Blue Line (MARTA)
The Blue Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between Hamilton E. Holmes and Indian Creek stations, running through Atlanta, Decatur and portions of unincorporated DeKalb County.
| Blue Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Locale | Atlanta, Georgia | ||
| Termini |
| ||
| Stations | 15 (5 West, Five Points, 9 East) | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Rapid transit | ||
| System | MARTA rail | ||
| Operator(s) | MARTA | ||
| Rolling stock | See MARTA rail#Rolling stock | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1979 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Character | at grade, elevated, underground | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | Third rail, 750 V DC | ||
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History
What is now called the Blue Line contains some of the first sections of the MARTA rail to open. On February 19, 1975, construction on what was then known as the East Line began.[1] On June 30, 1979, service on the East Line began operating between Avondale and Georgia State.[2][1] On December 22 the same year, the West Line was opened, between Five Points station and what was then known as Hightower station (now Hamilton E. Holmes station).[1] The combined Hightower-Avondale route became known as the East-West Line.[3]
On December 29, 1992,[1] a branch (then known as the Proctor Creek Line[3]) of the East-West Line to Bankhead station opened.[4] The following year, on June 26, 1993, Kensington and Indian Creek stations on the East Line opened.[1] This was the first time MARTA rail extended beyond Interstate 285.[4]
In 2009, MARTA introduced a color-coded system of naming for its rail lines.[5] As a result, the former East-West Line became the Blue Line.[6]
Stations
listed from west to east
| Station | Code | Opened | Rail Line Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton E. Holmes | W5 | December 22, 1979[1] | |
| West Lake | W4 | ||
| Ashby | W3 | ||
| Vine City | W2 | ||
| GWCC/CNN Center | W1 | ||
| Five Points[note 1] | |||
| Georgia State | E1 | June 30, 1979[1] | |
| King Memorial | E2 | ||
| Inman Park/Reynoldstown | E3 | [note 2] | |
| Edgewood/Candler Park | E4 | [note 2] | |
| East Lake | E5 | ||
| Decatur | E6 | ||
| Avondale | E7 | [note 3] | |
| Kensington | E8 | June 26, 1993[1] | |
| Indian Creek | E9 |
Notes
- The platforms for what is now the Red and Gold Lines opened in 1981, two years after the East-West Line platforms.
- The Green Line only operates here on weekdays.
- Only some Green Line trips reach Avondale, and only on weekdays.
References
- "nycsubway.org: Atlanta, Georgia". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- Sams, Douglas. "Jacoby eyes MARTA rail to Ford site". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- "East-West Rail Line (and Proctor Creek)". Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Archived from the original on August 10, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- "MARTA - About MARTA - History". Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- "MARTA launches color-coded rail system". www.metro-magazine.com. Metro Magazine. October 2, 2009. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- "Rail Stations & Schedules". www.itsmarta.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- "Train Stations & Schedules". itsmarta.com. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- "Blue Line". itsmarta.com. Retrieved May 14, 2024.