Counties Warned Not to Be Left Standing at Station on Rail Route

Government leaders in Ventura and Los Angeles counties should move quickly to acquire an old rail line that connects Ventura and Santa Clarita so that it can be reserved for future passenger and freight trains, a consultant urged Friday.

The restored rail line could take workers from across Ventura County to downtown Los Angeles by connecting to the Metrolink system in Santa Clarita. It could also carry people to Magic Mountain or Ventura’s beaches on weekends, according to the report presented to the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

But the cost of the rail project would be high, and the scarcity of funds makes it unlikely that new trains could be running on the line before 2000, transportation officials said.

Still, some area leaders believe it is important to secure the route now, before it is blocked by new houses and businesses.

“That, I would totally support,” said Ventura County Supervisor Vicky Howard, a Transportation Commission member. “I’m constantly telling people that we can’t think five years ahead or 10 years ahead. We have to think long-term.”

At Friday’s meeting, rail consultant Richard L. Tower Jr., whose firm studied the proposed Ventura-Santa Clarita service, cautioned that there could be too few passengers or potential freight customers along the route to justify the expense.

Howard agreed: “I tend to question the ridership they would have. I would support it if there was the demand and the need for it.”

During a separate meeting earlier in the week, four of Santa Clarita’s five City Council members said they support the idea of a rail link with Ventura.

“To me, rail service is a real plus,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Jan Heidt. “It’s not growth-inducing at all. Frankly, I’d rather do this than build another freeway, which takes up a lot more space than a rail line.”

The lone dissenter was Councilwoman Jill Klajic, who objected to running trains along the Santa Clara River. “I want to see that river remain natural and undisturbed,” she said.

Klajic also complained that the proposed route would cross several Santa Clarita streets at grade level, creating new traffic jams. She said the rail line would also bring more people and more housing to the area.

The proposed Ventura-Santa Clarita rail line would follow the existing Southern Pacific tracks, running about 29 miles between Ventura and Piru. The remaining eight miles of this route into Saugus would be along a railroad right of way that is no longer in use. The land is owned by the Newhall Land & Farming Co.

The consultant’s report suggested that the Southern Pacific stretch, which is used infrequently, could be purchased for about $10 million. Newhall Land would probably sell an easement to allow the route to continue into Santa Clarita, the report said.

Upgrading the existing tracks and installing new ones into Santa Clarita could cost almost $45 million, the report said. Building seven new stations and buying three new passenger trains could cost another $32 million.

Funding for these projects is uncertain because most existing state rail bond money is already committed, and there is wide competition for other transportation dollars.

Voters in Los Angeles County have approved two half-cent sales tax increases that could be tapped for its part of the project, but Ventura County voters rejected such an extra tax.

If the funds can be found, supporters say, a Ventura-Santa Clarita rail line could provide a key new link in the regional transportation system. Under a proposed timetable prepared by the consultant, a commuter might board a train in Ventura at 6:45 a.m., arrive in Fillmore at 7:23 and Saugus at 7:47.

The rider would then follow the present Metrolink route to downtown Los Angeles, arriving at 8:45 a.m.

“I think the people of Fillmore would probably like the idea of having rail service through the city, just to be able to get into Los Angeles without having to drive,” Fillmore Mayor Michael McMahan said. “I think it’s a great idea that the transportation commission is trying to buy (the route) to save the access.”

But he added, “I’m not sure there’s enough people in Fillmore and Santa Paula right now to justify building it.”

Times staff writer Jeff Prugh contributed to this story.