El Cajon Transit Center
| Company type | Transit center |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | June 23, 1989 |
| Headquarters | El Cajon , United States |
Area served | El Cajon, California |
| Products | San Diego Trolley services (Copper, Green, Orange lines), regional and local bus services |
El Cajon Transit Center, previously known as Main & Marshall station, serves as a stop on the San Diego Trolley network, accommodating the Copper, Green, and Orange lines within the city of El Cajon, California, a suburb of San Diego. This transit center functions as a vital node for commuters, linking numerous regional and local bus services managed by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System alongside Greyhound Lines.
History
The El Cajon station commenced operations on June 23, 1989, acting as the eastern endpoint of the third segment of the East Line (currently known as the Orange Line), which stretched from downtown San Diego. On July 26, 1995, the line was extended further east to its present terminus at .
Between July 1995 and July 2005, Orange Line trains ended their routes at Santee Town Center. The introduction of the Green Line in July 2005 shifted service to Santee under its operation, resulting in the Orange Line being cut back to . Subsequently, a system-wide reconfiguration in September 2012 further reduced the Orange Line’s eastern reach to El Cajon.
Following the sale of naming rights for the Green Line to Sycuan Casino, the station adopted the name El Cajon–Sycuan; however, this designation has since been discontinued.
In 2020, investigations brought attention to significant illicit market activities occurring at this location.
The April 2018 system update extended the Orange Line westward by one stop to , coinciding with the inauguration of that station as its new western terminus. This minor extension was designed to alleviate congestion and passenger confusion at El Cajon.
In 2024, infrastructure enhancements included adding a third track and lengthening the eastern platform to support shuttle train operations terminating at this station. The newly introduced Copper Line began service on September 29, running between this platform and , enabling both Green and Orange Lines to conclude their routes here while enhancing overall operational dependability.
Station layout
This transit center comprises three tracks, each served by individual side platforms to facilitate smooth boarding and alighting processes.