Passenger Trains > Weekend service on the PVL

If Iam reading the service alert from Metrolink--they are announcing new weekend service on the Perris Valley Line! The Alert says "you've been asking". I find that stunning considering the low ridership on weekdays and their failure to release any actual ridership figures.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/19 18:14 by TomPlatten.

Don't get too excited.  Two existing weekend trains from Riverside to Los Angeles in the morning and returning in the afternoon were extended to start/end in Perris.  No trains the other way, so no way to visit the railway musuem without an overnight stay in Perris.  I imagine this will probably do well, taking the train to LA for lesiure is a lot different than taking it to LA or Orange County for work.

Yeah, yet somehow still no weekend service on the VC Line!!!! Absolutely ridiculous, a mid morning round trip out to Moorpark and an evening round trip to Moorpark and they would get stunning ridership, I'd love to ride to downtown, have lunch at Philippe's and walk around for the day. I was waiting to see the old Leesdale freight at Northridge this week and on the station announcements the automated voice said "Starting Monday, October 14 Metrolink will be upgrading their schedule to better service riders..... there is no schedule change to this line". 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/19 20:10 by D0wnt1me.

They have enough trouble getting Ventura County to pay their share for the weekday service.

D0wnt1me Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, yet somehow still no weekend service on the
> VC Line!!!! Absolutely ridiculous, a mid morning
> round trip out to Moorpark and an evening round
> trip to Moorpark and they would get stunning
> ridership, I'd love to ride to downtown, have
> lunch at Philippe's and walk around for the day.
> I was waiting to see the old Leesdale freight at
> Northridge this week and on the station
> announcements the automated voice said "Starting
> Monday, October 14 Metrolink will be upgrading
> their schedule to better service riders..... there
> is no schedule change to this line". 
>
>  

My post says I was "stunned". not excited. I view this endeavour as a waste of money on a line which has to be a big money loser considering the millions spent to bring it up to passenger train appropriate conditions!

The great advantage about the weekend service on the Metrolink PVL line is that people who live in the Perris area as well as Moreno Valley will be able to make daytrips to Los Angeles. The train schedule on weekends works great if you are making daytrips to Los Angeles. You don't just have to spend time around Downtown Los Angeles. It's a 20-25 minute ride on the Red Line from LA Union Station to Downtown Hollywood where there are several theaters, including the Chinese Grumman. There are ample shopping opportunities such as the Hollywood & Highland Center. The Perris Valley Line also makes a few stops in Northern Orange County where there are many attractions like Knotts Berry Farm. Maybe there might be a family of four who wants to spend a day at the amusement park. I'm sure that on weekends, traffic is horrible on the east and west highways heading from the Lower Inland Empire to Downtown LA so having this weekend service to LA during the morning and then coming out during the late afternoon and early evening will give people an alternative to sitting in stop and go traffic on the freeways.

As for daytrips from LA to Perris, I don't know if Perris is much of a destination for daytrippers, with the exception of going to the railroad museum. The fact that the train ride isn't time competitive with driving under light traffic conditions doesn't justify even running a single morning train from Downtown LA to S. Perris. It would be nice if there was more Metrolink weekend service from LA to at least Riverside via the 91 Line.

I hope that the weekend service that will be implemented does well.

If BNSF would allow Metrolink to run a shuttle from the PVL to San Berdoo, it would give riders many more choices to connect with LA!

D0wnt1me Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, yet somehow still no weekend service on the
> VC Line!!!! Absolutely ridiculous, a mid morning
> round trip out to Moorpark and an evening round
> trip to Moorpark and they would get stunning
> ridership, I'd love to ride to downtown, have
> lunch at Philippe's and walk around for the day.

You can take a Surfliner to from Ventura County to downtown.  Ventura County does not have the transportation money to pay for expanded Metrolink service.  Other counties have dedicated transit sales tax.  We pay 9.5% sales tax in Los Angeles County, while Ventura County pays 7.25%.  Most of the extra sales tax in LA is for transit.

 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com