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LA. To san oeroooThrough the 20’s and into the 1940’s people traveled from place to place in *11 Red Cais.”And liked iUThe “Red Car” was the most modern and well constructedmass transportation system mthe world of iLs time.Southern California cities and «towns were connected by miles and miles of rail and overhead electrical lines to power thesestreet cars.There was even a line stietcn-mg all the way out to San Bernardino. It went through San Dimas, La Verne, Claiemont, Pomona, Upland, Ontario and Cu-camonga* It moved commuters and shoppers to Arcadia, Pasadena and Los Angeles.But the automobile became a more popular form of transportation. The Red Car could not take the competition and conflictof motorists.The Red Car isn’t coming back, but there may soon be another commuter service between San Bernaidmo and Los Angeles using rails.The Southern California. Association of Governments (SCAG) will be meeting next Wednesday to discuss a “Commuter Railroad Feasibility Study on Selected Lines m the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.”The study was prepared foiSCAG by Transportation Consultant Carl R. England. It was completed Jan. 15, 1974 and was mst recently distributed to SCAG members. The study discusses the feasibility of implementing three currently existing railroad lines for use as a commutcr transportauion system to helptiU current transportation needs.One railroad line mentioned as a strong possibility for a commuter service was the Santa Femain line between San Bernardino and Los Angeles. The studysuggested that stations along the way between Los Angeles and San Bernardino be South Pasadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia,A zusa, Glendora, Pomona,Claremont and Upland,The 59.4 mile ride for com-mutcrs from San Bernardino to Los Angeles would cost commuters about $2,75, or about $48 for a monthly ticket.Upland to Los Angeles would cost $2.10 or $41 a month. Claremont to Los Angeles would cost about $2 or $39 a month. Pomona to Los Angeles would cost SI.9aor $38 per month.Other stops might include San Dimas, Cucamonga and Etiwanda * According to the study, projected rider ship for the “Pasadena” lme, based on market potential and the ability to operate only one round trip per day, is 400each way. .Some problems the study saidmust be resolved before the commuter service could be implemented include:—Renegotiating train crew agreements to handle the change, from freight movement to peoplemovement. Getting an additional commuter service to handle the people once they are delivered to the Los Angeles station.—Getting assistance and approval from Amtrak. .—Obtaining rail coaches with a larger seating capacity than those used now for long-rangetransportation.But the cost could be the key problem in setting up a rail commuter service.The study projected an annualdeficit of $365,000 for the Pasa* dena line.The study said:“There is no possibility _ of fielding a commuter operation which will not incur deficits, if, due to the energy crisis, equipment and crews could be turned for useful offpeak trips, the rate of return could be improved. However, anything other than minimal usage of rail facilities presumably would have to be assessed substantial charges for cost of freight train interference plus probably requests fox provision of a net return on the railroads’ sunk investments in facilities and trackage- Such charges, not calculated for this study,could be sizable.”We may get a rail commuter service between Los Angeles and San Bernardino. But it’s going to cost somebody more than a littlebid of money,- Donald HimNewsSPAPERVi t UL-T ► Oli *• * * * • ■WORLDS GREATEST ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM1000 Miles of Standard Trolley bats iry-r.v.w.'-v.:.2700 SCHEDULED TRAINS DAILYLrl.JI.l M r T •»•** H lt;•— I « -J* ’*E5K MOUNT LOWEftSS Awl*PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY — The “Red Cars traveled all 2r Southern California, even through Upland, San Dimas, Ontarioi San Bernardino,
Newspaper Details
Montclair Tribune
Montclair, California, US
Thu, Feb 14, 1974
Page 13
Full Page
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Los A.
CA, USA 20 Jan 2021
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Montclair Tribune
