The LA Times unfortunately appears to be getting most of its paper by truck, at both the downtown and Costa Mesa printing plants, although they still do get some of the paper by rail.

I recently did some field work on the Alameda industrial spurs for a client looking at the remaining rail served industries north of J Yard, in downtown LA. The Times in downtown LA is the last of two active switches north of J Yard still in service. Both of these active spurs are off of the "back way" and no service has access to north Alameda, of off the street, at all. The Times is the only spur that still gets cars in that area, the other in service switch serves a scrap yard, that no longer ships by rail.

I interviewed several folks who formerly used rail services who indicated, once again, that poor service by UP caused them to stop using rail. The Times (which used to get as many as two-twenty car spots each night up until the late 80's at the old 8th street paper dock) appears to be down to just a handfull of cars being spotted at the plant.

Since Sam Zell bought the Times it has been in an almost irreversible collapse. Incompetent editorial and management decisions of the Times owners, Tribune, now has the entire Tribune media empire in bankruptcy.