Camarillo station

Camarillo station is a passenger train station in Camarillo, California. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner between San Luis Obispo and San Diego and Metrolink's Ventura County Line between Los Angeles Union Station and Ventura–East station stop here. It is located at the foot of Ventura Boulevard at the intersection of Lewis Road, and is underneath the US Highway 101 overpass. A lengthy pedestrian overcrossing must be used to transfer between the platforms so a shorter tunnel route is planned.^[5] The first Camarillo depot was at this same location until Southern Pacific ended passenger service.

Camarillo, CA
The platform in 2014, looking southwest at Lewis Road
General information
Location	30 Lewis Road Camarillo, California United States
Coordinates	34°12′59″N 119°02′01″W
Owned by	Ventura County Transportation Commission
Line(s)	UP Santa Barbara Subdivision[1]
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	VCTC Intercity: Channel Islands, Cross County, Highway 101
Construction
Parking	406 spaces[2]
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Unstaffed, platform with shelter (overpass)
Station code	Amtrak: CML
History
Opened	February 14, 1994; 30 years ago (1994-02-14)
Passengers
FY 2023	40,346[3] (Amtrak only)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Oxnard toward San Luis Obispo Pacific Surfliner Moorpark toward San Diego      Coast Starlight does not stop here Preceding station Metrolink Following station Oxnard toward Ventura–East Ventura County Line Moorpark toward L.A. Union Station
Former services Preceding station Southern Pacific Railroad Following station Oxnard toward San Francisco Coast Line Moorpark toward Los Angeles
Proposed services[4] Preceding station Metrolink Following station Oxnard toward Goleta Ventura County Line Express Proposed Moorpark toward Moorpark or L.A. Union Station
Location

Camarillo station is served by ten Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains (five in each direction) every day, with departures evenly spaced throughout the day.^[6] Six Metrolink Ventura County Line trains (three in each direction) serve the station each weekday, running during peak hours in the peak direction of travel. On weekends, four Metrolink Ventura County Line trains (two in each direction) serve the station. Metrolink passengers also have access to all Pacific Surfliner trains through a codesharing arrangement with Amtrak.^[7]

History

When the Southern Pacific Railroad built a new line from Ventura to Los Angeles, it built a depot to serve the Rancho Camarillo. It was a Southern Pacific two-story design, similar to the still existing Santa Susana Depot built on the same line. It was located where the current Ventura Freeway overpass is today. While the overpass was being built in 1955, the depot building was shifted further along the track closer to the old Ventura Boulevard rail crossing. Passenger service stops in Camarillo ended on the Coast line in the 1960s. The depot was offered to the City of Camarillo, but no location could be found to preserve it, so it was demolished in the 1970s. The Ventura Boulevard rail crossing was removed with the opening of the Ventura Freeway.

The Amtrak Coast Starlight train passed through Camarillo in the 1970s and 1980s, but did not stop for passengers. The location was an empty lot used for transloading box cars for many years. The short-lived CalTrain service also passed through Camarillo without stopping.

A temporary platform opened at the station on February 14, 1994, as part of the emergency expansion of service on the Ventura County Line in response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake.^[8] Amtrak's San Diegan trains (later renamed the Pacific Surfliner) began stopping in Camarillo on October 30, 1994.^[9]

References

1. SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. p. 15.
2. "Camarillo Train Station". Metrolink. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
3. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of California" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
4. Fowler, Carl (May 9, 2024). "Santa Barbara agency asks for agreement for launch of Metrolink service". Trains. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
5. Varela, Brian J. (June 16, 2023). "Pedestrian tunnel at Camarillo train station gets green light". Ventura County Star. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
6. "Pacific Surfliner Timetable" (PDF). Pacific Surfliner. October 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
7. "Metrolink Timetable" (PDF). Metrolink. October 23, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
8. McDonald, Jeff (February 14, 1994). "Camarillo Metrolink Station Opens Today". Los Angeles Times. p. B1. Retrieved July 7, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Catania, Sara (October 24, 1994). "Amtrak to Begin Camarillo Service". Los Angeles Times. p. B3. Retrieved July 7, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Media related to Camarillo station at Wikimedia Commons

• Camarillo, CA – Amtrak
• Camarillo, CA – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
• Camarillo – Metrolink