New Station for Amtrak Commuters

A rail station under construction on 26th Street west of Garfield Avenue will link commuters with eight Amtrak passenger trains running between Downtown Los Angeles and five Orange County cities and San Diego.

Starting in late March or early April, four northbound and four southbound trains will stop at the station daily, serving some of the estimated 65,000 people who commute from Orange and San Diego counties.

Although the 6.6-square-mile, mostly industrial city has a residential population of 12,135, it swells to more than 77,000 on weekdays. Commerce officials could not predict how many commuters will use the service, but most are expected to come from Orange County.

“This will make it attractive for businesses to come here,” said Ira Gwin, director of the city’s Community Development Department. “To have this facility available for businesses is a plus, (when compared) to other cities where you have to drive five miles to the nearest commuter rail station.”

Six of the northbound and southbound trains will run along Amtrak’s Los Angeles-to-San Diego line, and two others will run along its Orange County commuter line. The trains serve San Juan Capistrano, Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Fullerton. The Commerce stop will be Amtrak’s first in the Southeast area.

The city will offer free bus service from the station along fixed routes so workers can reach their jobs, Gwin said.

The station will consist of a covered passenger platform with benches, lights, landscaping and parking for 300 vehicles. Passengers will buy their tickets aboard the trains.

Commerce officials estimate the cost at $600,000. The city received $235,000 in state Transportation Capital Improvement funds for the project and is making up the remainder through its redevelopment agency.