LOS ANGELES - Metrolink is adding seven round-trips on its Ventura County line, between Los Angeles and Chatsworth, to provide Southern Californians with more public transportation options during the second closure of Interstate 405. This service is in addition to regularly-scheduled trains on the Antelope Valley, Orange County, Inland Empire-Orange County and San Bernardino lines. Metrolink's popular $10 Weekend Pass provides riders unlimited system-wide travel privileges from Friday at 7 p.m. until the last train on Sunday night.
Special Ventura County Service will operate Chatsworth to Los Angeles Union Station, with stops in between at Glendale, Downtown Burbank, Burbank - Bob Hope Airport, Van Nuys and Northridge.
During the first closure of the 405, Metrolink experienced record weekend ridership and weekend pass sales. This year, there are even more reasons to ride Metrolink. Metrolink and Los Angeles World Airports have a partnership that allows Metrolink Monthly Passholders with a boarding pass to ride the Flyaway for free on the day of their flight. Additionally, Metrolink recently launched a retention program in line with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) "Eat, Shop, and Play Locally" theme that allows partnering businesses to offer discounts to Metrolink riders. This allows Metrolink to support local businesses, while rewarding the loyalty of valued customers. Please visit www.metrolinktrains.com/rewards for a list of participating businesses.
Riders can also connect to Metro buses and light rail at no additional charge to access destinations along their extensive network. To view all of Metro's special destination discounts for the Carmageddon Weekend and other event information available, please visit metro.net/405.
Pacific Surfliner 562 9/30/2012After returning home at 1:50 AM from Sacramento where I had visited my brother Bruce, I slept until 6:10 AM then arose, had breakfast and drove to the Santa Ana station and parked in the parking structure. I bought my Metrolink Weekend Pass and waited on the Track 2 platform.
Pacific Surfliner 562 arrived and I took a seat in the Superliner coach for my trip to Oceanside to meet AC Adam.
Sunrise over Saddleback Mountain.
The Tustin blimp hangars just after sunrise.
Later we reached the shore of the Pacific Ocean with the sailboats out early this Sunday morning.
My favorite American flag looking fantastic.
The seas were rough this morning.
San Clemente Pier.
Looking back up the coast towards Dana Point.
San Mateo Creek with all of the surfers out enjoying their hobby as I do mine. Pacific Surfliner 562 took me to Oceanside where I found AC Adam waiting. There I saw Pacific Surfliner 565, the low-level set, with not only private car "Silver Splendor" but also Amtrak Heritage Unit 184 pushing. Now I had an appointment with Amtrak 184 when I would go up to Los Angeles later this morning.
Metrolink 661 arrived to board passengers bound for Los Angeles. We left on time but had a bad meet with Pacific Surfliner 564 at CP Songs, then met Metrolink 857 at CP Capistrano.
BNSF motive power at La Mirada waiting for their Monday morning duties.
Amtrak power at the Redondo Junction turntable.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 calls this location home as well.
Power for the Southwest Chief on the house track at 8th Street.
Amtrak Heritage Unit 145 would head east tonight on the Sunset Limited.
Amtrak 509 and private car "Silver Lariat".
"This is the City" ("Dragnet" reference) back when City Hall was the tallest building in Los Angeles. Metrolink 661 took us to LAUPT and I had an appointment to keep.
Our Metrolink train to Chatsworth and a Gold Line train.
Metrolink 661 at rest.
A Metrolink wrapped bicycle car which we do not ride in because you cannot see clearly out the window.
The Metrolink bicycle car we always ride in.
One last view of Metrolink 661.
Pacific Surfliner 572 ready to head south to San Diego with Amtrak Heritage Unit 184 on the point.
Views of Amtrak P42DC 184, one of the 40th Anniversary heritage units.
Cabbagge car 90230.
The rear of Pacific Surfliner 572. I walked back over to my waiting Metrolink train.
Metrolink 165 was ready to take AC Adam and I to Chatsworth and we boarded the bicycle car.
The "Salisbury Beach" and "Tioga Pass" private cars on the garden tracks.
Mission Tower.
The Los Angeles River.
The old "Southern Pacific 7 Trains a Day" wall advertising.
LA Metro's Gold Line shops.
The train crossed the Los Angeles River.
Views of Metrolink's Taylor Yard Facility, formerly Southern Pacific's Taylor Yard.
The old Dayton Tower still stands at the road into the Metrolink yard.
The bend in the Los Angeles River.
This X Rated club was used by Alice Cooper for the inside sleeve of his "Muscle of Love" album.
The downtown Burbank Metrolink station.
Here is what remains of the old line, whose west end is the Orange Line bus way.
The way the normal Metrolink weekend trains run out to Lancaster.
The train stopped at the Bob Hope Airport station.
Although these trips were on the Metrolink website, they did not contact KNX radio or the local television stations to get the word out.
Views of the Gemco Yard in Van Nuys before we stopped there.
Views of the Van Nuys Airport.
The Northridge Metrolink station.
The Santa Susana Mountains just before we arrived in Chatsworth.
Metrolink 165 became Metrolink 166 right before my eyes.
Our train had a green signal and was ready to head east.
Metrolink 166 was ready to take us back to LAUPT and we arrived there ten minutes early.
Metrolink 166 at rest at LAUPT. AC Adam went to get lunch and I decided to go to Angels Flight and walked to the subway.
A Purple Line train arrived to take me two stops to Pershing Square.
The train was empty on this trip westbound to Wilshire and Western. Then it was up to the ground level and I walked over to Angels Flight.
Views of Angels Flight. Now let us take the car up the hill.
I paid my fare and now let us go back down.
After finishing riding Angels Flight, I walked back to the subway.
I took the Red Line back to LAUPT, stopped at Wetzel Pretzel for one of theirs before meeting AC Adam at the door of Metrolink 666, which I took home to Santa Ana and AC continued back to Oceanside before he headed home. I watched last night's "Doctor Who" which my mother taped for me and worked on this story. I then had another appointment with Amtrak 184 so drove down to 17th Street and set up.
Pacific Surfliner 583 with Amtrak 184 at 17th Street in Santa Ana. I came home, then took my mother to dinner before returning home for the final time today and finished this story. For next week I am substituting at John Adams Elementary School; it should be interesting.
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