Transit Center, which is already projected to see an estimated 6,200 daily boardings. Montclair’s development plans call for a transit village at the Transit Center, with a passenger terminal and shuttle buses departing every 15 minutes for Ontario International Airport and the Brightline West Station in Rancho Cucamonga. Brightline West was originally scheduled to be completed by 2028, in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, cost projections for the project recently increased from $12 billion to $21 billion, and the company is struggling to identify sources of funds for continuation of the project. Brightline East, operating between Miami and Orlando, in Florida, has also experienced significant debt and operating struggles . Earlier in the year it refinanced $985M of junior debt at a record-high 14.89% yield, reflecting deep investor concern after delaying a July 2025 interest payment on $1.2B in municipal bonds. The company, already downgraded deeper into junk by S&P and Fitch, faces falling ridership (53% below projections) and revenue (67% below estimates). The company has also dealt with cash shortfalls. Dreamstar Lines , operating as Golden Coast Express, is a private passenger rail company based in California that, in 2026, will initiate a luxury train service. The train will utilize refurbished, bi-level train cars powered by hydrogen or hybrid electric-hydrogen technology that would link Los Angeles and San Francisco with overnight passenger service. The last overnight passenger train between the two cities, Lark, stopped operating in 1968. The Golden Coast Express will operate nightly, with trains departing at 10:00 p.m. and arriving at the final destination point at 8:30 a.m. the next day. The 400-mile-long route is designed to offer comfort and convenience. Along the way, the train will pass through the rolling hills of the Bay Area, the rugged cliffs of Big Sur, and the farmland of the Central Coast. Trains would have intermediate stops at San Jose, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Onboard amenities will include two sleeping car arrangements, with passengers choosing between two-person bedrooms and private showers to spacious suites with queen beds. Families or groups can opt for larger rooms that sleep up to six travelers. A lounge with open seating and bar will offer meal service, with breakfast delivery to rooms available. Four planned classes will include family, bedroom, suite and standard. Standard class would be the highest class, equivalent to first class international flight service. Similar to the Amtrak Auto Train, Dreamstar Lines will allow passengers to bring their cars on board the train. Reservations are expected to open in early 2026 and pricing is reportedly to be competitive with the combined cost of airfare and hotels. The Transcontinental Chief , a high-speed rail line connecting major U.S. cities, New York and Los Angeles — the line is expected to go operational in May 2026, and carry several million passengers annually. Along the route are eight main stops at key stations, including the endpoints: Los Angeles, New York, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque. Counting all the intermediate stops,
the route extends across 54 cities throughout the country. Besides carrying passengers, the Transcontinental Chief would also transport truck drivers along with their tractor trailers between the West and East coasts within three days. The Transcontinental Chief would absorb routes currently served by Amtrak’s Southwest Chief and Pennsylvanian lines, which connect Southern California and New York through stops in Chicago or Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. California State Rail Plan . To help shape the development of rail service, the State of California has adopted the California State Rail Plan , establishing a long-term vision for an integrated, cohesive statewide rail system that offers efficient passenger and freight services, lays out strategies for investments and design to increase the state’s economic growth, improve quality of life, promote equity within the state’s most vulnerable and impacted communities, and advance the state’s ambitious climate action goals. Development of the Rail Plan involves collaborating effectively with State agencies, regional and local governments, transportation agencies, commuter rail operators, freight railroads, and other partners across California to implement the vision, with equity as a key goal for the Rail Plan. For additional information on the California State Rail Plan, click on the following links: Factsheet 2024 California State Rail Plan 2024 Appendix* YouTube Video of April 19,2023 State Rail Plan Workshop Presentation: State Rail Plan Workshop Introduction and Summary Presentation: Northern California Breakout Group Presentation: Southern California Breakout Group 2024 California State Rail Plan Video
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