Passenger Trains > Metrolink Perris Valley Monday morning hike

Over the years, I've always enjoyed photographing Santa Fe and BNSF trains in the rugged Box Springs Canyon area east of Riverside, CA. When it was announced this line would be rebuilt and upgraged for Metrolink passenger service from Riverside to Perris, I knew there would be a chance of it being fenced due to the increased traffic. Since the start up a few months ago, a fence has indeed been installed eliminating all former access from several streets to the west. But knowing most of the area is part of the county operated Box Springs Mountain Reserve which includes many popular hiking trails, there had to be access somewhere.

1) I found a trailhead at the end of Blaine St which provided what I was looking for. Depending on your pace, it requires a 5-10 minute hike to reach the hill overlooking the tracks from the east or morning side and with trains now scheduled, it makes it pretty easy to plan a shot. My hike began this morning in quest of Metrolink train #731 from Perris, due in the canyon around 8:20AM. Hoping for one of the leased BNSF AC44CW's that Metrolink has been using for several months, it was recently reported here that many have been removed from service (apparently the cab-car repairs are being made?).

2) As luck would have it, BNSF 5620 came into view with four cars and SCAX 887 in tow.

3) A going away look at the train as it rounds the curve on its way to Riverside, note the new fence on the west side. The trail I used can be seen just above the freight locomotive.

Besides the potential to still photograph BNSF's San Jac local, one of Metrolink's new F125 locomotives will make an interesting sight from this area once on line. Change isn't always for the worse.

OYW

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Very nice, Bob.

Great photos, Bob.  Passing the tied-down trainsets at the South Perris station on Sunday, I think 3 of the 5 still had BNSF locomotives on them. 

Rich

I am doubtful that there are few boarding the train at South Perris that stay on all the way to LAX! Two and a half hours on the train is defintiely a long commut. I suspect many of those folks detrain at West Corona and wait for the IOC connection into Irvine.thus making   an actual loop around the Santa Ana Mountains. The folks at the donut shop across from the Perris Transit Center tell me the number of customers in his shop before the inbound trains arrive is "very small". FWIW!

Great location Bob, both coming and going!

The market they're after at the South Perris station are the folk who live in the Sun City, Murrieta, Temecula and Canyon Lake area who work in Orange County.
Problem is that they don't drive to South Perris to ride Metrolink. They drive up I-15 to either the North Main Street Corona or West Corona station and board their train there.
Saves them about an hour plus on their commute each way.
The Perris Valley Line needs to be redirected to be a shuttle service between South Perris and Riverside and San Bernardino.
Something along the lines of the Sprinter that runs between Oceanside and Escondido.

Nice photos, Bob. 

Thanks for sharing,
Ryan

PHill, right on target and to think that so far its cost $248.million, not counting the equipment, nor offer  proper shelters for the customers..Everyone who designs a station needs to look at the Moreno Valley Station and its steps.  No commuter is going to take the time time to use the steep stairs.  Thank god, we have little rain and no snow !..Never mind that the South Perris is in a flood plain, when a couple of miles east it could have been high and dry.

 

Right on guys! I have been saying for two years the PVL should never have been connected to the 91 line operation! It was foolish not to connect to San Berdoo!

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The market they're after at the South Perris
> station are the folk who live in the Sun City,
> Murrieta, Temecula and Canyon Lake area who work
> in Orange County.
> Problem is that they don't drive to South Perris
> to ride Metrolink. They drive up I-15 to either
> the North Main Street Corona or West Corona
> station and board their train there.
> Saves them about an hour plus on their commute
> each way.
> The Perris Valley Line needs to be redirected to
> be a shuttle service between South Perris and
> Riverside and San Bernardino.
> Something along the lines of the Sprinter that
> runs between Oceanside and Escondido.

I've said that all along.
Andy

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHill, right on target and to think that so far
> its cost $248.million, not counting the equipment,
> nor offer  proper shelters for the
> customers..Everyone who designs a station needs to
> look at the Moreno Valley Station and its steps.
>  No commuter is going to take the time time to
> use the steep stairs.  Thank god, we have little
> rain and no snow !..Never mind that the South
> Perris is in a flood plain, when a couple of miles
> east it could have been high and dry.
>
>  
It's Riverside counties line so why would they pay for trains to San Bernardino? Metrolink service to Riverside is extremely poor at best .
Andy

In order to get federal money, they had to use the 91 line, since it would removed hundreds of autos of the highway 91.     Sure it will, but that's the way the Feds Work.  They were boxed in.
Back in the early days of the Perris Line planning, one staff person suggested that rail diesel cars operate from Perris to San Bernardino, then on to Redlands. That may have worked well except  to get to San Bernrdino from Riverside, would required  funds for the 3rd track all the way to San Bernardino.  

Folks between the Feds, Politics's, poor planning and the railroads, we in the US will never see and enjoy what is available in Europe.

Riverside County prefers to pay for more highway, then rail,   But look at it this way, even if BNSF would allow more trains to LA, then Orange and LA County must pay for their portion, which they could say, go to hell.  Joint powers such as Metrolink are not always on the riders side.  As time goes on the LAMTA is going to have the power as to where the trains go.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/16 23:00 by mundo.