Every year I try to photograph the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train at a station in Orange County.
Monday night I shot this picture of the Moon, Venus and Jupiter before I went to my Orange County Railroad Historical Society Meeting and I knew Saturday night the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train would be at the Tustin Metrolink Station early in the evening. I could take Metrolink 658 to Tustin, photograph the train and return to Santa Ana on Metrolink Train 659. After watching USC beat UCLA I headed down to the Santa Ana Train Station, parked in the parking structure and bought my round trip Metrolink ticket to Tustin.
The platform at Santa Ana.
While I waited, the station's Metrolink message signs flashed that my train to Tustin was running 15-30 minutes late. Metrolink Train 860 returning to San Bernardino stopped at Santa Ana. I continued waiting for my train to Tustin.
Metrolink 659 arrived into Santa Ana and I boarded the train for the short trip to Tustin.
At Tustin I detrained to the large crowd waiting for the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train to arrive into Tustin. Surfliner 785 passed through the Tustin Metrolink Station. I walked down, under and up to the north platform of the Tustin Metrolink Station. A few minutes later I saw a headlight coming down the track and soon the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train approached the Tustin Metrolink Station.
The Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train arrived into Tustin and stopped just on the west edge of the platform.
On the front of Metrolink 657 was this greeting.
These lights were on the side of the Metrolink 657.
Views as the train pulled up into the Tustin Metrolink Station and set up for the show began.
The lit part of the train.
The west end of the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train.
The lights on the caboose.
The lights on the flat car.
The lights on the stage car.
Surfliner 784 interrupted my picture taking as it passed through there Tustin Metrolink Station.
More views of the lights on the stage car.
Another view of the stage car.
Lights on the Metrolink Coach.
Lights on the Metrolink 657.
The Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train at Tustin. I walked back to the south side to get you a few pictures of this year's show.
The reindeer in their pens open the show singing a song.
Elfs then begin the show.
Santa Hog then makes an appearance.
Snowman, an Elk and a polar bear.
The Snowman.
The show continues.
Santa Hog once again. With my Metrolink Train due I returned to the north platform.
Santa and Mrs. Claus then made their appearance.
More views of the show.
The drummers keep beating all throughout the show.
The grand end of the show.
The performers leave the stage and then the train prepares to leave for Irvine.
Three more views of the Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train at Tustin.
The Metrolink 2008 Holiday Toy Express Train leaves Tustin for Irvine as my Metrolink 860 came into view to return me to Santa Ana. It had been another great evening with the Metrolink Holiday Toy Express Train, the 2008 version of this unique train.
