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Operation Lifesaver February 16, 2005 Page 4

Operation Lifesaver "Officer-on-a-train"

Fullerton, California

February 16, 2005

Story and photographs by Richard Elgenson
RailNewsNetwork writer

   

The train remained stationary in Fullerton for approximately an hour while the various law enforcement agencies tallied up the citation results.  This gave me an opportunity to photograph the train from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks and from the south side of the station.  For the first time, Amtrak contributed a General Electric Genesis locomotive to the Operation Lifesaver train.  These locomotives are usually used on Amtrak's long distance passenger trains such as the Coast Starlight and Southwest Chief.  Very rarely are the Genesis locomotives used on Surfliner trains.  It seems fitting, two GE locomotives on one end of the Operation Lifesaver train and two Electro Motive locomotives on the other end.

   

While the Operation Lifesaver train was at Fullerton Station other train traffic passed by.  Below is an eastbound BNSF intermodal train.

   

The eastbound BNSF train was lengthy and heavy enough to have two locomotives on the rear pushing.

   

       

Soon thereafter, the train was run back towards Los Angeles.  Along the way, one can see BNSF is at work on their railroad. It appears that in certain locations, they are installing a third main track.  Some bridges are ready to receive an additional track and in other places, the ground is leveled and ready to have track built on to it.  Below left is at the Gilbert Street overcrossing and several switches are built and ready to be incorporated into the track structure.  Below right is west of Beach Boulevard with more switches visible.  At this location, a new signal bridge has been built and the old signal base is still visible sticking out of the ground.

   

Below, at Santa Fe Springs, the Operation Lifesaver train met an eastbound Metrolink train, most likely a 91 line train.

   

Below left, an old E-8 passenger locomotive is barely visible to the left of the track.  This locomtive made an appearance at Fullerton Railroad Days in 2003.  Below right, a motorist is sitting on the wrong side of the grade crossing gates.

   

   

   

Operation Lifesaver Fullerton Page 5