Orange County Line (Metrolink)

Infobox rail line
name = Orange County Line


image_width =
caption =
type = Commuter rail line
system = Metrolink
status = Operating
locale = Greater Los Angeles Area and Orange County
start = Los Angeles Union Station
end = Oceanside
stations = 14
routes =
ridership =
open =
close =
owner = Amtrak
operator = Metrolink
character = Elevated and surface-level
stock =
linelength = 87.2 miles
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = 1,435mm (4ft 8½ inches)
el =
speed =
elevation =

infobox rdt|Orange County Line map
Metrolink (Southern California) Orange County Line is a commuter rail that runs from Downtown Los Angeles through Orange County to Oceanside in San Diego County connecting with the Coaster commuter rail to San Diego. The Orange County line connects to many attractions in the LA area. The line connects to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball games, Honda Center where the Anaheim Ducks hockey team plays and Disneyland in Anaheim.

The Orange County Line began as Metrolink's fifth line in March 1994. [ [http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=401 TRAINS Magazine - Railroad News, Web Cam, Railroading Video - Metrolink ] ] With recent changes to the schedule, service is now provided seven days a week, with 19 trains on weekdays, and six on weekends. The Amtrak "Pacific Surfliner" supplements Orange County Line service by providing limited stop service along the corridor and more service during middays and weekends.

While the Orange County Line share trackage with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner trains, a few of its stations are shared with the 91 Line and many with the IEOC line.

The Orange County Line runs on BNSF Railway track, under a shared-right-of-way agreement. Several stations, most notably the ones in downtown Fullerton and Santa Ana, are renovated Spanish Colonial Revival depots originally built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

In October 2005, the Orange County Transportation Authority announced that it would increase service on the Orange County Line, running trains twenty hours daily, seven days a week. The first part of the additional service was implemented in June 2006 with Saturday service, and July 2006 with Sunday service. The plan has drawn criticism as many Metrolink stations are located a significant distance away from important destinations such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and the Irvine Spectrum, claiming that the money could have better used for improving bus service or for freeway expansion. To address these issues, a shuttle runs on weekends to connect to the Irvine Spectrum.

The Orange County line serves 14 stations:

*Union Station, Los Angeles
*Commerce, Commerce
*Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk
*Buena Park, Buena Park
*Fullerton, Fullerton
*Anaheim, Anaheim
*Orange, Orange
*Santa Ana, Santa Ana
*Tustin, Tustin
*Irvine, Irvine
*Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo
*San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
*San Clemente North Beach, San Clemente
*Oceanside, Oceanside

An additional stop is made at San Clemente Pier but no Orange County trains stops here. This is the primary Amtrak stop in San Clemente. However, the IEOC Line does stop here on weekends.

See also

* Metrolink (Southern California)
* San Diego Public Transportation

External links

* [http://www.metrolinktrains.com/schedules/ Metrolink Schedules]
* [http://www.transit-rider.com/ca.losangeles/metrolink.cfm?id=oc Pictures of the Orange County Line Page 1]
* [http://www.transit-rider.com/ca.losangeles/metrolink.cfm?id=oc2 Orange County Line Page 2]
* [http://www.transit-rider.com/ca.losangeles/metrolink.cfm?id=oc3 Orange County Line Photos Page 3]

References

Metrolink (Southern California)