Passenger Trains > Redlands Passenger Rail Project Update 11/30/2019

Work continues along the entire length of the Redlands Passenger Rail Project (this project will use DMU to operate trains 9 miles between San Bernardino and Redlands in Southern California).  The most noticable work is the installation of brand new concrete ties and welded rail on a quarter-mile section of track going compass north (timetable west) from Central Avenue in San Bernardino.  Photos attached.

1)  Looking north from Central Avenue
2)  Looking south from Central Avenue

The work started just south of a steel bridge over a flood control channel between Mill St and Central Ave and is slowly progressing eastward towards Redlands.  The track at the grade crossings will be replaced at a later date.

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miralomarail Wrote:
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> The New Car shop for this line is slowly being
> built at the NW corner of Oriental & Eureka Ave's
> in Redlands

The construction you are seeing on the Northwest corner of Oriental and Eureka is for the Escape Craft Brewery and J. Riley Distillery.  The maintenance facility for Arrow is suppose to use the area north of 3rd Avenue and east of the San Bernardino Depot that was in the past used for Metrolink trainset storage (before the newer facility off Mill St was built).

Still not sure why they just don't use the Metrolink trains for this short run instead of using a completely different set of trains! But then what do I know!

TomPlatten Wrote:
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> Still not sure why they just don't use the
> Metrolink trains for this short run instead of
> using a completely different set of trains! But
> then what do I know!

They are still talking about running two round trips with Metrolink equipment, two inbound to LA in the morning and two returning to Redlands in the afternoon.  There is suppose to be a layover track constructed at the University of Redlands station for this purpose.  A couple of the reasons mentioned for using a separate trainset is the cost of deadheading equipment back and forth from Redlands to the Metrolink Maintenance facility south of the San Bernardino Depot and with two lines departing west from San Bernardino, some passengers (half?) would have to change trains anyway.

It should also be noted that Metrolink will now be operating the trains instead of Omnitrans (the local county-run bus transit service).  I would guess that the name "ARROW" might disappear or at least be less prominent.  This should also allow Metrolink tickets to apply to ARROW trips.  Single ticketing for those that will ride beyond ARROW to Metrolink destinations will be important part of the getting good ridership.

Jack Dangermond says he is going to fund a station stop for his employees.  

At least this operation and Metrolink proper will be the same gauge, unlike BART and eBART.

wpamtk Wrote:
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> At least this operation and Metrolink proper will
> be the same gauge, unlike BART and eBART.

eBART was built on the cheap. Standard gauge used so that "off the shelf" equipment could be used.
It was designed so it could be converted to normal BART standards fairly quickly if they decide to incorporate it into the rest of the network at a later date.