Rail Must Be Part of Transit Solution
* Re “Residents Rail Against Train Plan,” Sept. 28:
The mainline rail track between L.A. and San Diego has existed for a long time, longer than the homes near the interchange of the Santa Ana and Garden Grove freeways.
It is unfair to build next to the railroad track and then complain about the noise and protest about double tracking.
The single track between Orange and Santa Ana is a big bottleneck both for Metrolink and Amtrak and causes daily delays to passengers.
It is a shame that while hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent on building six- or 10-lane freeways, rail has been completely neglected and the main line between Los Angeles and San Diego is still single track for more than half of its run.
It is truly amazing that these residents buy homes next to the railroad tracks and then protest about needed capacity expansion.
The need of the hour is a well-balanced transportation system, and well-thought-out rail expansion is a critical part of that system.
LINUS LAWRENCE
Costa Mesa
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
