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The Burrard First Trip to San Diego 11/11/2007



by Chris Guenzler



This trip was booked after I saw an ad on Trainorders.com about the Private Car Burrard making a roundtrip from Los Angeles to San Diego. I contacted them and signed on for the trip and told Chris Parker who also would join me aboard the Burrard. I bought an H-636 ticket on line then worked the week and rode that Saturday before my first trip on the Burrard. Saturday morning finally arrived and I drove down to the Santa Ana Train station to take the train into Los Angeles Union Station to board the Burrard. I walked over to the east platform and soon the crossing gates at Santa Ana Blvd went down. Metrolink 857 a San Bernardino to Oceanside Weekend Train came into Santa Ana. Surfliner 565 pulled into Santa Ana and I boarded for my trip to Los Angeles and a ride aboard the Burrard.





Metrolink 857 a San Bernardino to Oceanside Weekend Train came into Santa Ana.





Surfliner 565 pulled into Santa Ana and I boarded for my trip to Los Angeles and a ride aboard the Burrard.

The Burrard Trip to San Diego



My first picture of the Burrard. The Burrard is named after Burrard Inlet, near CN's western terminus of Vancouver, BC. Sister car Bedford, was named for Bedford Basin, at the eastern end of the system. The Burrard's Amtrak number is 800591. The car was built in 1954 as a Tourist Sleeper with open platform, seven bedrooms, lounge, galley and crew room. Was used on a number of special trains including a tour of Canada by Princess Margaret and the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. Also in consist of special train for kick off of VIA blue paint scheme. Repainted in 2007 in original CN colors. The Burrard is owned by Bob McLean. Private Car Service charters various cars for trips based on our client needs.





Two more views of the Burrard.





The Drumhead of the Burrard on the rear of the observation platform.





Myself on the rear platform of the Burrard. I boarded the car and here is a look inside of the Burrard.





There is a Lounge of the Burrard.





There is a Dining Area aboard the Burrard..





There is a Kitchen on the Burrard.





There are Bedrooms on the Burrard.





Also a Canadian National Poster is on the hallway wall.





The Shower in the Burrard.





I sat down and waited for Chris Parker to arrive. He did arrive about ten minutes before we left Union Station on time at 11:10 AM on the rear of Surfliner 572 with me out on the rear platform.





Leaving the platform at LAUPT.





The station platforms were left behind as our train passed Terminal Tower.





Next we passed Mission Tower as we ran along the Los Angeles River.





The Angel Flight Cars are stored at the Los Angeles Subway Shops.





We traveled along the "Scenic Los Angeles River".





The train climbed the Flyover across the Alameda Corridor and Los Angeles River.





Looking down you could see where the former Santa Fe Roundhouse once stood.





You get a great view of the Los Angeles Skyline.





The train ran by Hobart Tower at San Pedro Junction.





Later we ran by the new control point, CP Serapis as the BNSF continues to triple track the San Bernardino Subdivision.





The train ran through the new Buena Park Metrolink Station. We headed to Fullerton, our first stop on Surfliner 572.





As we left Fullerton for a BNSF westbound blasted by us on Track 2.





Our train next entered the Metrolink San Diego Sub at Fullerton Jct.





After Anaheim, our train ran through Orange before we crossed Santiago Creek into Santa Ana, our next station stop.





Surfliner 572 left Santa Ana heading next to Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. After we left Capo, we crossed San Juan Creek and headed for the Pacific Ocean Shore at Capistrano Beach.





Just after the Metrolink San Clemente North Beach Station we started our surf line running.





The San Clemente Pier came into view.





The south side view of the San Clemente Pier.





The train did its running along San Clemente State Beach.





At County Line we crossed San Matoe Creek.





Next we crossed San Onofre Creek.





We next passed the fire zone from the wild fires we had earlier in the month in Southern California. The fire crossed Interstate 5 but did not cross the tracks into San Onofre State Beach.





The train ran by the newest piece of double track on the Surfline south of CP Pulgas.





Our train paused for Surfliner 775 before CP Puller.





The train ran by the Coaster Facility at Stuart Mesa.





Our train crossed the Santa Margarita River.





At Fallbrook Jct we passed the two Inland Empire Metrolink Trains laying over there.





After crossing the San Luis Rey River our train entered Oceanside, our next station stop.





We passed the future Sprinter Station in Oceanside.





Extending of the Oceanside siding south towards Carlsbad.





The train crossed the Loma Lagoon.





The train did the crossing the replacement bridge at the Buena Vista Lagoon before we ran through Carlsbad Poinsettia Station and Ponto.





Next we crossed the Batiquitos Lagoon.





We passed by the former Santa Fe Encinitas Station located across Highway 101.





The train was running above Swami Beach.





The train crossed the San Eilijo Lagoon.





We stopped at Solana Beach and then headed to San Diego.





Our train next crossed the San Dieguritos River.





The train went into the siding at CP Crosby to meet Surfliner 577.





Surfliner 577 was passing our train at Del Mar.





The train ran by the Del Mar Train Station.





We were rolling along the Del Mar Bluffs.





The train crossed the wetlands south of Del Mar.





The train climbed Miramar Hill to CP Cumbres. We then ran down Rose Canyon into the greater San Diego area.





Surfliner 572 stopped in Old Town as the San Diego Chargers were playing at home today against the Indianapolis Colts.





We arrived into San Diego and I detrained before the Burrard was spotted for this picture. Here Chris and I meet back up with Tom and Larry Borneo. We decided to ride the Trolley out to Santee. We got on the first one that said Old Town bit it took us to Qualcomm Stadium with all of the football fans. We detrained from that one and waited for a Green Line rolley which we took out to Santee. Hungry we went to Chillis for an early dinner. We just missed a Green Line and had to wait for the next one. It was raining as we returned to Old Town where the connecting trolley did not wait for us to board. We waited and got back to the Burrard about fifteen minutes before we were scheduled to depart. I arranged to be dropped off in Santa Ana. I rode out on the back platform with the 461 Surfliner engine just ahead as far as Solana Beach. I rode inside the lounge most of the way back enjoying a Coca-Cola as we headed north to San Juan Capistrano. I went back outside for the rest of the trip back to Santa Ana. There I detrained ending an excellent trip on the Burrard.





The Burrard left Santa Ana and I headed home after a fantastic ride aboard the Burrard.



For information on the Burrard or other cars operated by Private Car Service call 925-321-0023 or click the link below.

Private Car Service

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