‘Beach Train’ Puts Commuters on a Fun Track

The first “Beach Train” rolled into San Clemente on Saturday morning, providing more than 500 Inland Empire residents a new way to beat the heat and avoid traffic hassles.

The trains, operated by MetroLink, will run every third Saturday during the summer, traveling from Rialto in San Bernardino County to San Clemente with stops along the way.

Inaugural commuters, some of whom had never been to the beach, praised the service’s convenience.

Rahdree Becker said he did not miss the traffic and enjoyed the scenery on the train ride.

“We like these beaches a lot better than L.A. beaches,” said Becker of Rialto, who brought his 3-year-old daughter along for her first-ever beach trip. “These beaches are a lot cleaner.”

Yucaipa residents Charles and Joyce Lawrence rode the train with their two 5-year-old grandchildren.

“It’s wonderful,” Joyce Lawrence said. “Everybody I talked about it at work wanted to hear a report when I get back.”

As the passengers stepped off the train, they were greeted by San Clemente officials, who see the service as a way to boost the local economy without adding traffic congestion.

“This is the beginning of a very positive partnership,” San Clemente Mayor Steve Apodaca told the passengers. “We’re really excited.”

The Beach Train was created by Carl Schiermeyer, a consultant to the Riverside Transportation Commission, as a community service for families and to promote the use of the MetroLink commuter trains. The commuter railroad runs three trains, Monday through Friday, between Riverside and Irvine and eight trains daily between Los Angeles and San Clemente.

San Clemente businessmen Rick Anderson and Jerry Lehman were enlisted by Schiermeyer to help coordinate the welcoming ceremony.

“San Clemente has an identity crisis,” Anderson said. “Our goal is to demonstrate to other cities, counties and MetroLink that we can promote this kind of relationship.”

The Riverside transportation agency is helping to underwrite the $15,000 project. Round-trip tickets are $10 per person or $35 for a family of four, with children younger than 2 riding free.

The 10-car MetroLink train departs Rialto at 8:15 a.m. and makes stops in Riverside, Corona and San Juan Capistrano before reaching the San Clemente Pier at 10:28 a.m. It will run July 20 and Aug. 17.

Lehman, owner of Epicenter Printing, printed up posters, tickets and 30,000 promotional fliers that were distributed to Inland Empire schools and to MetroLink trains. Anderson, owner Casa of Tropicana Bed and Breakfast Inn, donated raffle prizes for passengers, helped pay for a shuttle to transport the visitors to San Clemente’s downtown shopping district and rallied business support within the community.

“The response has all been positive from the City Council, citizens and beach community,” Anderson said. “MetroLink is also 100% behind this.”