Irvine
The Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station opened on April 19, 2002 (Dave McKibben, "The Region: O.C. Metrolink Is on a Roll; Rail Service: Tenth Station is set to open Friday with two more in the works. Goal is to get more south county commuters off roads" L.A. Times, April 17, 2002, Link). Amtrak began limited service to the station on October 29, 2007 (Select Amtrak Pacific SurflinerTrains Stop at Two New Locations in Orange County, Amtrak News Release, October 31, 2007, Link) and today one train in each direction stops mainly for monthly Metrolink Rail2Rail customers but Amtrak does sell regular one-way and round-trip tickets to the station. The station was built with and presently has two through tracks although the line south of the station becomes just a single track. The entire train line from here north to Los Angeles is now 2 tracks to Fullerton and 3 north of Fullerton. On April 4, 2011 (Unconfirmed Message Board, Transittalk) a third siding track opened (track 1A) which allows trains to terminate in the station without blocking the main line. Weekday southbound train service presently at the station on the Orange County Line and Inland Empire Orange County Line is 8 round-trips south to Oceanside, 7 trains that terminate at the station, and one that continues to San Juan Capistrano before terminating. Northbound is 3 trips to San Bernardino, 2 Riverside, 8 to Union Station, and the 3 evening OCTA sponsored trips just to Fullerton.
The platform configuration is basically two side platforms for the two through tracks, with the northbound track 1 becoming an island platform when the bumper track 1A begins north of the main portion of the station, the platform for track 1A continues north of the end of the platform for track 1 with a fence between it and track 1. There are a series of six small modern turquoise canopies covering benches with none along Southbound track 2. The platforms are connected by an underpass a bit beyond the bumper-block of track 1A. Access is via wide landscaped staircases at each end to just beyond the platform and an elevator directly up to each platform. The track 1/1A side of the station is directly along a street, Camino Capistrano, and has a bus a stop. Just beyond the auto dealerships across from the station is the I-5 San Diego Freeway with an entrance south of the station. The track 2 southbound side of the station leads from its underpass entrance to the station's bus loop and then a 323 space park & ride lot that begins at the station and runs south. The northern end of the platform is along what looks like a lumber yard, Sepulvenda Building Materials, and this side of the station's only shelter is a canopy over the TVMs by the staircase down to the underpass away from the platform.
January 2013: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Stops Discontinued because of Changes in the Rail2Rail program
Photos 1-2 taken on 23 March, 2011, 3-34 on 17 February, 2012
