Arrow (commuter rail)

Arrow[3][6][7] is an under-construction[8] commuter rail[9] line in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is planned to run between the San Bernardino Transit Center in downtown San Bernardino and the University of Redlands in Redlands.[10] Initially undertaken by Omnitrans, operations were transferred to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority in 2019. Service was expected to begin in 2020,[3] but as of July 2019 public service is expected to launch in early 2022.[4]

Arrow
Overview
OwnerSan Bernardino Associated Governments
Area servedRedlands and San Bernardino, California
LocaleSan Bernardino Valley[1]
Transit typecommuter rail
Number of lines1
Number of stations5
Daily ridership1,600–1,800 (expected)[2]
Chief executiveTrischelle Baysden[3]
Websiteredlandsrailproject.org
Operation
Operation will startearly 2022 (early 2022) (projected)[4]
Operator(s)Southern California Regional Rail Authority[5]
Host railroadsBNSF
SCRRA
CharacterShared commuter rail with at-grade crossings
Number of vehicles3 Stadler FLIRT DMUs
1 Stadler FLIRT H2 hydrail
Train length163 ft (50 m)
Headway30-minute peak period, 60-minute off-peak
Technical
System length9 mi (14 km)
No. of tracksmostly single
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
System map
San Bernardino Line &
Inland Empire–Orange County Line
 San Bernardino–Downtown
Santa Ana River
 Tippecanoe
San Bernardino
Redlands
I-10
layover
facility
 Esri
 Redlands–Downtown
I-10
 University
Orange Blossom Trail

In planning, the system was known as Redlands Passenger Rail Project (RPRP or RPR),[6][11] and underwent several design revisions before arriving at the final blend of rail technologies.

History
See also: Pacific Electric § History; Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway § History; and Redlands, California § Railroads
The 1910 AT&SF Redlands station

Previous rail service in Redlands included the Pacific Electric "Red Car" trolley system and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The PE's San Bernardino line served Redlands from Los Angeles by way of its Eastern District, which opened in 1905 and was abandoned in 1937.[12] Extant infrastructure includes the PE right of way,[13] the ATSF's Redlands depot and the Redlands Trolley Barn.[14]

Proposals for a restored passenger rail connection between San Bernardino and Redlands were made as early as the 1990s, with the service originally projected to start in 1995.[15] This date has progressively been delayed to 2013, 2015, and 2018.[2]

By 2011, the estimated cost of construction had dropped to an estimate of between $130 million and $150 million.[16] The first contract for the project was awarded on November 2, 2011, by SANBAG to HDR, Inc. for engineering and environmental services.[17] The contract was an amendment to an existing contract for HDR to work on a separate project in the region, the extension of the San Bernardino Line to a new terminus at the San Bernardino Transit Center.[17] Work was initially expected to begin in late 2012 or 2013,[15] with the estimated start of service ranging from 2015[16] to as late as 2018.

former logo using the original project name

The project encountered further delays, including the U.S. federal government's shutdown in October 2013, after which point the construction was slated to begin in fall of 2016.[18] In February 2014, the project was delayed again, when a San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) document said that "construction is planned to begin in late 2015 with operation in 2018."[19] In 2015, SANBAG officials said the line was expected to be complete and operating in 2020.[16][20] By July 2016, construction was planned to begin in 2017 and service in 2020.[6][21][22][23] In July 2016, the project received an additional $8.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation in the eighth round of the TIGER grant program.[22]

The service was officially dubbed Arrow in November 2016.[6][7] The San Bernardino Association of Governments is expected to seek bids for mainline track rehabilitation valued at $132.3 million in January 2019.[24]

University Station eastern terminus under construction, April 2020.

Construction

The first phase of construction includes replacing all track on the line, rebuilding five bridges, and installing 24 grade crossings.[2] Groundbreaking for construction on the line took place on July 19, 2019. Service is scheduled to launch in early 2022.[4]

By October 2019, Omnitrans faced increasing deficits and reduced service. Thusly, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority Transit Committee voted to transfer the operation and construction duties to the Metrolink.[5] The route and stations were shown as an under-construction extension of the San Bernardino Line on Metrolink's transit map that month.[25] As of June 14, 2020, Construction was said to be over 50% completed with road and crossing work continuing.[26]

Future

In 2011, planning for phase two of the project saw light rail vehicles or diesel multiple units replace the conventional rolling stock (then envisioned to be ex-Metrolink heavy rail equipment), the construction of five more stations,[17] and additional passing sidings to allow 15-minute peak period headways and 30-minute off-peak headways.[16] The estimated construction cost is between $80 million and $100 million for light rail or between $225 million and $300 million for diesel multiple units.[16] Running costs would be between $11 million and $14 million for light rail or between $12 million and $16 million for diesel multiple units.[16] A potential further phase would expand trackage in a loop to Highland and San Bernardino International Airport before returning to downtown San Bernardino.[15]

Services may eventually be expanded along Metrolink corridors in the future.[13]

Route

The 9-mile (14 km) route uses a former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway line.[2][16] While mostly a single track line, 2 miles (3.2 km) of double track will be constructed in the middle of the route to allow vehicles to pass each other.[20] Four initial stops were proposed: two in Redlands and two in San Bernardino, with an initial projected ridership of between 1,600 and 1,800 passengers daily.[2] The Esri New York St. fifth station was later added after Esri proposed the stop and offered funds for the addition.[27] With connecting service to Metrolink trains and sbX bus rapid transit in San Bernardino, the five new stations would be located at the San Bernardino Transit Center, Waterman Avenue next to the Inland Regional Center, New York Street near Esri headquarters, Downtown Redlands (adjacent to and possibly integrating the historic Redlands Santa Fe Depot),[28][29] and the University of Redlands.[20][21]

SANBAG and the city of Loma Linda made initial plans in 2015 for a station on California Street in that city,[11] but it was ultimately dropped from consideration.[20] In November 2016, SANBAG officials said the Waterman Avenue station would be built at Tippecanoe Avenue instead, citing higher ridership at the proposed Tippecanoe station due to the Inland Regional Center's heightened security after the San Bernardino mass shooting, as well as zoning modifications near the Waterman stop.[6][7]

Low-volume freight service by BNSF will continue on a portion of the route.[17]

Stations
City Station Connections
San Bernardino San Bernardino Transit Center Omnitrans:
sbX, express, and local routes
Metrolink:
  San Bernardino Line
  Inland Empire–Orange County Line
Tippecanoe
Redlands Esri
Redlands–Downtown Omnitrans
University of Redlands

Rolling stock

In September 2010, the SANBAG considered options that included Metrolink train service, other types of electrified or diesel trains, and buses.[30] In April 2011, SANBAG announced that it had settled on conventional heavy rail equipment for the service.[2] This would be provided by refurbished ex-Metrolink rolling stock[15] operating on 30-minute peak period headways and hourly off-peak headways.[16] While SANBAG preferred electrified light rail, its $268.1 million cost was over the $250 million limit for the federal Small Starts transit grants that would have been used.[2] The estimated cost of heavy rail service was $198.6 million, which could be paid for using federal transportation grants that were based on population and sales tax revenues.[2]

In 2015, due to community opposition to Metrolink stock, SANBAG chose diesel multiple units (DMUs) to serve as the line's rolling stock.[20][21][23] Some Metrolink trains will continue to a station near Arrow's Downtown Redlands station along the rehabilitated track.[31][29][13] Stadler Rail FLIRT[32] DMUs were selected for service on the line under a $31.4 million contract.[33] An additional FLIRT utilizing hydrogen fuel cell energy storage is being developed by Stadler for use on the line, with a planned introduction in 2024.[34]

References
  1. "Redlands Passenger Rail & Future Arrow Hybrid-Rail Service". San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  2. MacDuff, Cassie (May 16, 2011). "Imperfect Rail Solution". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California: Press-Enterprise Corporation. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  3. "Omnitrans names Baysden director of rail". Progressive Railroading. June 28, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  4. "Construction begins for rail connecting Redlands to San Bernardino". Redlands Daily Facts. July 19, 2019.
  5. Scauzillo, Steve (October 21, 2019). "$520 million deficit has Omnitrans eyeing layoffs and bus-line reductions, but is it enough?". The Sun. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  6. Emerson, Sandra (November 16, 2016). "Redlands Passenger Rail Service to be Called Arrow". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  7. "Next Stop: Tippecanoe Avenue in San Bernardino". Redlands Passenger Rail Project Newsletter. SANBAG. December 8, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  8. "Groundbreaking Held For Redlands-To-San-Bernardino Rail Line". Redlands-Loma Linda, CA Patch. July 22, 2019.
  9. Whitehead, Brian (December 5, 2017). "San Bernardino leaders celebrate debut of new passenger rail from Santa Fe Depot to city transit center". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  10. "Redlands Passenger Rail Project : Fact Sheet 2" (PDF). Gosbcta.com. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  11. Emerson, Sandra (May 6, 2015). "Redlands City Council updated on Redlands Passenger Rail project". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  12. "Eastern District: Redlands". Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  13. Emerson, Sandra (November 1, 2017). "Take a virtual tour of Redlands rail service that will begin in 2020". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  14. Muckenfuss, Mark (July 25, 2015). "Last remnant of the red cars". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  15. Sears, Jan (May 8, 2011). "TRANSPORTATION: Metrolink trains will connect Redlands, San Bernardino". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California: Press-Enterprise Corporation. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  16. "Contract awarded for California commuter line". Trains (Registration required). Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. November 2, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  17. "Redlands Passenger Rail Project contract awarded". Railway Gazette International. Sutton, Surrey: DVV Media UK Ltd. November 2, 2011. Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  18. Waldner, Erin (November 1, 2013). "REDLANDS: Passenger Rail Plan Slowed by Shutdown". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California: Press-Enterprise Corporation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  19. "Redlands Passenger Rail Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). San Bernardino, California: San Bernardino Associated Governments. February 26, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  20. Emerson, Sandra (September 15, 2015). "SanBAG gives updates on cost, timeline of Redlands rail project". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  21. "Redlands Passenger Rail Project" (PDF). SANBAG. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  22. Emerson, Sandra (July 28, 2016). "Redlands Passenger Rail Project gets federal grant boost". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  23. Emerson, Sandra (November 7, 2015). "SanBAG begins design of Redlands Passenger Rail Project". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  24. "California Pulse: Construction Project News for December 2018". ENR California. December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  25. "Timetable" (PDF). Metrolink. SCRRA. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  26. https://www.redlandscommunitynews.com/news/work-begins-monday-june-22-on-the-texas-street-crossing/article_fd3080fc-ae46-11ea-a9ad-f701371b8de8.html
  27. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=012a51a08e4f4ccdb32c7a3eaa2d45ec
  28. Emerson, Sandra (December 7, 2017). "City now has a name for the planned rail station in downtown Redlands". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  29. Emerson, Sandra (November 15, 2017). "What new ownership at Redlands Santa Fe Depot could mean to future rail service". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  30. Sears, Jan (September 9, 2010). "Passenger rail connection to Redlands still years away". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California: Press-Enterprise Corporation. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  31. Emerson, Sandra (August 19, 2016). "Where Redlands rail project is heading". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  32. "Technical Proposal" (PDF). San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. Stadler. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  33. Emerson, Sandra (July 28, 2017). "Redlands takes next step in bringing passenger rail service to city". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  34. "Stadler to deliver hydrogen-powered train to SBCTA". Railway Age. November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
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