For years, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 567 would meet Metrolink 600 at CP Serra until a little over two weeks ago when something must have changed. Pacific Surfliner 567 would now be waiting for over 20 minutes at CP Songs for the Metrolink train and then would have to wait for Pacific Surfliner 566 at CP Capistrano. By the time this train arrived ato Santa Ana, it would be over thirty minutes late. Before now, it would pass Metrolink 600 at CP Serra and meet Pacific Surfliner 566 at CP Solow.
Now, let us look at the trains involved in this situation. Pacific Surfliner 567 carries over 220 passengers daily with about 30 Metrolink Monthly Pass riders aboard. This is a train that people use to go to work and appointments and also to connect with other Metrolink trains in Los Angeles, including Metrolink 362 to San Bernardino at 11:20 AM and Metrolink 207 To Lancaster, also at 11:20 AM. In addition, passengers use this train to take the Flyaway Shuttle to LAX. Metrolink 600 carries 30 passengers, although that total can increase if the weather is hot. Those numbers are from San Clemente to to Oceanside.
What happens if Pacific Surfliner 567 is over thirty minutes late? Passengers trying to take Metrolink trains are delayed even more. If they miss the 11:20 AM train to San Bernardino, they now must wait until 12:20 PM to take the train on that line. If they are trying to go on the Antelope Valley Line to any stations as far as Via Princessa, they must wait for Metrolink 209 at 1:55 PM. If they are trying to go beyond Via Princessa, to let's say Lancaster, they now must wait until 3:45 PM. Let's say these delays to passengers should not be happening but they are. Remember, Pacific Surfliner 567 also stops at Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Orange, so you could call Pacific Surfliner 567 a Metrolink train, so thus they are delaying one of their own trains.
After living through these delays, I decided to do something. On Thursday, August 19, 2010, I called Metrolink to let them know what was happening and that I would write a story about it. The next day, I decided to ride Metrolink 600 down to Oceanside to get their side of the story.
Metrolink 687 arrived at Santa Anda and departed for Los Angeles.
Next Metrolink 600 arrived. We ran to Tustin, then Irvine, Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano, where we left at 9:18 AM before going into the siding at CP Capistrano, then to CP Serra to await Pacific Surfliner 567.
Surfliner 567 came by at 9:27 AM, on time, and we left CP Serra at 9:28 AM then stopped at North Beach.
Passing San Clemente Pier.
This is CP Songs, where Pacific Surfliner 567 had been waiting for the last two weeks. We arrived at Oceanside at 9:56 AM, or one minute late. The solution to all this would have Metrolink 600 leave Los Angeles at 8:05 AM instead of 8:00 AM.
Surfliner 769 arrived to take me back to Santa Ana. Was this problem solved?
Monday morning, I rode Pacific Surfliner 562 as normal to Solana Beach and waited for Pacific Surfliner 567. One problem has been at Oceanside where the agent does not bring the baggage cart out until the train is ready to leave, so time is lost there. We left Oceanside at 9:01 AM, three minutes late, so blame two minutes on slow baggage. We met Pacific Surfliner 564 on double track, but here is a problem. By running us on Track 1, we must slow to 40 MPH at CP Pulgas and then because of the grade, we cannot resume track speed of 90 MPH until we are about four miles north. If they ran us on Track 2 and we do not have to stop, no time is lost. We came to CP San Onofre at 9:16 AM and slowed to a stop at CP Songs.
A red signal at CP Songs as we waited.
At 9:36 AM, Metrolink 600 finally came by. We were delayed 22 minutes once we were on the move again then went into the siding to met Pacific Surfliner 566 before arriving at San Juan Capistrano, now thirty minutes late. I detrained at Santa Ana at 10:33 AM, thirty-five minutes late.
One final thought. The general public expects scheduled trains to run on time so they can plan their lives accordingly. So Metrolink, please solve this problem.
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