Amtrak Finally Puts Simi Valley On the Rail Map

While a high school band played “Take the A Train”, a silver train pulled up to a brand-new platform in Simi Valley on Sunday to the applause of about 100 people.

The occasion was the inauguration of Amtrak’s new stop between Glendale and Oxnard on its Los Angeles-to-Seattle Coast Starlight run. The stop had been long sought by city officials as a way to give residents a new mode of transportation to and from Simi Valley.

“This is one of the most exciting moments of my life,” said Councilwoman Vicky Howard, who was instrumental in adding Simi Valley to the 30 Amtrak stops between California and Washington.

All of Simi Valley’s dignitaries attended the celebration, as did state Sens. Ed Davis (R-Valencia) and Alan Robbins (D-North Hollywood) and Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley).

The City of Simi Valley and the California Department of Transportation divided the cost of building the $190,000 platform at Los Angeles and Surveyor avenues. The 300-foot-long, 15-foot-wide platform was built in 20 days.

The train will stop in Simi twice a day--once in each direction--for five minutes. It is the only stop between Glendale and Oxnard. The northbound train is scheduled to pull in at 10:50 a.m.; the train going south to Los Angeles is expected to arrive at 5:40 p.m.

City officials hope that Simi Valley will also be a stop if Amtrak’s San Diego-to-Los Angeles commuter run is expanded to Santa Barbara.

Ridership Expectations

During the first year of service through the city, Amtrak is hoping for at least six passengers a day to board in Simi.

“If we don’t average six passengers, we’ll have to talk to the City of Simi about how to increase ridership,” said Art Lloyd, Amtrak’s director of public affairs.

Howard said that, judging from the enthusiasm displayed at the maiden stop--and the eight passengers who boarded--she is not worried about meeting the goals.

“If we knew that every time the train stopped, four or five people got on, I would be really pleased.”