Passenger Trains > Redlands Passenger Rail Project Update 08/02/2020

Construction work continues at a past pace on the Redlands Passenger Rail Project.  For those unware of this project, it will extend Metrolink service from San Bernardino-Downtown to Redlands University via an old Santa Fe branch line.  Train service, called ARROW, will be provided by DMU trainsets being built by Stadler Rail.  Construction is over halfway complete and service is set to being in early to mid 2022.  He are photos I took today of the construction work:

1) View looking east from University Ave.  Redlands University Station with two platforms and two tracks under construction.
2) View looking west towards University Ave.  Signals installed work on the grade crossing is still underway.
3) View looking west from University Ave.  Eastbound control signal installed with Interstate 10 overpass in the distance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/20 17:30 by BNSF6400.

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4) Looking east from Church St towards University and Interstate 10 Overpass.  A short, one span bridge is here over a small, local waterway.
5) Looking west from Church St towards Downtown.  There will be a Metrolink layover track on the left for the one regular Metrolink trainset that will layover here each night.
6) The crossing lights and gates are installed at Church St.  Like all crossings, they will be four quadrant (or median gates) with pedestrian gates as wel..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/20 17:36 by BNSF6400.

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7) Looking east from Ninth Street.  This grade crossing will soon be closed permanently.  Main track will be on the left, Metrolink layover track on the right.
8) Looking west from Ninth Street.  Signals for control point leading to Metrolink layover track have been installed.
9) This is the grade crossing at Seventh St.  This is typical of what two lane crossings will look like.



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10) Looking west from Orange St in Downtown Redlands.  The new ARROW platform will be on the left next to the under renovation historic Santa Fe Depot.  A seperate Metrolink platform for conventional equipment will be on the right further west.
11) Looking east from Eureka St.  The seperate conventional Metrolink platform is under construction on the right.  If you notice signals at the end of each station, they are being installed there to allow trains to get upto maximum speed after a station stop.  Otherwise, Delay In Block rules would require the train to limit its speed until the next signal.
12) Looking east from Texas St.  Several sections of welded rail are on bogeys in the distance.



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13) This is the pedestrian crossing at the east end of the ESRI station.  The platform and canopies are installed here by unfortunately I was unable to photograph them clearly.
14) This is looking east from Tennessee St.  Smoke from the Apple Fire is clearly visible here in the far distance.
15) This is looking west from Tennessee St.



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16) Looking east from Alabama St.
17) Looking west from Alabma St.
18) Looking east from Nevada St.



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19) Looking west from Nevada St.  CP NEVADA is in the distance.  This is the east end of the 3 mile or so double track segment of the line.
20) Looking east from California St.  A ballast tamper sets on future Main Track #2.
21) Looking west from California St.  A ballast regulator sets on future Main Track #2.



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22) Mountain View Ave is closed so the road can be widened.  This requires a new bridge over a flood control channel, so it will be several months before this road reopens.
23) Looking west from Tippecanoe Ave at the new TIPPECANOE Station.  The platform and canopy are under construction.  They appear to be identical to those at the ESRI Station.
24) Looking west from Tippecanoe Ave.  No trackwork has been done on this section yet. 



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25) Looking east from Waterman Ave.  No trackwork done in this area however, not visible in the far distance in the newly completed bridge over the Santa Ana River.  This was the most expensive part of this project.
26) Looking west from Waterman Ave.
27) Looking east from Orange Show Rd.



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28) Looking west from Orange Shor Rd.
29) Looking west (north) from Mill St.  New intermediate signal has been installed here.
30) Looking east from Sierra Way.  They have been installing track between crossings from E Street to Mill St but not of the crossings have been finished yet.  A small wooden trestle bridge was replaced with a single concerte span just west of Sierra Way.



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31)  This is looking east from E Street at the previously constructed CP Redlands.  The two northern most passenger station tracks continue east from the San Bernardino-Downtown station and will lead to Redlands.
32)  This is looking west from E Street.  New high-level ARROW platforms will be constructed at the far east end of the existing platforms on the two north most tracks at San Bernardino-Downtown.  Construction has just began on this work in the past few weeks.

This is the end of my update.  Overall, I would say about 3/4 of the tracks have been installed and work is progressing nicely.  I think it might be finished ahead of schedule.



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Is this the line that will meet the train from Las Legas?
 

Great shot on the progress of Arrow project.

The need of separate platforms for regular Metrolink trains and DMU is very curious, as the stepping height for Bombardier/Rotem cars and Stadler FLIRT should be about the same at ~25 inches over top of the rail.  

My first engineering consultant firm was working on planning for that project in 1997.  One guy had Thomas Guide map pages taped to his wall with the route drawn in red marker.  There was no Google Earth then.

Thanks for posting.I enjoyed the tour and update.Bill Webb

Thank you for your excellent series on the progress!   Where are the old grinders that said this would never happen?

jimbokat Wrote:
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> Is this the line that will meet the train from Las
> Legas?
>  

The train from Vegas is only going to go as far as Victorville with a future extension to Downtown LA. The line to Redlands will end there. The Arrow DMU trains will end at the University of Redlands while the Metrolink train will end in Downtown Redlands. These are great shots of the progress of the new line. I look forward to riding it as I have family in Southern Cali and family friends(almost like family) who live in Redlands, a mile and a half from Downtown Redlands Station.

will74205 Wrote:
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> Great shot on the progress of Arrow project.
>
> The need of separate platforms for regular
> Metrolink trains and DMU is very curious, as the
> stepping height for Bombardier/Rotem cars and
> Stadler FLIRT should be about the same at ~25
> inches over top of the rail. 

Metrolink platforms also have to have "wheelchair ramp" that is level with the car floor to be compliant with the ADA.

Thanks for posting with pictures about this exciting project!

John Acosta
Palm Springs, CA

Good to see but one wonders what the pax count will be.  Another Perris experience or much better?