three county agencies, LACTC, SANBAG and RCTC, looked in another
direction. They approached Union Pacific (UP) about purchasing track
and operating rights that would allow commuter rail service from Los
Angeles into the Riverside/San Bernardino area. In late July 1991,
a $17 million agreement was reached for the purchase of four miles
of right-of-way on the east bank of the LA River and commuter rail
operating rights on UP's LA subdivision from Los Angeles to Riverside.
The agreement also included a $33 million requirement to fund right-
of-way second track and siding construction. Negotiations with ATSF
continued to prove difficult, and it was not until June 18, 1992, that
a $500 million agreement to purchase ATSF rights-of-way and an
operating easement was reached. In addition, another $80 million in
capacity improvements were required by the agreement.
approved the $51 million purchase of 40 bi-level passenger train cars
from the Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC), a
Canadian-based manufacturer. Meanwhile, negotiations were under
selected as the manufacturer because it provided the cleanest burning, low-emission diesel engines in the
nation at the time. Amtrak was selected to operate the future commuter trains.
(SCRRA), the joint powers authority that governs Metrolink, was formed.
It was made up of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (Metro) (LACTC had been absorbed by Metro), Orange County
Transportation Authority (OCTA), Riverside County Transportation
Commission (RCTC), San Bernardino Associated Governments
(SANBAG) and Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC). In
November 1991, the SCRRA chose the name "Metrolink" as the official
name of Southern California's future commuter rail agency.
for Metrolink to begin operations in 1992. The agency would go on to
operate over three routes on its opening day: the Ventura County Line
from Los Angeles to Moorpark, the Santa Clarita Line from Los Angeles
to Santa Clarita and the San Bernardino Line from Los Angeles to
Pomona. Metrolink would make stops at 11 stations along its first three
into law by Governor George
Deukmejian in mid-1990
to encourage Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside and San
Bernardino counties to develop
a coordinated multicounty rail
and bus transportation plan.
The bill was spearheaded
by Senator Robert Presley
(D-Riverside), who was
given the idea for the law by
Riverside County transportation
planners working with the other
transportation agencies on
starting up the commuter rail
service.
the Art Center College of Design
in Pasadena worked eight long
weeks under the direction of
instructor and professional
designer Julie Kalash to come
up with proposed railcar and
logo designs, as well as a name
for Southern California's future
commuter rail service. The
winning proposal was submitted
by 25-year-old Gretchen Barnes.
"I tried to create a feeling
of motion, linkage and two-
directional capacity," said Barnes.
"The name Metrolink emphasizes
the five-county connection,
conveying a much-needed
solution for urban sprawl."