Antelope Valley Line (Metrolink)

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Antelope Valley Line
Info
Type Commuter rail line
System Metrolink
Status Operating
Locale Northern Greater Los Angeles Area
Terminals Los Angeles Union Station
Lancaster
No. of stations 11
Operation
Opened 1992
Owner Metrolink
Operator(s) Metrolink
Character Elevated, underground, and surface-level
Technical
Line length 76.6 miles
Gauge 1,435mm (4ft 8½ inches)
Line map
KBFa
Lancaster
BHF
Palmdale
HST
Vincent Grade/Acton
HST
Via Princessa
BHF
Santa Clarita
HST
Newhall
TUNNEL1
San Fernando Tunnel
HST
Sylmar/San Fernando
HST
Sun Valley
ABZlg
Ventura County Line
BHF
Downtown Burbank
BHF
Glendale
STRrg ABZgf
KBFe STR
Union Station
ABZlf
San Bernardino Line
STR
91 Line, Orange County Line, Riverside Line

The Antelope Valley Line is a commuter rail line that serves the Northern Los Angeles County area as part of the Metrolink system. The line is presently more rural in character because it travels through the sparsely populated Soledad Canyon between Santa Clarita and Palmdale, serving the small community of Acton along the way. The line began service in 1992, and was called the Santa Clarita Line at the time. It was one of the three original lines in the Metrolink system along with Ventura County and San Bernardino lines.

The route initially ran from Los Angeles Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Clarita station. The railroad originally had plans to extend the line north to the Antelope Valley in 10 to 15 years; however these plans were expedited in 1994 following the Northridge Earthquake. The earthquake caused the collapse of the south-bound connector of State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) to the south-bound Interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass. Immediately following the earthquake, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority made the decision to extend the line in order to help relieve the traffic bottleneck. The line between Santa Clarita and Lancaster was up and running two days after the earthquake. In 1997 the Antelope Valley line began operating on Saturdays and Sunday service began in September 2007.

The Antelope Valley line operates Monday thru Sunday with 24 trains operating on the weekdays, 10 trains on Saturdays, and 6 trains on Sundays of September 2007.

The Antelope Valley Line serves 11 stations

  1. Union Station, Los Angeles
  2. Glendale, Glendale
  3. Downtown Burbank, Burbank
  4. Sun Valley, Sun Valley
  5. Sylmar/San Fernando, Sylmar/San Fernando
  6. Newhall, Santa Clarita
  7. Santa Clarita, Santa Clarita
  8. Via Princessa, Santa Clarita
  9. Vincent Grade/Acton, South Palmdale/Acton
  10. Palmdale Transportation Center, Downtown Palmdale
  11. Lancaster, Lancaster

[edit] Future Expansion

  • Metrolink is considering increasing midday service along Antelope Valley line but the added service is unlikely to be added until Metrolink receives their orders for more cab cars, coaches, and locomotives which are scheduled to be delivered in Late 2008. [1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Daams, Kristopher. "Midday Bus Service to Union Station Planned", The Signal, May 28, 2007. Accessed May 29, 2007.