Coaster actually sprung from Metrolink to connect SD to the Metrolink terminus at Oceanside. Metro Rail is nearly useless, unless you are trying to do very specific journeys. There is no access to the Westside and very little into the Valley. That is more than half of the City of LA and much more when you add the other municipalities, that have absolutely no use for Metrorail and Metrolink is just plain slow and does not offer enough frequency In a message dated 9/14/2004 7:21:51 PM Central Daylight Time, dmueller@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes: A new light rail system has been built in LA. It's not as extensive as the old Red Car system, but it gets around. Metrolink is also there, more of a long-haul commuter train system. To compare to other California cities, Metro Rail is comparable to BART and the San Diego Trolley, and Metrolink is comparable to Caltrain and Coaster.