$188 million was just spent building a new train station for Anaheim — including new platforms.
Those new platforms will allow for level-platform boarding right?
No, of course not. But the planners did publish a helpful Powerpoint presentation explaining why the new station doesn’t have level-platform boarding. It reads like a confession from the planners, describing all the reasons why they suck.
Systemic Failure 
The ACA boarding procedure used at ARTIC is the same as at all other Metrolink/Amtrak stations. The reason for this is NOT given in the presentation, but is well known. The platform trackage through the station is shared with freight trains, and actual level boarding would interfere with current freight car clearance requirements. Only when the freight traffic is provided with separate tracks past the station is true level boarding possible. Note that in the ARTIC design the platforms are physically separate from the station building, so it is possible in the future (probably when the high-speed tracks are added) to correct this discrepancy with out impact on the ARTIC building itself. Comments/ corrections are welcome.
Dear Merritt,
Accommodating freight isn’t very complicated (link).
True. But this is a California-specific issue regarding clearance for employees riding on the sides of cars. An old rule still in effect that nobody has been able to change, so far. Do not know why federal rules do not override the California rule. Perhaps someone can clarify.
Merrit Mullen: No one has been able to change it because no one has tried.
Level platform boarding for compatibility with what, Amtrak, Metrolink, HSR? The planners would be rather foolish to pick anything above 8″, if there is no one height that will work for all current and future tenants.
Why isn’t the station on top of the platforms and tracks? Is there a slide about that? I question the success of a station that no one will use because people won’t want to risk a missing their train due to the 5 minute walk.