Metrolink was celebrating the 11th anniversary of the Holiday Toy Express in 2007 with a bigger train, more decorations and a new show. This year's train was lit by 50,000 lights. They are collecting toys for the California Firefighters' "Spark of Love" toy drive. This unique train travels to most of the Metrolink stations in Southern California.
My good friend Jeff Hartmann had never seen this train so decided to join me and soon we were at the Metrolink Orange station.
Orange was tonight's first stop of the Metrolink 2007 Holiday Toy Express Train.
A large crowd waited patiently for the train to arrive, but some late-running trains would make their wait longer.
First Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner 784 had to cross over at CP Maple to get around the waiting Holiday Toy Express train, which was just out of sight around the corner to the north.
Metrolink 860, running over twenty minutes late, came and went on its way to San Bernardino.
The Holiday Toy Express train then could arrive led by F59PH 863.
Season's Greetings on the front of the locomotive.
Decorations on Metrolink 863.
Decorations on coach 177.
Metrolink stage car HZGX 1604 and decorations.
End of the stage car.
The rear of the stage used for the show.
Display car HZGX 1602 was also decorated.
Metrolink caboose MW01.
The caboose was brightly lit.
That took me to the rear of the lit portion of the train.
Metrolink F40PH 800 on the rear.
Pacific Surfliner 785 made its way through Orange.
I watched the show from the other side of the platform.
The crowd around the train on the show side.
Season's Greetings once again!
The crowd was enjoying the show.
One of the characters was a pirate.
A final look at the Metrolink 11th Anniversary Holiday Toy Express before Jeff and I drove home.
