Thursday, October 9, 2008
The terrible Metrolink tragedy in Chatsworth a few weeks ago is something we hope we will never see again. Our condolences and thoughts go toward the families of the more than two dozen people who lost their lives, and we hope the many others who were injured in the accident recover soon.
This disaster also sheds significant light on the need for an overhaul of the entire corridor, both in safety measures and its basic infrastructure. The decisions made now by the various policy stakeholders will determine the future health of commuter rail in Southern California, as well as in our own Santa Barbara/Ventura region.
Amtrak’s Surfliner and Metrolink commuter trains are success stories in the most unlikely state. In the birthplace of the “freeway,” we find the second busiest passenger rail system in the United States. Ridership is increasing by leaps and bounds. But in the wake of the Metrolink crash, how can we ensure that people will continue to rely on train service for their commute to work?
The answer is not simple. Though successful, the passenger rail system between San Luis Obispo and San Diego has been pieced together by multiple public agencies using both public and private rail lines with minimal funding. Much of the system is single track (one train needs to pull over in order for two trains to pass). The stretch between Santa Barbara and Ventura counties is some of the most antiquated in the country. Little has changed since the 1920s, where in some locations, conductors are still stopping trains to physically flip the switch in order to move over to a siding and wait for the freight train to pass.
Human error without a back-up system at a blind curve on single track appears to have led to the devastation in Chatsworth. Compare this to European nations and elsewhere in the United States that have multiple tracks and frequent sidings. This allows safe movement in both directions, provides places for slower trains to pull over for faster ones, and increases capacity for the rail corridor overall.
The Metrolink collision has spurred legislation that practically would take out human error from the equation: the creation of secondary systems that would stop automatically a train approaching a red light. Some experts are concerned that the current focus and cost of requirements for a human-proof operating system will trump needed expenditures for double track. They argue that double track not only significantly decreases the likelihood of a head-on collision, but also dramatically improves on-time performance and the capacity of the corridor to move goods and people.
However, these two fundamental safety improvements of a modern railway system should not be pitted against each other. Both are essential, for our safety and for a viable commuter rail program to continue and expand.
What does this mean locally? First, community leaders and regional policymakers must continue their advocacy for a viable, commuter-friendly rail system as part of an effective transportation system within and between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. To that end, a coalition of cities, transportation agencies, and business interests has joined forces to create On-TRAC: A Plan of Transit/Rail Action for Commuters.
On-TRAC includes a strategy to establish commuter-friendly train and express bus service between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. With this option in place, people will have greater flexibility and less expense getting to work. Instead of being stuck in traffic while freeway construction drags on, train riders will have a front-row seat for coastal vistas and a faster commute time.
Also, the November 4 election gives Santa Barbara County voters the opportunity to pass Measure A, a continuation of the half-cent sales tax for transportation expenditures. One of the many transportation benefits in Measure A will be $25 million for commuter rail improvements. Combined with the ability to leverage state and federal funding for capacity and safety improvements, On-TRAC will lay the groundwork required to adjust existing train schedules to better service freeway commute times.
Our hope is for the best possible outcome to a horrible tragedy: that we can now make the much-needed investments in our rapidly growing regional transit system; that we can capitalize on future funding opportunities to make train travel safer and more efficient; and that we can provide better commute and travel options for all of us.
Helene Schneider, Grant House, and Roger Horton comprise the City of Santa Barbara’s subcommittee on commuter rail.