors found a door that was not correctly closing during operation.
Railway officials must find and correct the cause of the wheel flange wear before the funicular can be reopened.
kaysep on June 10, 2011, at 05:53PM – #1
F**K!
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on June 11, 2011, at 11:20AM – #2
I suppose there are still people in denial that Angels Flight should be turned over the MTA or Dash and have actual engineers and real mechanics looking after it.
This is a scandal.
DenOfLosAngeles on June 12, 2011, at 10:48AM – #3
They should stop buying parts made in china
Eric Wang on June 13, 2011, at 08:59AM – #4
How do you know they have parts made in China?
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on June 13, 2011, at 10:49AM – #5
He doesn't.
I think that particular wheel was an existing part from the second incarnation of AF.
And I have read elsewhere, in the LA Times, says that the foundation head says he knew that there were problems with the part...and they were thinking about ordering another one before the PUC stepped in. Pathetic. Thinking about doing something. They didn't even order a new wheel until real inspectors looked it.
That is serious.
I rode the railway Wednesday and there was noticeable wobble. It was closed the next day, but not by operators...BY THE PUC!
Defenders of the current management are now posting elsewhere this isn't news....which is a sign...if you have the ability to infer, that is situation might be the final straw.
I urge people who care about saving this important part of LA heritage to contact Jan Perry's office and tell her you want an investigation into how this situation could happen...
When people say they care about safety and then do nothing about something which if obviously a safety issue....
maybe we should do something rather than roll the dice one last time and take something on faith.