Where Red Cars Ran, 6 Inland Cities See a Path

The Pacific Electric Railway was once the world’s largest inter-urban railway system, stretching from Santa Monica to Redlands.

Little remains of the 1,000-mile network except a few train stations, some of its trolleys, called Red Cars, in museums, and miles of vacant right of way.

But in San Bernardino County, work has begun to transform some of the rail corridors into a paved attraction for walkers, bicyclists and others.

The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail is planned as a 21-mile multipurpose trail that, if funding can be found, would cut through six cities along the former railway line from Claremont to Rialto.

Proponents predict the landscaped trail would attract 12,000 users per day -- more than the daily attendance at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Supporters say the trail would offer a badly needed recreational venue, an alternate commuting route for students and workers, and a gathering spot where residents from six diverse cities could meet.

“The trail should be a tremendous asset, because it will basically connect the places where people live, work and play,” said Laura Tohen, California director of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conversion of rail lines to walking and biking trails.

The project faces several challenges. The largest will be getting all six cities to contribute their shares of the estimated $27-million price, which would include the cost of bridges to get trail users safely across several roads and flood control channels that bisect the rail route.

Progress has been slow for a project first envisioned in the 1980s. But planners are optimistic, noting that a couple of segments have been built and are drawing regular users. More segments are expected to be built in the next year or two as federal and state funding is approved.

“A 21-mile project is going to be a long-term project,” said Dan Coleman, principal planner for Rancho Cucamonga, which is leading the local trail project.

Tohen said the San Bernardino County cities that planned to build the route faced many of the same challenges experienced by cities and counties that had already converted rail lines throughout the country.

But she said bike paths and walking trails usually became popular attractions.

“Trails restore a sense of community,” she said. “They are becoming the new front porch.”