I sat on the platform in the shade and when I knew Surfliner 774 was about due I made sure everyone was behind the yellow line on the Old Town Platform. A few minutes later I cleared them back as Surfliner 583 was due to leave. Our told departure time of 3:30 PM came and went. Later I cleared everyone back again as Surfliner 785 came into Old Town for its station stop. Once it departed, everyone was waiting for our train to back into Old Town. About 4:50 PM I called Amtrak's Julie to see where Surfliner 578 was. She had it on time into Downtown San Diego and I asked for details. I learned the last report was on time out of Irvine. A few minutes later, I learned that Surfliner 578 had killed someone south of Irvine. I visited with other passengers on the platform as we all waited. I talked with Carol Walker and Bob Riskie tried to keep us all informed with his conductor's radio. I walked across to the Coke Machine for a beverage before returning to the platform. I talked with Tom and Kelly then checked my e-mail via Steve's computer. I talked with off duty Amtrak Engineer Doug Buslerd as time continued to pass. Our train crew arrived and had their job briefing. Just after 6 PM we all spotted something coming down the rails towards us
The Santa Fe 3751 slowly backed our train into the Old Town Station.
As another trolley leaves for San Ysidro the train backed in to let most of the train passengers board. We were told to get on any open door and walk to our car. For me I boarded at the north end of the Silver Lariat and took a left back right into the Pony Express.
Passengers were boarding at Old Town.
Chris Parker made his way back to the train.
Our excellent Conductor Marisol makes sure everyone is on the rear of the train.
Carol Walker in the Pony Express for a quick visit. The train was backed up further so the now front of the train passengers could board. The Santa Fe 3751 slowly backed our train into the Old Town Station.
At 6:30 PM the Santa Fe 3751 started to leave Old Town. We stopped at the road crossing and a San Diego County Coaster Sheriff spotted me and asked "How many days is it today?" I replied "4995 Days!". He said "Keep it up!" as the Santa Fe 3751 started moving and we left Old Town.
Stan Garner, owner of the Pony Express.
The Santa Fe 3751 headed out across the San Diego River.
The train was crossing the San Diego River.
The train was passing the spot where the train was stored during our time in San Diego.
The train was rolling by Mission Bay.
The Santa Fe 3751 climbed towards CP Elvira.
The train was passing under the 805 Freeway.
Our train was curving into CP Cumbres.
Cresting the grade at CP Cumbres. Now we will drop down Miramar Hill.
The look back at CP Cumbres.
The Santa Fe 3751 had no problems taking the train down Miramar Hill. I called Karen, an excellent Amtrak agent in Solana Beach, to let her know the steam train would be there in twelve minutes.
The train ran by the Soledad Lagoon.
The train was running along the Del Mar Bluff above the Pacific Ocean.
Looking down towards the beach at Del Mar. The Santa Fe 3751 flew through the Solana Beach Station and Karen was out and I yelled "Hello Karen!" and waved as we went by. Our train held the mainline at CP Farr as Surfliner 580 finally came south. At Oceanside we took the siding and went around Surfliner 582. From there we ran to our watering stop at Stuart Mesa.
The Santa Fe 3751 came into Stuart Mesa as Surfliner 784 waited for us to clear.
The watering took only twenty five minutes as I went back and visited with Steve in the Overland Trail. I was back in the Pony Express when we left Stuart Mesa and ran north to CP Songs where we had a bad meet with Surfliner 590 which made us sit for twenty three minutes. The Santa Fe 3751 took as on a nice run along the surf at San Clemente and as we turned inland I made phone calls to my friends to let them know we were coming. I called my excellent night time Amtrak Agent in Santa Ana, Marti telling her twenty two minutes from now we would be rolling through there. I called my mother and told here as well. The train traveled through Irvine and I saw Christy, Winston's daughter, out along the tracks. As the Santa Fe 3751 steamed through Santa Ana there was Marti and in my neighborhood there was my mother. In fact quite a few people were out in northeast Santa Ana to watch our train pass through. The Santa Fe 3751 steamed through Orange, Anaheim and on through Fullerton and ran nonstop to the BNSF Hobart Yard.
Two night time views of the BNSF Hobart Yard.
Bill Hattrick and his wife visited the Pony Express.
The inside of the Pony Express.
Plenty of Red Signals ahead of our train. The Santa Fe 3751 support crew aboard the Pony Express all detrained as the engine would be cut off here. We would switch Amtrak Crews and get a BNSF pilot engineer for the trip down to San Pedro.
The Santa Fe 3751 cut off of our train and after over an hour, our special train left Hobart Yard for San Pedro.
The train headed for the BNSF Connection to the Alameda Corridor and this lone section of track would be new rail mileage for me.
Once we got to the Alameda Corridor Track, my new mileage ended as we then descended into the Alameda Corridor Trench.
Two views in the Alameda Corridor Trench. We did some stop and go running as we meet two freights on the three track mainline in the trench as Sunday turned into Monday.
Signals in the Alameda Corridor Trench.
From an APT Trip to San Pedro I made down the Alameda Corridor, here is a daytime view in the Alameda Corridor Trench.
We came out of the Trench and the oil refineries were all lit up in the night.
Three more views of the oil refineries.
The train took a curve as we neared the harbor. The train was wyed and soon our Amtrak power was pushing the train down to San Pedro.
More oil refineries.
Moon over Wilmington, California.
The train took another curve.
Our train passed the many stacks of containers in the harbor area.
More stacks of containers.
Container ship loaders.
Los Angeles Harbor is truly well lit during the night hours.
A reflective pool as we entered San Pedro.
The clock on the Los Angeles Maritime Museum tells the time as we neared the end of our trip in San Pedro. The train backed into a siding and came to a stop, but we were not allowed to get off until they split the train into two sections and spotted the train into two sections. We came to a stop at 1:24 AM this early September 22, 2008 morning. This not being able to get off the train caused some people to get really upset. When we were finally allowed to get off, we all had to walk around the front of the Amtrak power. I went up the hill and found Chris Parker and said goodnight to him. I walked back to the Crowne Plaza and found Steve and Barbara after they gave Carol a ride to her car. Steve took the all freeway route back home to Santa Ana and I said goodbye to Steve and Barbara. As I walked into the house, I thought it had been a great but long day of train riding behind the Santa Fe 3751 and the Amtrak power to San Pedro. I went to bed at 2:43 AM but had to get up for work at 5:55 AM.
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