The Arrow line is on track to begin rail service between San Bernardino and Redlands in the fall.
The Arrow line is operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, which is now known as Metrolink.
Metrolink held a virtual meeting on Tuesday to go over for the interested public the parameters of the Arrow passenger rail service and absorb feedback.
The Arrow line was initially scheduled to begin service in 2020, but it has undergone several delays, as construction phases lengthened and acquisition of the diesel engines to pull the line’s cars, which are manufactured by the Swiss rail car manufacturer Stadler at its Salt Lake City, Utah plant, took more time than expected. The Arrow line is to run between the San Bernardino Transit Center in downtown San Bernardino and the University of Redlands in Redlands. Initially undertaken by Omnitrans, a regional bus transportation agency, operations were transferred to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority in 2019.
Stadler’s smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient diesel multiple unit trains will provide 25 Arrow route round trips per day once the engines are tested out and available. Regular Metrolink locomotives will offer a limited stop express service from downtown Redlands to Union Station in Los Angeles.
Metrolink is a commuter rail system in Southern California consisting of seven lines and 62 stations operating on 534 miles of rail network. The system was founded in 1991 as the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. It adopted the name Metrolink in 1992 The system operates in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, as well as to Oceanside in San Diego County. It connects with the Los Angeles County Metro Rail and Metro Busway system, the San Diego Coaster commuter rail and Sprinter light rail services, and with Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and Texas Eagle intercity rail services. Metrolink owns several hundred miles of rails, and it shares some track with freight trains.