When I heard the Santa Fe 3751 was going to San Diego again, I decided to get a Dome Ticket for the first daylight northbound trip. Bob and Elizabeth decided to do the same trip so I would pick them up at the airport and get them to their hotel. We would chase the Santa Fe 3751 to San Diego and stay the night before riding the Santa Fe 3751 northbound. Chris Parker would be chasing both ways. I rented a car, a Ford Focus, and picked it up Friday afternoon. I then picked Bob and Elizabeth up at the Orange County Airport and bought them to my house. From there it was to Orange to see a couple of trains then had dinner at The Habit. After that I checked them into the Red Roof Inn for the night. I went home for the night.
May 1, 2010I picked up Bob and Elizabeth before meeting Chris Parker at my house. Next we were off to our first stop in Anaheim.
The Anaheim Union Pacific Station.
A Southern Pacific Wig Wag Signal in Anaheim.
Union Pacific power at Anaheim. From here we went to Fullerton.
A BNSF freight passing through Fullerton.
The former Fullerton Pacific Electric Station built in 1917 is now a Spadra Restaurant formerly the Ghiotto Ristorante.
The former Fullerton Union Pacific Station built in 1923 the Old Spaghetti Factory.
The active Fullerton Station is the old Santa Fe Station. From here we drove to Brea where we found the display locomotive for Brea Railroad Days.
The Genset Locomotive UPY 2745 was on display.
Three views of the UPY 2745. From here we drove to La Habra where we found two railroad stations.
The Union Pacific La Habra Station Children Museum.
The old Pacific Electric Station in La Habra which today is the La Habra Depot Playhouse Community Theater.
Both La Habra Stations in this view.
Another view of the Pacific Electric Station in La Habra.
A former Amtrak passenger car.
A Southern Pacific Caboose.
The Station Sign on the Pacific Electric Station in La Habra.
PFE 10418.
A UP Box Car.
PFE 10418.
SP 191960.
SP 177381.
A picture on a tarp.
A tank car. From here we drove to Heritage Park in Santa Fe Springs.
Santa Fe 2-6-0 870.
View at Heritage Park.
Santa Fe Springs Reefer Car SFSX 1995. From here we drove to the grade crossing at Lakeland Street in Santa Fe Springs to wait for the Santa Fe 3751 to arrive at this location.
Surfliner 565 came first northbound.
This is the new National Train Day/Build a better Breakfast Subway Car.
Surfliner 565 heads to Los Angeles.
Next came Surfliner 768 heading to San Diego. We heard 3751 call the BNSF track gang and soon we saw smoke and its headlight.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 passes under the old Santa Fe Signal Bridge at Lakeland Street.
The train heads to Fullerton to pick up more passengers. We got into the rental car and headed to Interstate 5 and once into Orange County we got into the Car Pool Lane all the way to San Clemente where we got off at Avendia Califia and parked down at the beach. After feeding the parking meter we walked down along the tracks to our next photo location for the Santa Fe 3751.
Bob Alkire called Lets Talk Trains as we waited until the Santa Fe 3751 passed. We saw the smoke coming along the coast then the signal went red and soon we saw the Santa Fe 3751 approaching.
Santa Fe 3751 rolls south at Califia Beach.
The Pony Express.
Bob Riskie, Amtrak Conductor, who is an excellent conductor now one week from retiring and a very good friend of mine.
The train heads south along the Pacific Ocean. After Bob and I put our feet in the Pacific Ocean we had a green signal and waited for our next train.
Surfliner 571 heads north for Los Angeles. From here it was back on Interstate 5 which we took to Oceanside where traffic forced me onto old Coast Highway which we took to Carlsbad and made another stop.
The former Santa Fe Carlsbad Station. From here we headed to Solana Beach to a Subway Sandwich Shop. From there we drove to Torrey Pine State Park and parked then walked to our next photo location for the Santa Fe 3751.
First a southbound Coaster Train headed to San Diego.
Interesting dripping on the cliff face across the tracks.
Next Surfliner 774 headed to San Diego.
Santa Fe 3751 went by us at Torrey Pines State Beach just south of Del Mar.
Interesting plants. Feeling very satisfied we walked back to the rental car and headed back north along the Coast Highway.
The former Santa Fe Del Mar Station.
The former Santa Fe Encinitas Station. From here we headed to Oceanside to ride the Sprinter.
Surfliner 578 leaving Oceanside.
That Surfliner Special painted car again.
Surfliner 583 coming into Oceanside.
The Sprinter then came into Oceanside and we boarded with Bob, Elizabeth and Chris Parker making their first trips on the Sprinter. We rode a round trip to Escondido and once back in Oceanside we used the facilities before we took another picture.
The display board at Oceanside Transportation Center. From here it was back on Interstate 5 and headed to National City.
National City & Otay Mesa Horse Car on display in National City.
The Historic Plaque.
The former Santa Fe National City Station.
Some of the Trolleys here.
Billboard Trolley. From here we drove to the South Bay Best Western and checked in. Later we all went to the Black Angus for dinner before I returned to the room and wrote the story before calling it a night.
