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Post by whitmanlam on Jan 21, 2008 23:53:15 GMT -8
Hi guys, I just found out about Metrolink Express service to California Speedway on Feb. 24.
Yes, they have a Metrolink station at the Speedway. I didn't know that.
Is anyone interested in going with me ? I'll be getting on at Union Station and from there, it should take about 1.10 hours to get to the track.
Why not support Metrolink and experience the Oval Track at the same time?
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Post by antonio on Jan 22, 2008 3:58:44 GMT -8
Hey Whitman that sounds like a great idea but I'm in New Jersey until June. The MTA should probably put advertise this on their website next to the Clipper deals and stuff, considering that 75% of this express train would run in LA County and therefore they're paying 75% of the cost of it
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Jan 22, 2008 5:32:34 GMT -8
SANBAG has been chartering Metrolink trains for NASCAR at the California Speedway races for years, especially around Labor Day for what was formerly the Sony HD 500 (now Sharp Aquos 500). Since it's chartered, special tickets must be purchased through them and not the normal ticket machines. For one day, this is the chance to experience Metrolink in a unique way; it's a good test to see how our Metrolink MAX proposal of Union Station through service would work. One route of interest to me is going from Van Nuys to the speedway w/o changing trains. Metrolink has been chartered for other events like Chatsworth to the Ventura County Fair in August and some Angels games at Anaheim stadium from the IE. The LA County Fair does not use chartered trains though and uses regular tickets purchased for stations beyond the fairground temp station. It's good to see Metrolink used for special events, now only if we can get Metro to run more special event trains for our urban system; they did once once the Red Line at 6 minute frequency for last year's LA Marathon that started in Universal City.  |
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vnc
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Post by vnc on Jan 22, 2008 21:39:06 GMT -8
Metrolink has been running these Special Trains ever since They had the Racetracks, Regional/County Fairs, Rose Parade (to Aracdia then bussed)etc. And this goes back right when Metrolink first started Service in 1993. They also at one time. ran a Train to the Antelope Valley Fair. However. They never had any services That I can recall for the Big A.
When they do have Nascar at Fontana. All trains including the normal San Bernerdino-LA Trains stops at the Race Track. And often when I see the live coverage of the Races. The broadcasting Networks would often show the Metrolink Trains that are parked near the backside of the Race Track.
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Post by bluelineshawn on Jan 23, 2008 12:08:03 GMT -8
That day they ran trains at about the same headway on the blue line as well. They were turning trains at Long Beach and Imperial/Wilmington. Running at such a short headway for so long may have given us some insight into what the line will be like after Expo opens although I hope not.
Shortly after the marathon there was some sort of delay somewhere on the line that caused trains to bunch together. After a long gap two trains came into 7th/metro one after the other. They had been doing the rush hour thing where they discharged on platform 1 and boarded on platform 2. But when the two trains came at the same time the supervisor on the platform changed the system and decided to board from both platforms. Some people started heading over to platform 1 when the supervisor then changed her mind and instructed the metro employees to tell everyone to wait and that the train would be coming to the platform 2 side for boarding. Well by this time another train had entered the tunnel. There was a lot of confusion on Metro’s end as to what to do next. They decided to have the platform 2 train leave, board the platform 1 train from that side and then have the new train pull in on platform 2 and board there.
Somewhere in all of this confusion they either forgot which train was which or got bad orders from the tower because they sent all three trains out as Imperial/Wilmington. The platform was full of people waiting on a Long Beach train given the original gap and some weren’t even sure what platform they should be waiting on. It was a real confusing half hour for the supervisor. I’m sure that she did the best that she could and I think that she was getting incorrect information from the tower. But it makes me wonder what’s going to happen when we try to run at combined 6-minute Expo/blue line headways all day long. Not to mention the combined 3-minute rush hour headways.
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Mac
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Post by Mac on Jan 23, 2008 18:59:19 GMT -8
Well hey, the number one most stressful job: Air Traffic Controller. They get paid very well also... I would assume that rail traffic controllers probably have a stressful job too.
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Post by bobdavis on Jan 23, 2008 19:02:27 GMT -8
Back when I was in High School (mid-fifties) our science class went on a field trip to Kaiser Steel, when it was a fully-integrated mill (coal, iron ore and limestone IN, finished steel products OUT). Now it's a motor sports venue. When the promoters first talked of a race track here, I envisioned the Slag Heap 500 or maybe the Coke Oven Challenge. In the late 60's, there was an Ontario International Raceway a few miles from here; it disappeared without a trace in the early 70's. I'd have to do some research, but it could be that the Fontana track is near the area where the Pacific Electric 1200-class cars were scrapped in 1951 (a sad time in Southern California railway history).
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vnc
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Post by vnc on Jan 24, 2008 22:56:43 GMT -8
I heard rumors. That the Ontario International Raceway (carbon copy to Indy) is now where the Ontario Mills Mall is now.
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Post by nickv on Jan 24, 2008 23:32:12 GMT -8
Not quite, but it's right next door.  What used to be the raceway is now Ontario Park together with several suburban employment centers. The raceway was located between Haven Av and Milliken Av just north of I-10 and just south of what is now the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink Station. Ontario Mills is right next door just east of Milliken Av. |
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Feb 24, 2008 21:39:50 GMT -8
Today is the day that there is a NASCAR race at California Speedway; it's been rain delayed and will continue through the night. Here's the chartered Metrolink trains that are parked in the back of the backstretch as seen on FOX HD.   |
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Post by spokker on Feb 25, 2008 13:29:28 GMT -8
Cool picture. It's good to see Metrolink getting some exposure.
Actually to be honest, it's nice to see a Metrolink train on TV not laying on its side in pieces.
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Post by whitmanlam on Feb 25, 2008 15:47:44 GMT -8
I rode on the Metrolink Speedway Express that day from Union Station to the racetrack. The trip was very smooth and the train was packed with fans. I finally arrived at the gate in about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Unfortunately, the AutoClub 500 organizers were way too shortsighted. The racetrack was wet and soggy, driving conditions were terrible. After a 5 hour rain delay, they finally postponed the race until Monday. The crowd was very disappointed and had waited in the rain for hours until they announced the postponement at 11 PM.
That meant alot of us Metrolink passengers were stranded with no place to go until the train departed at 11:20 at night. A couple of passengers had decided head home in taxis, instead of waiting around for the trains to depart.
I stayed at California Speedway and arrived in Union Station at around 12:25. I think Metrolink, or somebody, owes us an apology for keeping passengers so late. Many had flights to catch in the morning to leave town. I wish that Metrolink was better organized to deal with the situation given the rainy conditions that day and the lack of transit options at the track.
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Feb 21, 2010 14:53:53 GMT -8
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I thought I'd note this. As this weekend's NASCAR series lands in Fontana at the Auto Club Speedway (not California Speedway anymore) and with the excitement surrounding Danica Patrick's West Coast NASCAR debut, I thought I checked out how their chartered Metrolink service is listed, only to find that in their August 2009 news posting that the service has been suspended due to fan's economic strains. Instead, in their Getting Here Visitor's Guide page they ask that anyone who still wants to take Metrolink to take Omnitrans' route 61 from Fontana station to the corner of San Bernardino & Cherry, a half mile from the entrance. Another lost opportunity to let Metrolink shine; at least we haven't lost LA County Fair service. |
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Post by spokker on Feb 21, 2010 23:09:05 GMT -8
NASCAR could subsidize a bunch of trains just as they subsidize parking for their fans. Considering NASCAR and alcohol go together like Siskel and Ebert, that would have been a smart thing to do.
I hope they set up a ton of DUI checkpoints around the perimeter of the speedway.
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