Some 75,000 people took a free ride Sunday as service began on the new Gold Line Eastside Extension, and no major glitches were reported, an MTA spokesperson said   

The six-mile, $898 million extension runs between Union Station and East Los Angeles, with stops at eight new stations, two of them underground.   

Ridership numbers from Monday morning on the new extension were "fairly
good but we will probably not have a handle on it for a couple of days," said
Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Rick Jager.

Monday was the first day of regular service, Jager said.

The cost of a ride between Union Station and the end of the line on Atlantic Boulevard in East Los Angeles is $1.25, said Dave Sotero of the MTA.

Safety ambassadors'' will be stationed at several intersections along the line for about three months to help motorists and pedestrians get used to the trains, the transit agency said.

The line is expected to carry 13,000 people a day, so the greater number
of people who took advantage of the free service was "the ultimate stress
test," Sotero said Sunday, adding "this one passed."

In addition to Sunday's free rides, the grand opening included community celebrations at four stations -- the East L.A. Civic Center, Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights, Little Tokyo/Arts District and Union Station.   

A group that believes the new above-ground rail line has made some intersections more dangerous demonstrated at the Mariachi Plaza event.   

Lines were as long as an hour for some of the trains, and a few overcrowded and stuck station elevators were the only mishaps, as crowds thronged nine stations, Sotero said.

About 1.7-miles of underground track runs under Boyle Heights. The rest of the line runs above ground along East Third Street, ending near Atlantic Boulevard in East Los Angeles.   

Several bus routes have been rerouted to serve the stations, and the Atlantic Station will serve as a bus hub for the area.   

Because of the crowds, passengers on the existing branch of the Gold Line from Pasadena had to disembark at Union Station if they wished to continue on the train. But starting Monday, through service will allow passengers to ride from Pasadena southwest to downtown, then southeast along the new tracks.   

Officials are selecting a possible route for a light rail link from the Gold Line on downtown's east side to the Blue Line stub on Figueroa Street on downtown's west side. This would allow through Blue Line trains from Long Beach to Pasadena, or from East L.A. to Culver City via the new Expo Line, which is scheduled for completion in two years.   

No funding source or construction timetable has been set for that cross- downtown link, however.   

The trains — each car is 90 feet long and light-rail is powered by overhead lines — will reach up to 55 mph when underground, but not exceed 35 mph on city streets. It will slow to just 10 mph on a bridge across that crosses the 101 Freeway just east of downtown.   

Security cameras are installed at 14 grade crossings, and fines for driving around crossing arms will be stiff — about $450 for starters. A 30-day grace period will apply, starting Sunday.

Saturday, officials at a dedication of the new line at the East L.A. Civic Center said it will be a boost to the Eastside.   

"For the first time in nearly half a century — since the last trolley ran down First Street — rail will again carry passengers from downtown L.A. to East Los Angeles,'' said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "This caps a 20-year battle to bring rail back to East L.A. — one of the most transportation-dependent communities in Los Angeles.''

Trains will run about every eight minutes in the mornings, about every 12 minutes during the middle of the day and every 20 minutes at night.   

"The long-awaited Gold Line Eastside Extension is going to greatly benefit the community by linking it with schools, hospitals, shopping and business opportunities throughout the county,'' said Ara Najarian, board chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.   

Construction was begun in 2004, and the MTA and its prime contractor, Eastside LRT Constructors, finished the job without any serious accidents or mishaps in about 4 million working hours.   

The official name of the line will be the Edward R. Roybal Gold Line Eastside Extension, after the late Los Angeles city councilman and congressman. Roybal, a champion for Eastside causes, was a councilman for 13 years and a congressman for 30.   

"With the opening of La Linea de Oro — the MTA Gold Line Eastside Extension — Eastside residents now have access to jobs, schools, medical centers, shopping, entertainment and cultural opportunities throughout our county,'' said county Supervisor Gloria Molina. "In turn, the region will get the benefit of Eastside talent, our rich cultural heritage, our dedicated work ethic and our welcoming business climate. It's a winning combination for the whole country.''   

With the addition of the Gold Line's Eastside Extension, the MTA system will have 79 miles of rail — all built in the last 20 years.   

"But this is not the end of the ride,'' Villaraigosa said. "Thanks to the passage of Measure R, there will be local funding for half a dozen new rail projects in the next decade, which will give Angelenos even greater transit access to jobs and other opportunities throughout the county.''