Purpose of this Thread
Part I (of I-VI)
Metrolink
The purpose of this thread is to share ideas, information, and photos about the Southern California Regional Rail Agency, commonly identified as Metrolink.
One of the most eye catching developments is the current deliveries of the new, dazzling commuter cars. Old and new train set types and cars in San Bernardino: The train on the right is a pure new car set.
The other San Bernardino station stop facilities are in two very confined, related areas, on each side of the station stop. The west of Mt. Vernon Viaduct facility (upper left):
Continued in Part II
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
Part II (of I-VI)
The far eastern facility (background top):
A side view from 3rd Street of that far background facility in the photo just above.
Four different power models await runs to Los Angeles from San Bernardino.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-VI)
A separate maintenance facility is about a mile or two southward, in Colton.
The new-car crowded Colton maintenance facility as shot from Mill St. in San Bernardino.
While the Southern California Regional Rail Authority name is very specific in connotation, the commuter agency's popularly known name of Metrolink isn't, as noted in the following Parts IV and V ...
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-VI)
Another Metrolink
In the St. Louis, Missouri area (including East St. Louis, Illinois) there is another Metrolink, a lighter rail entity.
The above train continues out of the Memorial Hospital stop.
The station center platform goes under a highway bridge.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-VI)
Another Metrolink (Continued)
The station stop setting looks rural-like with much greenery.
The identities of commuter travel: St. Louis' MetroLink has the "L" in 'link' capitalized.
Some cars have colorful vinyl, decal-like coated advertising.
So, while the Los Angeles area Metrolink is the subject of this thread, know that there is another Metrolink agency many States removed from the Los Angeles area, in and by St. Louis.
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-VI)
Back to the California Metrolink ...
From Los Angeles outwardly ...
... there are many cities with Metrolink service or that Metrolink trains pass through, like the photo above taken just east of the El Monte Flyover.
As time goes on and as time permits for contributors, hopefully this thread will be a source of wide area enlightenment and a sharing of tidbits about the SCRRA / Metrolink system.
The Flyovers Line
Part A (of A-H)
More correctly, it is called the San Bernardino Line. The line has two huge, expensive flyovers.
Looking westbound, a commuter train out of the El Monte stop would go under the I-10 Freeway, jog slightly, and come at the camera on the photo LEFT track. Union Pacific's Sunset Route is the center track.
At Cogswell Rd. is a signals mast.
And then the flyover climb begins.
Continued in Part B
Part B (of A-H)
Looking east on the Union Pacific's Sunset Route. The Metrolink line changes sides, from south (right) to north (left).
On the west side ascent, the slanted Flyover goes over Durfee Ave.
Trackside by the flyover:
Continued in Part C
Part C (of A-H)
Another view of the going over:
Now on the other side (north), the flyover lowers.
From Temple Ave. as the lowering (and a Metrolink commuter train) approaches the camera.
Continued in Part D
Part D (of A-H)
The lowering east side:
From the east side, looking west on the UP Sunset Route:
An eastward view: The Metrolink line turns to the left in the background.
Continued in Part E
Part E (of A-H)
Much further east, the line finally reaches San Bernardino on a sweeping curve (the station stop is a mile or so behind the camera) ...
... and CP RANCHO is encountered. In a strange signaling quirk, an eastbound Metrolink will encounter a yellow over flash red on the foreground right signal. And, the right background Metrolink 'BNSF signal' can display a green for a crossover routing. The San Bernardino Flyover is in the distance.
The flyover strangely seems to have a vehicle access road coming down from it to a spot near the BNSF engine terminal.
A close-up view of the BNSF engine terminal with the strange flyover ramp on the upper left:
Continued in Part F
Part F (of A-H)
A photo sequencing of a San Bernardino arriving eastbound commuter train:
Continued in Part G
Part G (of A-H)
From the Mt. Vernon Ave. Viaduct roadway looking west, a Metrolink traveling photo leftward arrives from Los Angeles. BNSF trackage is on the photo bottom, with the location of the previous Ranch Ave. taken photos in the far background, just under and right of the commuter train.
Heading downward:
Using dirt, the Flyover must have been less expensive to construct on the east end than many walled flyovers.
The final approach to San Bernardino's end-of-the-line:
In the above photo, the highest background curved track is used by Metrolink commuter trains coming from or traveling to Riverside and Orange County. The other two curved tracks are servicing tracks.
Continued in Part H
Part H (of A-H)
There is plenty of BNSF and UP freight action on the BNSF freight line that Metrolink flies over.
Finally, a few views of the San Bernardino stop:
At the present time, more and more of the new, super crashworthy cars are showing up on the commuter runs. The right train in the above three photo sequence middle had a presently rare pure set of the new commuter cars.
Flyovers are somewhat rare too, and very expensive. It is unknown what other commuter and transit systems are doing about busy logjam conflict areas, but Metrolink built two flyovers to make for a free-flowing San Bernardino line.
K.P. A question for you or for someone who knows. Were these flyovers built to carry freights at whatever coopers rating necessary? Can you envision any condition where a freight would need to use these flyovers?
Do you have a link or picture or diagram of what the Metrolink cars are like inside? Are they gallery cars, which seem so dismal, like the cars on Metra? Or are they two separate floors and light and spacious like some commuter cars elsewhere?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
blue streak 1 (6-19):
blue streak 1 K.P. A question for you or for someone who knows. Were these flyovers built to carry freights at whatever coopers rating necessary? Can you envision any condition where a freight would need to use these flyovers?
Both flyovers were built to freight standards and can hold up their weight.
Matter of fact, both flyovers see freights today. UP has trackage rights over the El Monte flyover and BNSF over the one in San Bernardino.
I've personally seen a few times long eastbound freights out of Kaiser 'flyover' the BNSF mains in San Bernardino.
schlimm (6-20):
No, I do not have photos or diagrams of the insides of the new cars. However, some unknown time in the future it is hoped a ride on the new cars can be had, so even I can see what is inside them critters. If some decent photos can be obtained on such a ride, I'll share them with the forum.
Take care, all.
K.P.
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