Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer, Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean, and members of the North Los Angeles County Transportation Coalition attended the meeting to support Barger’s recommendation to implement three scenarios that focus on adding more late evening train service and improved bi-directional service.
The three scenarios would:
- Add one additional late-night round trip service on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Add two additional off-peak round trips to provide hourly mid-day service.
- Improve peak service and semi-hourly off-peak service.
“Transforming the Antelope Valley Line has always been one of my highest transportation priorities and this is a great first step,” Barger said. “We can and must take the opportunity to support the Antelope Valley Line, which reduces the equivalent of one lane of traffic from major freeways during peak commute hours and removes about one million weekday car trips every year.”
Barger’s motion commits $12.75 million from North Los Angeles County’s local Measure M transit funding to get new double-tracking projects and a new layover facility at the Lancaster station to “shovel ready” status, which will initially enable hourly service throughout the day and eventually allow for half-hourly service when the full package of projects is completed.
“It was important that we join Supervisor Barger in support of her efforts to improve rail transportation from LA to the Antelope Valley,” Hofbauer said. “Increased freight traffic and additional passenger trains have caused our travel time from Palmdale to be stuck at over an hour and a half or longer since its origin following the 1994 earthquake, when the Santa Clarita Line was extended to the Antelope Valley. The overdue improvements in the fastest growing Metrolink Route would be transformational for commuter travel from the north county to downtown LA and points beyond.”
The 76.6 mile-long Antelope Valley Line currently offers 15 daily round trips with six train sets. Estimated travel between Union Station in LA and Lancaster is about two hours due to the terrain and single-tracking along the route. The line has the third-highest ridership in Metrolink’s commuter rail system, a volume equivalent to removing about 1 million weekday automobile trips per year or one lane of traffic from major freeways during peak commute times.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]
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Jeff says
It’s good to hear that there are plans to improve reliability. And it’s great that the new Burbank Airport North station is operational. But…. at the moment it’s too risky to use it.
Yesterday, I wanted to ride the train to the plane, but on arrival at Santa Clarita, I found out that the train would be 30-40 minutes late! Had to arrange alternative transport to make my flight.
Today on the return journey, the shuttle from BUR was excellent. But…. the 6:23 pm train is running about 45 minutes late as I type this, according to one working monitor. The other monitor is out of order. The traditional “dot matrix” announcement signs are not working. There’s no voice announcement about the delay. The Metrolink Service Announcements web page just says the train is departing from a different track, no mention of delays. So who knows when I’ll make it home!
Not a great experience at all. Please send a team to Switzerland to learn how to run trains on time :)
Commie Supporter says
Funny how the local Representitives on the North County Transportation Coalition voted to oppose this measure and pushed to put these funds to the AV Freeway instead. Something tells me they do not know what they are doing as we need improvements for all modes of travel. I was told it was the AVTA reps including the idiot Chairman for life Marvin Christ. These small minded officials have a conflict of interest always supporting the Commie Bus company that is really here to spy on USAF Plant 42. Small town power hungry officials are not good for our AV.
Metrolink says
That line needs hi-speed train capability.
Laughing says
Would be nice. Need to straighten the curves which requires acquiring land, flattening hills, filling in ditches and making sure it does not all wash away when the canyon floods.
ANNON says
EVERYTHING EXCEPT EXTRA SECURITY…. THATS WHY I DONT RIDE IT ANYMORE AFTER THE LAST BS I ENCOUNTERED…