Via Princessa (Metrolink station)
Encyclopedia
Via Princessa is a Metrolink
rail station
located in the city of Santa Clarita
, California
. It is served by Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line
from Los Angeles
Union Station
to Lancaster
.
Prior to the Northridge earthquake
in 1994 the Metrolink line terminated at the Santa Clarita station
with plans to eventually extend the line north to the Antelope Valley
. Immediately following the earthquake, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority made the decision to extend the line in order to help relieve the traffic bottleneck
caused by the collapse of the south-bound connector of State Route 14
to the south-bound interstate 5
in the Newhall Pass. The passenger platform
and automobile parking lot
for the station were constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
in a matter of days following the earthquake. In October 2008 a permanent building containing public restrooms and an office for station security officers was also constructed. This building replaced temporary facilities that had served the station since it was first established.
22 Metrolink trains now serve the station each weekday along with 12 more on Saturdays and 6 on Sunday. Sunday service began in September 2007. Weekday Metrolink service runs primarily at peak hours in the peak direction of travel while weekend departures and arrivals are fairly evenly spaced throughout the day.
City of Santa Clarita Transit provides very limited direct local bus service to the station. The trips are timed to meet the trains, in the morning hours 5 trips from Canyon Country drop off passengers at the station and in the afternoon 4 trips to Canyon Country pick up passengers at the station. All passengers on the midday trains or going to the communities of Newhall and Friendly Valley must use the bus stops on Sierra Highway at Via Princessa, approximately 0.3 miles away.
Bikeway:
Metrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
rail station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
located in the city of Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is served by Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line
Metrolink Antelope Valley Line
The Antelope Valley Line is a commuter rail line that serves the Northern Los Angeles County area as part of the Metrolink system. The line is presently more rural in character because it travels through the sparsely populated Soledad Canyon between Santa Clarita and Palmdale, serving the small...
from Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
to Lancaster
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
.
Prior to the Northridge earthquake
Northridge earthquake
The Northridge earthquake was a massive earthquake that occurred on January 17, 1994, at 04:31 Pacific Standard Time in Reseda, a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, lasting for about 10–20 seconds...
in 1994 the Metrolink line terminated at the Santa Clarita station
Santa Clarita (Metrolink station)
Santa Clarita is a Metrolink rail station in the city of Santa Clarita, California. It is served by Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line from Los Angeles Union Station to Lancaster. 24 Metrolink trains serve the station each weekday and 8 serve the station on Saturdays. Sunday service began in...
with plans to eventually extend the line north to the Antelope Valley
Antelope Valley
The Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
. Immediately following the earthquake, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority made the decision to extend the line in order to help relieve the traffic bottleneck
Bottleneck
A bottleneck is a phenomenon where the performance or capacity of an entire system is limited by a single or limited number of components or resources. The term bottleneck is taken from the 'assets are water' metaphor. As water is poured out of a bottle, the rate of outflow is limited by the width...
caused by the collapse of the south-bound connector of State Route 14
California State Route 14
State Route 14 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, largely in the Mojave Desert. The southern portion of the highway is signed as the Antelope Valley Freeway. The route connects Interstate 5, or Golden State Freeway, near Santa Clarita and with U.S. Route 395 near...
to the south-bound interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
in the Newhall Pass. The passenger platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
and automobile parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
for the station were constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
in a matter of days following the earthquake. In October 2008 a permanent building containing public restrooms and an office for station security officers was also constructed. This building replaced temporary facilities that had served the station since it was first established.
22 Metrolink trains now serve the station each weekday along with 12 more on Saturdays and 6 on Sunday. Sunday service began in September 2007. Weekday Metrolink service runs primarily at peak hours in the peak direction of travel while weekend departures and arrivals are fairly evenly spaced throughout the day.
City of Santa Clarita Transit provides very limited direct local bus service to the station. The trips are timed to meet the trains, in the morning hours 5 trips from Canyon Country drop off passengers at the station and in the afternoon 4 trips to Canyon Country pick up passengers at the station. All passengers on the midday trains or going to the communities of Newhall and Friendly Valley must use the bus stops on Sierra Highway at Via Princessa, approximately 0.3 miles away.
Connections
City of Santa Clarita Transit:- Local: 1, 2
Bikeway:
- Santa Clara River TrailSanta Clara River TrailThe Santa Clara River Trail is a rail trail that is used as a paved bicycle and walking path located in the city of Santa Clarita, California.The path is currently approximately in length and generally runs in an east-west direction and closely follows the path of the Santa Clara River and Soledad...
- There is an entrance on Whites Canyon Road, approximately a 0.7 mile ride north of the station.