San Bernardino Line

San Bernardino Line
Name	San Bernardino Line
Type	Commuter rail
System	Metrolink
Status	Operating
Locale	Greater Los Angeles, Inland Empire
Start	Los Angeles Union Station
End	San Bernardino-Downtown
Stations	14
Owner	Metrolink / Southern Pacific rights
Operator	Metrolink
Stock	Bombardier BiLevel, Siemens Charger
Linelength	61.5 miles
Electrification	Diesel

San Bernardino Line The San Bernardino Line is a commuter rail service in Southern California linking downtown Los Angeles with the Inland Empire communities of Riverside County and San Bernardino County. Operated by Metrolink and running along corridors used by historic carriers such as the Southern Pacific Railroad and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, it connects major hubs including Los Angeles Union Station, Pomona, Rialto, and San Bernardino. The line interfaces with regional transit agencies like the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Omnitrans, and Riverside Transit Agency.

Overview

The corridor provides weekday peak and off-peak commuter service between Los Angeles County and the eastern Greater Los Angeles suburbs, supporting intermodal transfers to systems such as the Los Angeles Metro B (Purple) Line, Metro Rail, and the San Bernardino Transit Center. It operates over trackage owned or dispatched by freight carriers including BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and coordinates with passenger agencies like Amtrak for connections at Los Angeles Union Station. Rolling stock includes bilevel cars produced by Bombardier Transportation and diesel locomotives such as the Siemens Charger series.

Route and Stations

The line originates at Los Angeles Union Station and runs east through SR 60 corridor suburbs, serving stations in Commerce, Pomona, Claremont, Upland, Ontario, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana before terminating at San Bernardino-Downtown adjacent to the San Bernardino Transit Center. Key interchanges allow transfers to Metrolink San Bernardino Line-adjacent routes, Orange County Transportation Authority, and Riverside–Downtown (Amtrak). The corridor crosses historic rights-of-way once used by Southern Pacific Railroad, Santa Fe Depot, and freight junctions near Colton and Cajon Pass approaches.

History and Development

Origins trace to 19th-century mainlines built by companies such as the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway with early stations tied to Transcontinental Railroad era growth in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. Postwar suburbanization, influenced by policies like the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, shifted travel patterns toward Interstate 10 and Interstate 15, while rail corridors persisted under freight carriers. Modern commuter service emerged in the 1990s with the creation of Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) following regional partnerships among Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, and Riverside County Transportation Commission. Capital projects included station upgrades funded by ballot measures similar to Measure R and federal grants administered by agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration.

Operations and Rolling Stock

Trains are scheduled for peak-direction commutes and off-peak runs, coordinated through dispatch offices of BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, with crew bases located near major terminals like Los Angeles Union Station and San Bernardino. The fleet comprises Bombardier BiLevel Coach cars, Nippon Sharyo equipment in earlier procurements, and Siemens Charger diesel-electric locomotives complying with EPA Tier 4 emission standards. Ticketing integrates with smartcard systems operated by Metrolink and accepts regional passes coordinated with Metro TAP Card-compatible agencies. Dispatch coordination involves communication with Federal Railroad Administration oversight and adherence to Positive Train Control implementations driven by federal mandates.

Ridership and Performance

Ridership fluctuates with regional employment centers like Downtown Los Angeles, Ontario International Airport, and distribution hubs in Eastvale and Jurupa Valley, showing seasonal and work-week patterns influenced by economic shifts in logistics companies such as Amazon and UPS. Performance metrics tracked by Southern California Association of Governments and agency reports include on-time performance, customer satisfaction, and safety statistics monitored by the National Transportation Safety Board. Service reliability depends on freight traffic density on shared tracks, with bottlenecks near Colton Crossing historically affecting punctuality.

Future Plans and Extensions

Planned investments involve station infill, grade separation projects near Montclair Transcenter, and coordination with projects like the Los Angeles–San Bernardino commuter improvements and regional initiatives by Southern California Association of Governments and county transportation authorities. Proposals have considered enhanced service to Ontario International Airport via connector links and potential electrification concepts studied alongside agencies such as the California High-Speed Rail Authority and proposals analogous to California's Cap-and-Trade Program funding streams. Long-range plans contemplate integration with expanding rail projects like Brightline West and improved freight-passenger scheduling to reduce conflicts at junctions such as Colton Crossing.

Category:Metrolink (California) lines