Coachella Valley–San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service

Coachella Valley–San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service is the project title of an effort by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) to start regular passenger rail services between Los Angeles and Indio, California.

Coachella Valley–San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service

Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	in planning
Locale	Riverside County, California Los Angeles County
Current operator(s)	Amtrak (planned)
Route
Start	Los Angeles
Stops	3–7
End	Indio or Coachella
Service frequency	2 round trips daily
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Track owner(s)	BNSF UP SCRRA
Route map Sunset Limited to New Orleans Texas Eagle to Chicago Coachella option Indio Mid Valley option Palm Springs San Gorgonio Pass Pass Area option Loma Linda option   Southwest Chief to Chicago   Riverside Pacific Surfliner to San Diego Fullerton Pacific Surfliner to San Luis Obispo Coast Starlight to Seattle Los Angeles

The Sunset Limited has made stops in the Coachella Valley since the train's inception under Southern Pacific, but by the time Amtrak took over control of the service in 1971 it had been reduced in frequency to three round trips per week. Amtrak maintained this schedule, and by 1999 the only passenger rail station in the valley is located in a remote part of Palm Springs which is served at inconvenient hours.[1]

Various modes were studied to reinstate a more regional service since at least 1991.[1] Funding for the active incarnation of the project headed by the RCTC initially came from the SunLine Transit Agency, with further support by federal grants, the California State Rail Assistance program, Caltrans, and the FRA. Long been seen as the preferred operator,[2] Amtrak was formally identified in the Alternative Analysis phase.[3][4] Service is envisioned to start at Los Angeles Union Station and run over the route of the Southwest Chief, switching to the valley's Union Pacific line at Colton to run over San Gorgonio Pass and terminating at Indio or Coachella. Operations include one afternoon and one evening trip in each direction for two daily round trips.[5]

References

1. Murphy, Rosalie (25 June 2015). "Waiting for the train". USA Today. Palm Springs Desert Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
2. Heiss, David James (27 February 2015). "Rail stop under consideration near Banning and Cabazon". Record-Gazette. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
3. "RCTC Studies Intercity Rail Service between LA and Coachella Valley". San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
4. Mayer, Anne. "Coachella Valley San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Study Tier 2 Environmental Impact Report and Conceptual Engineering Development Report" (PDF). Riverside County Transportation Commission. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
5. "Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Corridor Investment Plan Project". Federal Railroad Administration. Retrieved 6 June 2020.