Santa Ana (Amtrak station)
Encyclopedia
Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (its official name) is a passenger rail station and transportation center in Santa Ana, California
. It is used by Amtrak
's Pacific Surfliner
and Metrolink
's Orange County Line
and Inland Empire-Orange County Line
trains. It is also a Greyhound
station and a hub for the Orange County Transportation Authority
bus system as well as a terminal for several Mexican
bus tour companies.
When the station opened on September 7, 1985 it was the largest new rail station built in the United States since the completion of the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
circa 1955. The center was erected on the site of a former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
combination depot that had been constructed in 1939 and closed in 1982.
The last scene in the movie Rain Man
, starring Dustin Hoffman
and Tom Cruise
, was filmed at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center.
In FY2010 Santa Ana was the 22nd-busiest of Amtrak's 73 California stations, boarding or detraining an average of about 420 passengers daily.
, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
and the Southern California Association of Governments
, hopes to build a new transit line west from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, then northwest along the West Santa Ana Branch across the county line to the intersection of the Metro Blue Line and the Metro Green Line, then possibly north to Los Angeles Union Station
. Possible modes being studied include bus rapid transit
, light rail
, and high-speed rail
.
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
. It is used by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Pacific Surfliner
Pacific Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner is a Amtrak regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo....
and Metrolink
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....
's Orange County Line
Metrolink Orange County Line
The Orange County Line is a commuter rail line run by Metrolink from Los Angeles through Orange County to Oceanside in San Diego County, connecting with the Coaster commuter rail service to San Diego...
and Inland Empire-Orange County Line
Metrolink Inland Empire-Orange County Line
The Inland Empire–Orange County Line is a commuter rail line run by Metrolink in Southern California. It runs from San Bernardino through Orange County to Oceanside in northern San Diego County....
trains. It is also a Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
station and a hub for the Orange County Transportation Authority
Orange County Transportation Authority
The Orange County Transportation Authority is the public sector transportation planning body and mass transit service provider for Orange County, California. Its ancestor agencies include not only the prior Orange County Transit District but also such diverse entities as the Pacific Electric...
bus system as well as a terminal for several Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
bus tour companies.
When the station opened on September 7, 1985 it was the largest new rail station built in the United States since the completion of the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal is the main train station in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is served by Amtrak passenger trains, and played a role in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.- History :...
circa 1955. The center was erected on the site of a former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
combination depot that had been constructed in 1939 and closed in 1982.
The last scene in the movie Rain Man
Rain Man
Rain Man is a 1988 drama film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son,...
, starring Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
and Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, was filmed at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center.
In FY2010 Santa Ana was the 22nd-busiest of Amtrak's 73 California stations, boarding or detraining an average of about 420 passengers daily.
West Santa Ana Branch (Pacific Electric Right-of-Way)
The Orange County Transportation AuthorityOrange County Transportation Authority
The Orange County Transportation Authority is the public sector transportation planning body and mass transit service provider for Orange County, California. Its ancestor agencies include not only the prior Orange County Transit District but also such diverse entities as the Pacific Electric...
, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
and the Southern California Association of Governments
Southern California Association of Governments
The Southern California Association of Governments is the metropolitan planning organization of six of the ten counties in Southern California, serving Imperial County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County...
, hopes to build a new transit line west from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, then northwest along the West Santa Ana Branch across the county line to the intersection of the Metro Blue Line and the Metro Green Line, then possibly north to Los Angeles 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...
. Possible modes being studied include bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
, light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, and high-speed rail
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
.