A story on Amtrak a long time ago

[me_little_me]

Back in the '70s when we lived in NM, we (me, she and two little kids) took Amtrak to Disneyland. Booked a room to L.A. from El Paso. However, I looked at a map and saw that Pomona was closer to Disney so I called and changed reservation then called a rental car company to get a car there. I had visions of less hassle and shorter drive.

The trip started OK. That evening the power went out in the car and in a dark bedroom with no A/C the oldest (4) got sick. In the morning we arrived and I got the bags off as she corralled the kids. Then we looked around.

The Pomona station was a disaster; all boarded up; public phone ripped off the wall (remember no cell phones in those days); the area looked unsafe; no restaurants or other facilities nearby. Across the street was a combination Travel Agent/Trailways Bus stop so we dragged the kids and luggage. Luckily it was open (Sunday morning). I explained our situation to the agent and he let me use his phone to call the rental car people. Unfortunately the rental people had neglected to tell me they were closed on Sunday. Luckily I found a Hertz office open and they agreed to come pick me up.

While we were waiting, I asked the agent about the neighborhood. I told him our train wasn't to leave until 7:30PM and we had to return the car by 5PM when Hertz closed so they could bring us to the station. He said he was the only worker there that didn't carry a gun. Then he pulled out the biggest pistol I ever saw from under the counter and said "I keep mine under the counter"!

Needless to say upon arrival at the hotel, the first thing was to call Amtrak and change return from Pomona to LA. Thank goodness! The station in LA was big and beautiful and we could return the car right there at the station. More than that, the train was 2 hours late and we would have been standing in the dark in Pomona with two small kids, no communication and no idea when the train would come.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Someone from LA might want to chime in but fas as I can tell not much has changed in this part of the Mighty Metro Megaplex! Unless you know what you are doing Id say it's probably best to go to LAX if riding the trains into this strange and,well amazing place!

 

[LA Resident]

Someone from LA might want to chime in but fas as I can tell not much has changed in this part of the Mighty Metro Megaplex! Unless you know what you are doing Id say it's probably best to go to LAX if riding the trains into this strange and,well amazing place!

The trouble with the Pomona stop on Amtrak results from the fact that there are two other rail stops in Pomona on different lines, causing all sorts of confusion!

The Amtrak Pomona stop is on the old SP (now a UP) line and is basically a stop with a blacktop surface to get off on. There's nothing else there, as befits a place where the train only comes three times a week in each direction, westbound in the early morning and eastbound in mid-afternoon.

The North Pomona rail stop is on the old Santa Fe Super Chief/Chief/Grand Canyon/El Capitan transcon route and now Metrolink main commuter line between LAUS and San Bernardino. The new suburban station is a very busy spot most of the day and night, with parking and bus connections.

The downtown Pomona rail stop is on the UP line and is the stop that the UP City of Los Angeles/City of Las Vegas made. It's now a Metrolink stop for the commuter line between LAUS and Riverside and again, has parking and bus connections as a new suburban station.

The Amtrak Pomona stop will probably always be a stepchild and yes, it's not in the greatest of neighborhoods.

 

[LA Resident]

Someone from LA might want to chime in but fas as I can tell not much has changed in this part of the Mighty Metro Megaplex! Unless you know what you are doing Id say it's probably best to go to LAX if riding the trains into this strange and,well amazing place!

The trouble with the Pomona stop on Amtrak results from the fact that there are two other rail stops in Pomona on different lines, causing all sorts of confusion!

The Amtrak Pomona stop is on the old SP (now a UP) line and is basically a stop with a blacktop surface to get off on. There's nothing else there, as befits a place where the train only comes three times a week in each direction, westbound in the early morning and eastbound in mid-afternoon.

The North Pomona rail stop is on the old Santa Fe Super Chief/Chief/Grand Canyon/El Capitan transcon route and now Metrolink main commuter line between LAUS and San Bernardino. The new suburban station is a very busy spot most of the day and night, with parking and bus connections.

The downtown Pomona rail stop is on the UP line and is the stop that the UP City of Los Angeles/City of Las Vegas made. It's now a Metrolink stop for the commuter line between LAUS and Riverside and again, has parking and bus connections as a new suburban station.

The Amtrak Pomona stop will probably always be a stepchild and yes, it's not in the greatest of neighborhoods.

By the way, the main UP line between LA and Riverside which also serves the Metrolink commuter service between those two cities is the same line on which some of you may remember the runaway UP freight train incident occurred. The freight cars unhooked and sped westward, which is downhill all the way to LA. The cars overturned into backyards of homes in the Montebello area.