We rarely give much thought to the location of a stop on a train line unless it’s one we’re using, but where that stop is located can have a big impact on a community.
Solana Beach, where I’ve lived for more than twenty years, is a laid back coastal California community of about 13,000 residents, 23 miles north of San Diego on the coast. It’s one town north of Del Mar, home of the famed Del Mar Race Track that’s been a favorite of Hollywood stars for generations, including Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante and Frank SInatra. Del Mar has always been the wealthier town, more formal with more expensive homes. It’s home to a one-mile long row of ocean-front homes on Del Mar Beach, including a newly constructed complex for Bill Gates. Solana Beach is more laid back, less formal, with more affordable housing and more casual restaurants. It’s home to two of the oldest and most famous Mexican restaurants in San Diego County, Fidel’s and Tony Jacal.
Del Mar was also home to a railroad station constructed in 1910, the first stop out of San Diego on the line to Los Angeles. It was a natural location for a station, minutes from the racetrack and the beach.
By the 1990s, outgrowing the old station, a decision was needed about where to establish a new, more modern train station to serve the growing population. Del Mar was the natural location, giving precedence to the coastal town that was home to the station for more than eighty years.
But Del Mar residents were opposed, concerned that a new train station would lead to increased tourism, more traffic, and a noisier environment, which they felt could disrupt the town’s quiet, upscale character. The town’s residents also feared that a station could lead to more construction projects and expansion and ruin its character. Del Mar residents successfully organized en masse to oppose the station, leading regional planners to look for an alternative location.
Solana Beach looked at Del Mar’s rejection as a unique opportunity to revitalize their city . They embraced the idea of locating the new station in its town. Leaders and residents were proactive in advocating for the station, recognizing the benefits of increased accessibility for its residents and reduced traffic congestion. With little hesitation, the city embraced the opportunity and quickly committed to providing and funding the necessary infrastructure and addressing environmental concerns. They saw it as a boost to the community and an opportunity to bring in new businesses.
Solana Beach found a great site for the station and free adjacent commuter parking. They proposed locating the station near the Cedros Design District, at the time a fledging group of small businesses selling home furnishings, designer flooring, and appliances, interspersed with a few art gallaries, a coffee shop and a couple of small restaurants. The area looked like a strip of quansett huts built during World War 2 and commonly found in the area as commercial greenhouse sheds growing flowers.
The Solana Beach Transit Station opened in 1994 and immediately became a success for regional transit. It was the first stop for the Amtrak Surfliner out of San Diego and offered an effortless way to travel to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. It also became a stop for the Coaster, a commuter line running between Oceanside and San Diego.
Its proximity to the Cedros Design District made it a hub for both commuters and tourists.
When visitors travel by train to visit the Del Mar Race Track during racing season or for other events held there, such as the San Diego County Fair, they embark in Solana Beach and often eat and shop in the town before taking a shuttle bus to the racetrack.
The Solana Beach Transit Station includes the rail station, a large free parking area a short walk from stores, restaurants and entertainment. The result is a beautiful building that carries the theme of the quansett huts.
Several years after being built, the second planned phase was completed, lowering the tracks by 25 feet to reduce noise and eliminate the crossing gates. Elevators, ramps and stairs have been added with expansive landscaping, creating one of California’s most attractive transit centers.
Since the station was built, the Design District has tripled in size and has become a destination for visitors and tourists. It has a West Elm furniture store and an upscale steakhouse, Rare Society. A number of financial and startup companies have opened offices in the town because commuting is so convenient. It’s where I located my startup company, Think Outside, in 1998. And a new walking and bike trail was constructed along the line from one end of the town to the other, dubbed the RailTrail.
Del Mar, meanwhile, remains connected by train tracks, but passengers can only view its scenic coastline as they pass through. But shedding the station has not eliminated its railroad issues. Tracks running along its cliffs overlooking the beach are in danger of collapsing, so the tracks will need to be rerouted away from the coast beneath the town, requiring a decade of construction work.
The difference in outcomes reflects the contrasting priorities of the two communities: Solana Beach sought to embrace a modern transit infrastructure, while Del Mar prioritized preserving its character and natural environment.
Structures resemble Quonset huts, I think from Quonset Point in RI where they were popularized at naval air station in vicinity. They were easy/cheap/quick to install and used at military bases, then spread to civilian use, esp after WWII when baby boom increased demand for classroom space and economic expansion left many businesses scrambling to find any kind of shelter in which to operate and even on college campuses to accommodate GI Bill student numbers. Yes, the station and surounding district do seem attractive. Maybe a good place to takke the train down to from my next stop in L.A.