Contributing Editor David Peter Allan’s recent Railway Age commentary printed on January 22, titled “Fourth of a Series: New Through Tracks Proposed for L.A.’s Union Station,” offered a certain degree of factual and useful information. However, the piece also contained sections that seemed to possess errors and offer marginally supported conclusions.
Regarding Metrolink Expansion
Allan’s article states that even if Metrolink expands to hourly service on all its lines, it will not significantly increase commuter participation. This assumption is based on the belief that current projects and future plans for said lines connecting to Union Station occur more often than on the hour. Planning documents submitted by Metrolink, the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Corridor Agency, and Caltrain promote the notion of service frequency increases.
Metrolink’s current SCORE capital improvement project includes 30-minute arrivals in each direction on each line. Said undertaking is the focal point of several double-tracking Metrolink efforts set to begin within the next two to three years. These projects also factor in expanding layover and maintenance facilities geared toward processing this increased commuter traffic.
The LOSSAN Corridor Optimization study examined the possibility of 15-minute arrivals on three Metrolink lines (Orange County, Ventura County, and Antelope Valley), as well as a separate study regarding the San Bernardino line. Moreover, a long-term double-tracking capital initiative has also been considered to promote 15-minute frequencies along the Antelope Valley line.
The 2024 State Rail Plan examines 30-minute frequencies on four Metrolink lines leaving Union Station. Running (the practice of trains running through a city center instead of stopping at a terminal station) increases service by lessening wait times, heightening the number of trains in and out of a station, and eliminating non-revenue movements occurring between maintenance and storage facilities.
The Amtrak Surf Line Expansion Question
The article states that no plans are currently being made to expand AMTRAK’s Surf Line service, and even if such plans did exist, increased service wouldn’t occur during typical commuting hours. That said, the State Rail Plan sees notable frequency upticks of Intercity surf line trains, with destinations like San Diego going south, Burbank heading northward, and east traveling in the direction of Palm Springs.
Immediate Concerns
At least two major concerns exist when considering the aforementioned expansion. First, is the demand great enough to support such service increases? Moreover, can California afford to build the infrastructure needed to accommodate such expansion?
It is difficult to determine the affordability issue. The State has invested a significant amount of funding in improving its public transit system over the last several decades, and voters often cast ballots in favor of such measures. However, the state is also known for putting forth lofty transit projects that fail to get off the drawing board.
The demand for more service and better transit connections exists because of Southern California’s large population, the density of said inhabitants, and the region’s vast supply of commuter infrastructure. The only wrinkle is that the state’s rail ridership is less than in other major domestic and international cities. That said, if a major infrastructure increase occurs, it might inspire greater participation, and the “if you build it, then they will come” philosophy may ring true.
Final Thoughts
Some of these initiatives may take longer than originally predicted. Others might be scaled back or possibly even completely scrapped. However, the Union Station run-through tracks and associated improvements would prove beneficial over the long term. The practice of through-running will create immediate dividends for those commuting across Los Angeles. Furthermore, the effort will eliminate the hold-ups impeding the enhanced level of service that billions of dollars allocated for associated projects carry the potential to make possible.
