Why doesn't Metrolink buy San Diego's commuter line (Coaster) to make it a one way ride from LA Union Station to SD? (Los Angeles: transfer to)

[I Love Buildings]

Is it because Amtrak wants you to spend more money on their tickets? Right now Metrolink only goes as far south as Oceanside, then you'd have to transfer to San Diego's Coaster commuter line, but its very possible they are able to extend the system all the way into San Diego to connect with with their lightrail system. (Red trolly). The Metrolink can even connect with the hybrid lightrail system, The Sprinter which connects Econdido with Oceanside.

Not only will this connect LA - OC - SD
But also San Bernardino - Riverside - San Diego

[BRinSM]

Because Amtrak

[I Love Buildings]

The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is such a ripoff! So much potential ruined here. Metrolink can offer more frequent service and build a more reliable commuter community.

[SupBro]

I used to take the surf liner from LA to Solana beach no transfers. Has this changed?

[2Easy]

Metrolink is not a money making operation. In order to survive it's subsidized by the governments that participate (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties). They each pay a cost commensurate with the service in their counties. In order to serve San Diego, that county would have to decide to scrap the Coaster and instead pay Metrolink.

Amtraks Pacific Surfliner is subsidized by the state so it makes sense that it serves multiple cities.

[Those Who Squirm]

Originally Posted by I Love Buildings

Not only will this connect LA - OC - SD
But also San Bernardino - Riverside - San Diego

We practically have that now. The only way to significantly improve passenger service between San Diego and the Inland Empire would be to inaugurate service on a direct route which would probably go through Escondido and Temecula, and bypass DTLA completely. I live in Escondido now, and unless I'm missing something that's right in front of my nose, as it were, those tracks don't even exist. The Sprinter LRT line runs from Oceanside to Escondido in a generally ESE direction. Just SE of the Escondido Transit Center there's a freight switching yard with cement and grain silos, but that's it. There's no further track anywhere south of there, as would have to be the case if such tracks existed between here and San Diego.

[Those Who Squirm]

I'd kind of like to see Coaster/Metrolink service along the entire route, in which the two companies would alternate responsibility and operations much like the airlines do, when you buy your ticket from one company but the actual plane carries the insignia of another company.

On the other hand, a commuter train seat isn't terribly comfortable. Moreover, I'm not sure the coaches even have overhead luggage racks. So if you're bringing more than a computer bag or large purse, it's not all that comfortable considering how crowded some of those trains get.

[LuvSouthOC]

Amtrak does go to downtown SD from Union Station in LA. Yes it is more expensive than Metrolink, but San Diego is not part of the greater LA area.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Amtrak does go to downtown SD from Union Station in LA. Yes it is more expensive than Metrolink, but San Diego is not part of the greater LA area.

...and, thank God! Thank God that a giant small town isn't part of a true alpha world metropolis!

[HarryKerryJr]

It can be done--the one train all the way from LA to SD, but it won't require anybody buying anything. Metrolink and Coaster have already has researched the idea and it would go like this: The train would have a "Metrolink" crew from LA to Oceanside; then a "Coaster" crew would run the train from Oceanside to SD. Of course, none of this is happening anytime soon, but both Coaster and Metrolink have heard loud from riders that they want a ride through Oceanside or at least shcedualing to make changing trains there reasonable. The one train method with 2 crews is regarded as the better method by the railroads.

Amtrak Pacific Surfliners are under local control from the LOSAN Rail Corridor Angency out of OCTA and have been granted more powers and authority. It is they who decide where Pac Surfliners will stop and the state of CA funds the vast majority of service and owns the equipment, so LOSAN and we in the southern California area really do, for all practical purposes, control Pacfic Surfliner service. All Amtrak gets is CA money to subsidize the Pac Surf service, and that's all Amtrak really cares about. We pay for it; we make most of the decisions, including schedualing. The addition of having some Pac Surfs stop at Serrento Valley--originally a Coaster station only--is just one example. FWIW, CA still can't quite figure out Amtrak's accounting to dertermain cost, and, frankly, no one else can figure out Amtrak accounting. Their numbers have always bamboozled people.