Arrow Line train testing begins

The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and Metrolink have begun train testing on the highly-anticipated Redlands Passenger Rail/Arrow Line.

Arrow has been more than a decade in the making, featuring new tracks, enhanced street crossings, quiet zones and improved stations. Full service is scheduled to start later this year.

For the next few weeks, Metrolink trains will be used between the San Bernardino Transit Center and the University of Redlands to test the tracks, signals at the crossings, and communication systems. Low-emission Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), which will be part of the Arrow Line, will start testing in mid-March.

Preliminary testing occurred on February 16. Full nighttime train testing will occur on Tuesday, February 22, in San Bernardino, and Wednesday, February 23, in Redlands, followed by daytime testing on Friday, February 25. Flaggers and safety personnel will be onsite to assist with traffic and pedestrians at the intersections/crossings:

• City of San Bernardino: E Street, D Street, S. Arrowhead Avenue, Sierra Way, Mill Street, Central Avenue, W. Orange Show Road, Waterman Avenue, Tippecanoe Avenue, Richardson Street, Mountain View Avenue.
   
• City of Redlands: California Street, Nevada Street, Alabama Street, Colton Avenue, Tennessee Street, New York Street, Texas Street, Eureka Street, Orange Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, 9th Street, Church Street, University Street.

The Metrolink trains being tested will vary, with up to six cars at one time being used.

There will be minimal delays during testing at the 24 intersections and crossings, and when Arrow service starts, delay times at the intersections/crossings are anticipated to be less. Sidewalks will remain open and accessible; however, pedestrians will be stopped when trains are approaching. For safety, and in compliance with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations, horns (two long, one short, one long) and bells will sound at street crossings throughout the 9-mile corridor during testing.

When Arrow service begins later this year, the routine sounding of the train horn will be eliminated by the established quiet zones throughout the corridor. However, the horn may sound at any time by the locomotive engineer, Metrolink or Arrow, for safety reasons.