We had reached the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Running beneath the bluffs as we entered San Clemente.
Thre is a short section of open beach between the homes and the mobile homes.
There was a tree planted by an El Ninño storm years ago to which locals attached an American flag and it flies for our freedom we all have in the United States of America.
Church at the Beach was just finishing when we steamed through North Beach.
San Clemente Pier was ahead of us.
A look back to where we had been.
Looking back towards Dana Point.
Passing San Clemente Pier.
Running along San Clemente City Beach.
Starting to parallel San Clemente State Beach.
Ton Anderson took these pictures of the excursion with in the door of "Pony Express".
Tom Anderson.
We approached County Line to starts the segment of the journey over the San Diego Northern Railroad.
Crossing the curved trestle across San Mateo Creek.
Passing below the bluff between San Mateo and San Onofre Creek.
We next crossed San Onofre Creek.
The San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant also known as "Dolly Parton" by railroaders.
A fading view of the power plant.
Running along San Onofre State Beach.
Approaching the underpass under Interstate 5 at MP 215.7.
We reached the double track at CP Pulgas.
Making our way to Tank Bridge, called the Aliso Canyon Overpass.
The view looking back.
The intermediate signal next to the northbound Interstate 5 Rest Area.
We reached the Stuart Mesa Coaster facility where the Metrolink trains to Oceanside spend their nights.
The curve at CP Puller just before we crossed the Santa Margarita River trestle.
Our crossing of that trestle.
Just a few of these cars were chasing our special steam train this morning. At West Brook, we took the siding as the the steam engine would be watered at Fallbrook Junction.
En route to the underpass for southbound Interstate 5.
Santa Fe 3751 rolled down the siding to the point where the fire truck was waiting with hoses hooked up to a fire hydrant and would pump water into the tender. Since we were stopped, I took this opportunity to go to "Overland Trail" and visit with Tom and Kelly as well as Steve and Barbara. In "Silver Lariat", I found my friend Andy Smith from the Bay Area and in "City of Angels", I found my good friend Chris Parker.
Tom and Kelly Marshall, owners of the Depot Inn & Suites.
Steve Grande and Barbara Cepinko, enjoying "Overland Trail".
Doug Spinn, owner of the wonderful "Pacific Sands" and a member of LA Rail, whose business is private rail cars for charter.
Later back in "Pony Express", the view of where the fire truck was parked and the distance they had to use hoses to reach our steam engine tender. Once finished, we waited for both Pacific Surfliners 566 and 769 to pass over on the mainline before we were allowed to continue south, at which time we returned to the mainline and crossed the San Luis Rey River.
The rear of the train crossing the river.
Passing through the Oceanside Transportation Center.
The new Sprinter was boarding passengers as we steamed by.
South of Escondido Junction, a new section of track was installed to extend the Oceanside siding and the old line was having its bridge replaced across Loma Lagoon and Creek.
The location of the replacement bridge.
Our steam train on that section of new mainline.
The train crossed Buena Vista Lagoon.
We then ran by the former Santa Fe Carlsbad station.
Crossing Agua Hedionda Creek and Lagoon.
At Coaster's Carlsbad Poinsetta station, this is the photo runby occurred on the June 1st trip to San Diego and that made made my memory go back to the fantastic day.
This was the photo runby of Santa Fe 3751 on June 1st, 2008 from the location in the picture above.
We next crossed Batiquitos Lagoon.
Then steamed through Leucadia and Encinitas.
Speeding through Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
Crossing Escondido Creek and Lagoon.
Santa Fe 3751 steamed into Solana Beach.
Passing through the Solana Beach station.
Traversing the San Dieguito River with the world-famous Del Mar Racetrack, where the surf meets the turf.
Rounding the curve at Del Mar.
Passing the former Santa Fe Del Mar station.
We ran above Del Mar Beach.
Tom Anderson took this great picture of Pacific Surfliner 566 at Del Mar as he waited for Santa Fe 3751.
Tom then caught the excursion train with the Pacific Ocean behind.
Running along the Del Mar Bluffs above the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Passing the Coast Highway as it turned inland away from the Pacific Ocean.
Soledad Lagoon.
Proceeding into Sorrento Valley.
At CP Torrey, we took the siding.
Santa Fe 3751 returned to the mainline after Pacific Surfliner 571 had passed at CP Pines and would next climb the grade of Miramar Hill.
The steam engine was impressive as it ascended the hill.
We crested the summit of Miramar Hill at CP Cumbres.
