Baysden named Omnitrans Director of Rail
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
San Bernardino-area transit provider Omnitrans has named railroad operating veteran Trischelle Baysden as director of its new passenger rail department, which in 2020 is expected to launch the nine-mile Arrow line connecting with Redlands.
Baysden brings 25 years of experience in rail operations, including the past nine years at Metrolink commuter rail service, operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. She began her railroad career with BNSF, working her way up from brakeman/footboard yardmaster to chief dispatcher over a 16-year span. Her background includes conducting, engineering, dispatching, scheduling, and federal compliance work.
Baysden, Director of Rail, and Rail Safety & Compliance Officer Loretta Rains currently comprise the entire Omnitrans rail division. Their focus over the next year will be to work with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) on construction, vehicle acquisition and selection of an Arrow service operator for Omnitrans.
The Arrow will serve stations at the University of Redlands, downtown Redlands, New York St., Tippecanoe Ave., and the multimodal San Bernardino Transit Center. Arrow trains will operate daily, arriving every 30 minutes at peak times, and 60 minutes off peak. The service will use DMUs, and according to Omnitrans will “have the flexibility to evolve to the next generation of all electric-powered trains, offering the first of its kind in California.”
Baysden earned a Bachelor of Science in Business/Project Management from the University of Phoenix and in 2018 expects to complete a Master of Science in Transportation Management from the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University.
