Pomona station (California)

Pomona station, also called Pomona–Downtown station, (/pəˈmoʊnə/ ⓘ pə-MOH-nə[4]) is a train station in Pomona, California, United States. Amtrak's Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and New Orleans and Texas Eagle between Los Angeles and Chicago via Texas, along with Metrolink's Riverside Line trains between Los Angeles and Riverside–Downtown station stop here. It is owned and operated by the City of Pomona.

For the train station in northern Pomona on Metrolink's San Bernardino Line, see Pomona–North station.
Pomona - Downtown
Amtrak Metrolink (California)
Pomona station, 2023
General information
Other names
  • Pomona–Downtown
  • Pomona Transit Center
Location100 West Commercial Street
Pomona, California
United States
Coordinates34.059188°N 117.75117°W / 34.059188; -117.75117
Owned byCity of Pomona
Line(s)UP Los Angeles Subdivision
UP Alhambra Subdivision[1]
Platforms1 island and 2 side platforms
Tracks3
Train operators
Bus routesBus transport Foothill Transit: Silver Streak, 195, 197, 280, 291, 292, 480, 482
Bus transport Omnitrans: 61
Bus stands12
Construction
Parking907 paid spaces[2]
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: POS
History
Opened1940, 2001 (Metrolink)
Passengers
FY 20221,131[3] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Los Angeles
Terminus
 Sunset Limited Ontario
toward New Orleans
Texas Eagle Ontario
toward Chicago
Preceding station Metrolink Following station
Industry
toward L.A. Union Station
 Riverside Line Ontario–East
toward Riverside–Downtown
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Alhambra
until 1975
toward Los Angeles
 Sunset Limited Ontario
toward New Orleans
Preceding station Southern Pacific Railroad Following station
Alhambra
toward Los Angeles
 Sunset Route Ontario
toward New Orleans
Location

Pomona station is served by 11 Metrolink Riverside Line trains (6 westbound, 5 eastbound) each weekday running primarily at peak hours in the peak direction of travel. There is no service on weekends.[5] The Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle operate as a single combined train, with the eastbound train stopping at the station on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 10:40 pm, and westbound trains stopping at the station on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4am.[6][7] The Riverside line follows the 60 freeway corridor while the Sunset Limited separates and follows the Alhambra Subdivision, owned by Union Pacific.

History
Exterior view of the previous Pomona Railroad Station, c. 1906

The 1940 station was designed by Donald Parkinson in the Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles.[8] Details include stuccoed walls, an arcade and red clay tile roofs.[9] It once served the main Southern Pacific Railroad line from Los Angeles to New Orleans, and the main Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad line. Currently both lines are now Union Pacific Railroad lines.

Present Day Use
The original station building c. 2006

Following the development of Metrolink in 1991, the Riverside line began using the route in 1993, planning a likely station to serve central Pomona along the corridor. Eventually, service to Downtown Pomona station officially began on February 5, 2001.[10][11]

In fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2015, an average of 221 passengers boarded Riverside Line Metrolink trains at Downtown Pomona station daily.[12] Metrolink trains board at the south platform, across the pedestrian bridge. Approximately 300 parking spaces are available for Metrolink passengers. Originally a center platform was created for additional Metrolink service facing track 2, but was abandoned around 2006 due to declining ridership.

During much of the 2010s, the local homeless population began moving around the station and the nearby area. In 2018 an Amtrak engineer was charged with the murder of two homeless men shot and killed on the South Platform.[13][14]

In 2020, it was discovered that multiple transients living in the nearby encampments had been regularly breaking into freight trains parked on the adjacent tracks.[15] The station was renovated in 2020 at a cost of $1.3 million to remove the growing homeless encampments on the North platform, in addition to repainting the bridge and removing graffiti from the opposing wall.[16]

Amtrak trains board at the North platform facing Track 3, near the station building. There are no Amtrak personnel at the station, but tickets can be picked up from the Metrolink ticket vending machines at the station so long as reservations are made in advance, either on Amtrak's web site, smartphone App, or via telephone.

Amtrak serves the station following a Union Pacific-owned freight route which redirects through El Monte and Baldwin Park to connect to the Monte Vista Rail Corridor, rather than follow the route of the Riverside Line. Of the 77 California stations served by Amtrak, Pomona had the lowest passenger traffic in Fiscal Year 2015, boarding or detraining 1,812, which corresponds to an average of approximately 5 passengers daily due to extremely inconvenient travel times to and from Los Angeles.[17]

The different Pomona–North station serves the ex Southern Pacific, Pacific Electric and Santa Fe Lines, now the Metrolink San Bernardino line.

Platforms and tracks
Side platform, doors will open on the left
Westbound/
Eastbound		 ← Amtrak Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle toward Los Angeles (Terminus)
→ Amtrak Sunset Limited toward New Orleans (Ontario) →
→ Amtrak Texas Eagle toward Chicago (Ontario) →
← UP freight trains →
Vacant island platform
Westbound/
Eastbound		 ← Metrolink (California) Riverside toward Los Angeles (Industry)
→ Metrolink (California) Riverside toward Riverside–Downtown (Ontario–East) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right

Connecting bus service

Foothill Transit uses the station as a transit center for the area, with extensive connections throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The bus depot is located near the main station building, adjacent to the North platform, across from 1st and Commercial Streets. Foothill operates a transit store and information center in the station building. Lines 195, 197, 280, 291, 292, 480, 482 provide service to the station. The Silver Streak provides express service to Downtown Los Angeles seven days a week.[18]

Omnitrans operates route 61 to the Pomona station. Foothill passes are accepted for one trip on Omnitrans, and Omni passes are accepted for one trip on Foothill at the station. The 61 also connects to Ontario Airport.

Both operators provide free rides for passengers holding a valid Metrolink ticket or pass.

The Purple line is an under construction sbX route connecting Downtown Pomona to Ontario Airport. It is expected to open in 2025,[19] with 21 stations at launch along Holt Boulevard [20]

References
  1. SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. p. 21.
  2. "Pomona–Downtown Train Station". Metrolink. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  3. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of California" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  4. "Pomona". Collins English Dictionary. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  5. "Sunset Limited Timetable" (PDF). Rail Passengers Association. April 4, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  6. "Texas Eagle Timetable" (PDF). Rail Passengers Association. April 4, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  7. Utahrails.net: Union Pacific's Parkinson Depots
  8. Great American Stations. Accessed February 15, 2013.
  9. "Downtown Pomona". Southern California Regional Rail Authority. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  10. "Metrolink Riverside Line to stop at new Downtown Pomona station". Metrolink News. Southern California Regional Rail Authority. January 31, 2001. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  11. "Metrolink Station Boardings (Average Weekday FY15 Q4)" (PDF). Metrolink. 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  12. "Amtrak Engineer found Guilty in murder of Homeless men". Los Angeles Times.
  13. "Why the Pomona Homeless service center may not be enough".
  14. "100K in cargo taken in train heists found in homeless encampments in Pomona". CBS News.
  15. "Pomona Downtown transit center to receive $1.3 million facelift".
  16. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2015 State of California" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  17. "Foothill Transit System" (PDF) (Map). Foothill Transit. November 14, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  18. "West Valley Connector O&M Agreements". omnitrans.primegov.com.
  19. "West Valley Connector" (PDF). SBCTA. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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