Arizona Rail Passenger Association

Ninety thousand people showed up on opening day Saturday as Metro light rail made its debut through Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe.

Curious crowds were out Sunday as well, helping push toward Metro’s prediction of nearly 200,000 riders on the rail line’s first weekend, said Hillary Foose, Metro’s public information officer, who was in the middle of the fray both days.

Rest of the story in the Busines Journal of Phoenix, 28 December 2008.

LRV 114B leads a westbound train out of the Tempe Transportation Center. Marc Pearsall photo

Opening weekend’s popularity is evident in this photo of METRO light rail in Tempe, Arizona. December 27-28, 2008 saw over 150,000 riders try out the new 20-mile train service linking Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.

Here, LRV 114B leads a westbound train out of the Tempe Transportation Center, just steps from Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium, which saw another 70,000 Kansas-Minnesota football fans crowding on and near the train for New Years Day’s Insight Bowl.

This portion of the METRO light rail is historic, as the mainline was build within the former “Creamery Branch” railroad right-of-way. Originally built through Tempe as a far flung-Santa Fe Railway subsidiary Phoenix & Eastern, the mainline from Phoenix to Tempe — and eventually Winkleman, Arizona — was turned over to Southern Pacific control in 1908. Downgraded over the years to a spur line known locally as “The Creamery Branch” due to the traffic generated by the still-standing 8th Street Dairy Creamery (Four Peaks Brewery today), the spur was abandoned by Union Pacific in 1997 when the Hayden Flour Mill in downtown Tempe closed.

METRO light rail bought the right of way in 2003 and the new Tempe Transportation Center was built upon the site of the original P&ERR depot! What is old is new again!

Awaiting departure from the park-and-ride station at Route 101

METRO LRV passes Sun Devil Stadium, 4 January 2009. Ted Miley, photo

Even after the free period which ended New Years Eve, METRO trains are carrying good loads. Here we see a train passing Sun Devil Stadium, outside the confusingly named “6th & Veterans Way” station.

Crossing Tempe Town Lake headed for Tempe and Mesa, with the 1912 Southern Pacific (UPRR) bridge to the west (right).

A train rolls down Central Avenue in Phoenix

Come to Phoenix, Tempe, or Mesa for the Grand Opening of Valley Metro’s METRO Rail (Wikipedia article).  The line begins operation at 8am on Saturday, 27 December 2008.

On display at 3d Street and Jefferson will be historic Phoenix Streetcar #116 (see the Phoenix Trolley Museum site).

Mike Branom, East Valley Tribune, 15 October 2008

Commuters and the curious will have five days, rather than just two, to ride the Valley’s new light-rail line for free.

The board of directors for Metro, the agency responsible for the 20-mile line, voted unanimously Wednesday to push back the beginning of revenue operations from Dec. 29 until New Year’s Day…

Rest of the story