The dramatic increase in ridership on the Metrolink commuter rail system during the weeks after the Northridge earthquake is proof positive that every cloud has a silver lining.

Since the Northridge earthquake, our entire nation is talking about Metrolink. Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena has continually praised the Metrolink system, stating that Metrolink is the perfect example of what works well in the time of a crisis.

Additionally, he applauded Metrolink's successful efforts in opening up three new stations in one week's time to accommodate all the people who work in the Burbank, Glendale and downtown Los Angeles area.

Fortunately for Orange County residents, on March 28, Orange County's commuter rail service will join the Metrolink system with three daily round-trip train trips from Oceanside to downtown Los Angeles.

Trains will stop at San Juan Capistrano, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Fullerton and the City of Commerce before arriving in Los Angeles. Five more stations will open throughout the next two years. These future stations will be located in San Clemente, Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo, Tustin, Buena Park and Norwalk. Additionally, the Orange County Transportation Authority is working on implementing commuter rail from Riverside to Irvine.

Metrolink predicts that about 2,000 riders from Orange County will use the new service when it opens in March. Like riders on other Metrolink routes, Orange County passengers may transfer free to a variety of other transit systems, including the Metro Red Line subway in downtown Los Angeles. The Orange County Transportation Authority is rerouting commuter buses to serve the Metrolink stations along the route within Orange County.

Last month's earthquake definitively demonstrated that Metrolink needs to be one of the many options available to Orange County commuters. In addition to a comprehensive commuter rail system, transit ways, express buses and feeder bus systems will be implemented soon.

Transportation demand management strategies such as alternative work hours and telecommuting (using telecommunications technology to connect workers to the main office from their home or from a satellite office close to their home) also need to be employed to augment existing efforts.

Urban rail, as opposed to the Metrolink commuter rail system, provides local transit service throughout the day at frequent intervals with trains stopping at stations spaced a mile apart. Urban rail may be a good long-term solution to Orange County's transportation needs.