Pomona

Two historic railroad corridors, two modern passenger-rail stations, and a richly layered Southern California transportation landscape.

Overview

Pomona occupies a distinctive position in Southern California railroad history and serves as a gateway to the Inland Empire. Southern Pacific and Santa Fe built separate east-west routes through different parts of the city. That pattern remains visible today through Pomona-Downtown on the former Southern Pacific corridor and Pomona-North on the former Santa Fe corridor.

Pomona-Downtown is served by Amtrak’s Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle and Metrolink’s Riverside Line. Pomona-North is served by Metrolink’s San Bernardino Line and the Los Angeles Metro A Line.

Quick Facts

LocationPomona, California
Principal StationsPomona-Downtown; Pomona-North
Historic RailroadsSouthern Pacific; Santa Fe; Pacific Electric
Intercity ServicesAmtrak Sunset Limited; Texas Eagle (through cars since 1986)
Regional ServicesMetrolink Riverside Line; Metrolink San Bernardino Line
Urban RailLos Angeles Metro A Line (Pomona North, since September 19, 2025)
Freight OperatorsUnion Pacific; BNSF local service
Downtown Depot1940 Mission / Spanish Colonial Revival building
Surviving DepotsSouthern Pacific downtown depot; Santa Fe depot near Pomona-North
MuseumRailGiants Train Museum at Fairplex

Historical Background

Southern Pacific and the Founding of Pomona

Southern Pacific built its main line through the area in the late 1870s, helping establish Pomona as an agricultural center associated with citrus, grapes, olives, packing, processing, and produce shipping.

Santa Fe Establishes a Second Corridor

About a decade later, Santa Fe built a separate railroad through North Pomona. The distinct Southern Pacific and Santa Fe alignments remain central to the city’s railroad geography.

Pacific Electric

Pacific Electric interurban service added a third layer of railway history, connecting North Pomona with Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and other inland communities.

Former Union Pacific Depot

Pomona once had a distinctive Union Pacific passenger station. The building no longer survives and is believed to have been demolished during the late 1960s or early 1970s. The exact demolition date, former location, architecture, and service history should be confirmed through local records, photographs, maps, and timetables.

Pomona-Downtown

Pomona-Downtown occupies the former Southern Pacific route and combines a historic depot, limited long-distance Amtrak service, Metrolink Riverside Line trains, Union Pacific freight operations, bus connections, and an elevated pedestrian bridge.

Historic Depot

The 1940 depot was designed by Donald Parkinson in Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles, with stucco walls, red tile roofs, a central tower, and an arcade. Amtrak continued serving Pomona with the Sunset Limited after 1971; through cars of the Texas Eagle began in 1986, and Metrolink Riverside Line service at the station began on February 5, 2001.

Passenger and Freight Operations

  • Amtrak Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle
  • Metrolink Riverside Line
  • Union Pacific freight trains
  • Passenger-freight interactions
  • Parallel tracks, signals, and junction infrastructure

Pomona-North

Pomona-North occupies the former Santa Fe corridor and is served by Metrolink’s San Bernardino Line and the Los Angeles Metro A Line. The station area also preserves Santa Fe, former Amtrak, and Pacific Electric history. Metro A Line light-rail service to Pomona North began on September 19, 2025, creating a joint Metro/Metrolink hub.

Historic Services

Amtrak trains formerly stopped at the Santa Fe station: the Las Vegas Limited in 1976, the Desert Wind from 1979 until its rerouting in May 1986, and the Southwest Chief until it was rerouted via Fullerton in January 1994.

  • Santa Fe main-line passenger trains
  • Former Amtrak Super Chief, Southwest Limited, Southwest Chief, Desert Wind, and Las Vegas Limited service
  • Pacific Electric routes toward San Bernardino and Riverside

BNSF Local Freight Service

BNSF continues to operate local freight service over the former Santa Fe line in North Pomona, reaching west to the brewery area. This industrial service adds a freight component to a corridor now better known for Metrolink and Metro passenger operations.

Potential subjects include local switching, freight cars for remaining customers, and the contrast among BNSF freight, Metrolink commuter rail, and Metro light rail. Operating patterns vary, and observation should remain within public areas.

Two Stations, Two Railroad Traditions

  • Pomona-Downtown: former Southern Pacific, Amtrak, Riverside Line, Union Pacific freight
  • Pomona-North: former Santa Fe, San Bernardino Line, Metro A Line, Pacific Electric history

Los Angeles County Fair and Fairplex

The Fairplex area has influenced transportation demand and special-event rail activity. Future WRA research should examine fair trains, special Metrolink service, railroad displays, and Fairplex-area infrastructure.

RailGiants Train Museum

RailGiants Train Museum is located at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Its collection includes preserved steam and diesel locomotives, passenger and freight rolling stock, the historic Arcadia depot, library archives, and railroad memorabilia.

Notable equipment includes Southern Pacific No. 5021, Union Pacific No. 9000, and a Union Pacific Centennial diesel. The museum also preserved Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 before it returned to Union Pacific for restoration to operation.

See the RailGiants Train Museum page for the museum’s collection and history; this page explains its relationship with Fairplex and Pomona’s broader railroad history.

Railfan and Photography Information

  • Historic downtown depot
  • Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle
  • Metrolink Riverside and San Bernardino lines
  • Union Pacific freight trains
  • Pomona-North Metrolink and Metro transfers
  • Former Santa Fe depot
  • Pacific Electric history
  • Pedestrian bridge views
  • Night photography
  • Then-and-now comparisons
  • BNSF local freight in North Pomona
  • RailGiants Train Museum

    • Related Railroads

    Related Locations

    Gallery

    Photo gallery coming soon.

    • Pomona-Downtown depot
    • Amtrak long-distance trains
    • Metrolink and Union Pacific operations
    • Pomona-North
    • Metro A Line
    • Former Santa Fe depot
    • Pacific Electric history
    • Fairplex service
    • Historic maps and comparisons

    Western Rail Archive Notes

    Pomona should become one of WRA’s principal Los Angeles County pages and a gateway to the Inland Empire. A clear map explaining its two active corridors will be essential to the final article.

    Archive Status

    Page StatusCategoryRegionGallery
    Foundational ArticleLocationsLos Angeles CountyIn Development