I spent Thursday at the MTA HQ in L.A. to learn the fate of the Gold Line light-rail extension out our way.

The San Gabriel Valley got half of what it wanted: The segment from Pasadena east to Azusa can start construction in 2010 and begin operation in 2013 after the MTA board agreed to operate it in 2013 instead of 2017.

However, the MTA declined to request federal dough to extend the line from Azusa to Claremont, under the assumption that the project might edge aside its higher priorities on Wilshire Boulevard and downtown L.A.

I’ll write more about this in Sunday’s column. FYI, my presence at the meeting was why none of your comments were posted here until nearly 6 p.m., when I got to a computer.

And yes, I took public transit — Metrolink — to the meeting.