Raymer to Bernson Double Track Project

Stefan Mayer (far right with bicycle) of Northridge claims that he takes the Metrolink to downtown LA.  He spoke at the Raymer to Bernson Double Track Project Community Open House Meeting at Lorne Street Elementary School on August 25, 2015.  In his public comment, he said that when he rides Metrolink he finds himself in an empty train car.  His reasoning for being against the double track project involves his statement that ridership on Metrolink is nowhere near capacity, therefore a second track and an expansion of commuter train schedules is unnecessary.  If you see this man on a Metrolink train car and there are other passengers there, please take a photo.

Many other Northridge residents (who live near the train tracks) spoke out in opposition to the safety improvements to at-grade crossings and upgrades to the Northridge Metrolink station.  Of the 18 residents that spoke at the meeting, Stefan was the only one who admitted to riding the train.  I would encourage all of those residents to read the latest issue of Metrolink Matters where the Woods family of Chatsworth wrote about taking their family to San Juan Capistrano on Metrolink.  The Woods family lives near the Chatsworth Metrolink station and it piqued their curiosity about the regional rail network.

Even though Mr. Woods attended Cal State Northridge, no one in his family had ever taken the train before.  They didn't know how the system worked or how far it traveled.  Once Mr. Woods did a bit of studying, he was impressed by the scope and scale of the Metrolink rail network.  They noted that while they hear loud safety horns when outside the train, from inside the train it is a completely different perspective: cool, quiet, and cozy.  With the exception of Mr. Mayer, I would encourage all residents who live near a Metrolink station to consider actually riding the train.  You may realize that your home's proximity to a commuter hub is actually an asset and not a liability.

My husband and I live 1,320 ft (as the crow flies) from the Metrolink/Amtrak railroad tracks.  The at-grade crossings at Doran St and San Fernando Road and Brazil St and San Fernando Road are less than 1,800 ft away from our house.  Our previous residence in San Diego was only 423 feet from the Amtrak rail line.  We have never had the noise problems Northridge residents described at the Double Track Project Community Open House meeting, although some residents of Northridge charactarized the distance from their homes to the tracks on the order of tens of feet.  Living 2.5 miles from the Glendale Metrolink station is one of the best features of our current home and we would not move to a new house that was not of a similar distance from a major transit hub.

If Metro has agreed to collect noise and vibration data, allow them to survey your property.  Get a quantitative readout of the noise levels from existing rail traffic.  One of your own residents stated that excessive noise was being caused by a track in disrepair, which was repaired within 24 hours of his phone call to Metro explaining the situation.  It's not possible to fight population growth, if you are tired of waiting 4 minutes at rail crossings, your time is not more valuable than anyone else's.  Commuters fill rail cars on the Ventura County line every day.  If you don't believe this, take a look at our photos on bikecar101 and tell me that you can spot an empty rail car.

Stop patting yourselves on the back for gathering an anti-train mob.  Don't tell your children that trains are dangerous ticking time bombs.  Take your children for a ride on the train like the Woods family.  Show your children that it's possible to travel to fun destinations without a car.  Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for persons under the age of 34.