metro.net/crenshaw
We’re using a giant machine
to dig tunnels for trains.
crenshaw/lax transit project
Tunnel Boring Machine Fun Facts
#CrenshawTBM
What is a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)? A TBM is like a giant drill. The TBMwill slowly drill through
the earth, digging the tunnels needed for the trains to travel
underground. The tunnels will connect three stations from
Expo/Crenshaw to Leimert Park.
How does it work?
The front section of the TBM is called the shield. At the front
of the shield is the cutter head. The cutter head is like a
giant round circular cheese grater. The shield has two jobs;
it drills through the dirt to create a large hole which it then
lines with concrete segments to form complete rings. These
rings support the tunnel.
What do they do with all that dirt?
The soil that has been grated away by the TBM is taken out
of the tunnel in large rail cars and hauled away to a dump
site. When the TBM has done its job, it will h
ave excavated
141,000 cubic yards of soil from the ground.
Why are we going to name it?
Like ships, TBMs are named before they begin work for
the first time, to bring good luck. A female name is chosen
because historically, underground workers looked to Saint
Barbara for protection. She is the patron saint for military
engineers, miners and others who work underground.
How slow does it go?
The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project TBM will dig a tunnel
at the rate of 60 feet per day, for a >nal length equivalent
to 30 football >elds. The center of the earth is about 3 ,959
miles down. It would take approximately 1,980 years for the TBM to bore a tunnel to the c enter of the earth.
above & left
Metro workers
inspecting a TBM
on the Purple Line.
far left
A Metro drilled
tunnel, reinforced
with concrete
and rebar.
cover image
Cutter head at the
front of the TBM.
A Journey through the Earth
The TBM will dig a tunnel along
Crenshaw Blvd from Exposition Blvd
to Vernon St. Then it will turn
around and dig all the way back
to the beginning.
Conveyor belts are
made from layered
rubber with steel
wire reinforcing
for strength.
Wiring and motor
cables are typically
made of copper.
The body of the
machine is primarily
made of steel.
How many people work
on the machine?
At any one time there will be
about 15 people working in the
TBM. It will house a crew headed
by the TBM operator working in
the machine’s operating cabin.
Who built it?
Herrenknecht (workers
below in green overalls)
in Schwanau, Germany.
When will it start work?
It starts work in Fall of 2015,
after it has been assembled and
tested. It will take three months
to put it together.
HE
D
Sitio de mantenimiento
Parking
LA
L
IL
LER
LA BREA
BUCK
SEPULV
BE
AC
H
HYDE
PARK
Hyde Park
60TH
W
TH
D
FLORENCE
RA
Hawthorne/Lennox
HAWTHORNE
NASH
405
ARBOR VITAE
LENNOX
105
Mariposa
MORNINGSIDE
PARK
RAMONA
Aviation/LAX
IMPERIAL
Manchester
90TH
CENTURY
INGLEWOOD
LA CIENEGA
Aviation/
Century
AVIATION
LAX
MANCHESTER
INGLEWOOD
ARBOR VITAE
AIRPORT
1
8TH
Downtown
Inglewood
MARKET
LA BREA
HILLCREST
108TH
Vermont/Athens
IMPERIAL HWY
Crenshaw
HAWTHORNE
120TH
ATHENS
EL SEGUNDO
ESS
El Segundo
Har
105
GRAND
EL SEGUNDO
GAGE
U
SO
K
AR
EP
JE
TI
Westchester/
Veterans
MANCHESTER
T
Slauson
60TH
60TH
ES
FAIRVIEW
HY
HOOVER
54TH
Fairview
Heights
LA
E
NC
E
OR
FL
SEPULVEDA
V
LA B REA
EDA
INGLEWOOD
405
1
MAIN
CRENSHAW BL
RH
CENTINELA
48TH
WEST
CU
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OV
ES
A
IST
N
R
LV
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GA
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SO
MARIPOSA
IM
NE
D
OO
EW
GL
IN
FAIRVIEW
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BL
ER
LE
SLAUSON
FW
PKWY
T
Expo
Park /
USC
Leimert
VERNON
Park
GEL
AN
SLAUSON
M
R
STCHESTE
Martin Luther
King Jr
BL
16-0208 ©2015SLACMTA
TOCKE
R
LADERA
HEIGHTS
90
WESTCHESTER
JR
CIE
Sujeto a cambios
Y
F
NG
Expo/
Vermont
LEIMERT
PARK
STOCKER
Estacionamiento
SE
14-0207
©2013 LACMTA
LACMTA
16-0208
PU©2015
LV
ED
A
SAWTELLE
JE
KI
N
FIGUEROA
AN
LA BRE
A
LRT a nivel elevado
RL
ON
GT
405
R
FE
R
BALDWIN
HILLS
LRT debajo de nivel
E
OV
IN
Maintenance Yard Site
NA
LU
T
LRT a nivel de la calle
Below Grade LRT
I
AR
IN
Expo/Western
SITIO
HOOVER
RT
Estación y alineamiento
de tren ligero (LRT)
At-Grade LRT
BL
ROS
PAU
MA
CULVER CITY
JEFFERSON
EXPO
Farmdale
Corredor de Transporte Crenshaw/LAX
(bajo construcción)
Light Rail (LRT)
Alignment & Station
N
HINGTO
RIM
Expo/
Crenshaw
WEST
ADAMS
ANDIE
L
Subject to Change
HI
Expo/
La Brea
23
VERMONT
La Cienega/
Harbor Subdivision
Crenshaw/LAX
S B Transit Corridor
LM
(under construction)
PA
10
CA FWY
SANTA MONI
ADAMS
Corredor de Transporte
Jefferson
Exposition fase 2
(bajo construcción)
Harbor Subdivision
WASHINGTON
MID-CITY
Extensión de Purple Line
(alineamiento aprobado)
Culver
City
Exposition Transit Corridor
Phase 2 (under construction)
ON
GT
HIN
VERMONT
S
WA
VENICE
NORMANDIE
Metro Silver Line y estación
E
NORMANDIE
VENIC
W
M
PICO
WES
T
Línea y estación de
Metro existente
Extensión de Purple Line
(bajo construcción)
Purple Line Extension
(approved alignment)
Aerial LRT
LOS ANGELES
Wilshire/
Vermont
KOREATOWN
WESTERN
Purple Line Extension
(under construction)
TE
WESTERN
LLA
C
EN
Wilshire/
8TH
Western
ERN
CAD
I
VIC
RED
OND
O
CHEVIOT
HILLS
Metro Silver Line & Station
FAIR
FAX
LA CIENEGA
ROBE
RTS
ON
BEVERLY DR
Existing Metro Rail & Station
PALMS
OLYMPIC
PICO
SAN
WILTON
CENTURY
CITY
WILSHIRE
HAU
SER
OLYMPIC
ARLINGTON
Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project Map
PRAIRIE
A
NT
SA
6TH
VAN NESS
ON
M
3
Wilshire/
Normandie
CR
EN
SH
AW
BEVERLY
HILLS
BL
RIE
A
IC
PARK
LA BREA
110
RA
MP
AR
T
A
NDALE
3R
D
BL
6T
H
6T
H
8T
H
Westlake/
FI
GU
ER
OA
FL
OW
ER
MacArthur
Park
11
TH
TH
BLV
D
HI
LL
BR
OA
DW
12
3R
D
WA
S
HIN
G
23
Contact Us
RD
SA
NP
ED
RO
ST
37th St/
USC
BR
OA
D
MA WAY
IN
23rd St
Jefferson/
USC Please use the following contact tools to access more
JE
F
FE
RS
project information,
ask questions or provide comments.
O
N
MAIN
213.922.2736
[email protected]
metro.net/crenshaw
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ST
110
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54TH
SLAUSON
AVALON BL
SAN PEDRO
GAGE
SAN PEDRO ST
BROADWAY
MAIN
FLORENCE
MANCHESTER
MCKINLEY
r
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COLDEN
103RD
108TH
CENTURY
DWAY
ROA
SAN PEDRO ST
rbor Fwy
Avalon
124TH
#CrenshawTBM