In 1991, RCTC completed the first in a series of studies evaluating the feasibility of operating one or two daily intercity rail round trips between Los Angeles and Indio. From 1991 to 2013, RCTC completed additional feasibility studies on the Coachella Valley – San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service. In July 2016, RCTC, in coordination with Caltrans and FRA, prepared and completed the Coachella Valley – San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Study Alternatives Analysis Final Report that evaluated a reasonable range of alternatives for a new intercity rail service between Los Angeles and Indio. Below is a map of the study area.

With the completion of the Alternatives Analysis Final Report, work is under way to prepare a Program Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) document that analyzes a program on a broad scale. As part of the EIS/EIR process, all interested agencies and the public at large were invited to participate in public scoping meetings held in 2016. Input received during the scoping process helped identify important issues for consideration in the Tier 1 Program EIS/EIR. These comments also helped finalize the Purpose and Need and the issues to be studied throughout the corridor.

Concurrently as the Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR, a Service Development Plan is being prepared to conceptualize how the service would operate and what infrastructure improvements would be needed to accommodate the new intercity passenger rail service.

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