Metrolink 653 arrived at Santa Ana to take me to Fullerton for Fullerton Railroad Days 2008. I entered the event and with no one there yet to set up the Trainweb tent, I decided to take pictures of the Parlour Car "Willamette Valley" before the general public arrived.
Disneyland 2-4-4T 3-"Fred Gurley", ex. C.W. Witbeck Amite, Louisian 1954, exx. moved to Reserve, Louisiana 1946, exxx. corporate sale to Godchaux Sugars, Incorporated 1919, exxxx. corporate sale to Godchaux Company Limited 1914, exxxxx. corporate sale to Leon Godchaux Company Limited 1898, nee 0-4-4T Lafoureche, Raceland and Lockport Railway 1 built by Baldwin in 1894.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 out in the morning sun. I met an Amtrak representative who took me through Sleeper 32032 and into the Pacific Parlour Car 33975 "Willamette Valley", ex. Amtrak 9975, nee Santa Fe 580 built by Budd in 1954. They were configured as lounges for use on El Capitan, an all-coach train running between Los Angeles and Chicago. All cars used on the train were known as Hi-Levels, denoting that they had two levels. When Amtrak put out the bid to design and produce the bi-level Superliner equipment in the 1970's, the Santa Fe Hi-Levels were used as a model due to their popularity. Amtrak refurbished the Pacific Parlour Cars in the mid-1990's to provide a casual, yet elegant, space for sleeping car passengers to relax.
The upgraded "Willamette Valley".
The bar area looks the same as before.
A new small table has been added between the bar and the first set of tables.
Wall plugs have also been added.
Tables set up for dining.
A Scrabble game.
A board game set up on this table.
Magazine holder.
Food-warming table.
Sofas.
My favorite comfortable chairs remain.
Silk flowers at one end of the car.
The game and book cabinet. We then went downstairs to see the lower level.
A new larger flat screen television replaced the older model.
Theater seating remains.
A wall plug on the lower level.
A raised relief map of Washington.
A raised relief map of Oregon. We exited the parlour car and walked over and into Vista Dome-coach "Silver Splendor', ex. Burlington Northern 4687, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 4735 "Silver Buckle" built by Budd Company in 1956 and used on the Denver Zephyr.
The A end of "Sliver Splendor".
Interior views.
Looking down into the B end.
The B end. We exited this dome-coach and entered RPCX club-lounge 1389, ex. Ontario Northland 905, exx. BC Rail Pacific Starlight Dinner Train 157 "Continental", exxx. Washington Central 157, exxxx. Transisco Tours, exxxx. Amtrak, nee Santa Fe club-lounge 1389 built by the Budd Car Company in 1941 and assigned to the El Capitan, a Los Angeles-Chicago extra fare train, taking just 39.75 hours to make that journey. It was also used on the Chief, Grand Canyon, San Diegan and the Chicagoan/Kansas Cityan.
The view as I entered.
The lounge area.
The bar area.
Newsstand area. I exited this unique forer Santa Fe car into a caboose then out onto the ground.
The number board of Santa Fe 1389.
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Vista-Dome 4714 "Silver Splendor".
BNSF ES44DC 7558 on display.
The Orange County Railway Historical Society, to which I belong and frequently show programs, finally brought a banner for their booth. I returned to the Trainweb tent and started to set things up then a few minutes later, Tom and Kelly from the Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, Missouri, arrived and we put up the rest of the displays.
Tom and Kelly stand in front of the Depot Inn & Suites display.
We shared our tent with the Morse Telegraph Club, whose members include Cathy Stanfill and her mother; who both had a large knowledge of Morse Code and its history.
I took Pacific Surfliner 768 home to Santa Ana, where I brought my dog Clyde into the house before returning on Pacific Surfliner 769 back to Fullerton.
A much better picture of Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751. I returned to the tent where I talked to people about the Depot Inn & Suites, Trainparty.com and my travels.
John Grabarek from Salisbury, North Carolina, whom Chris Parker and I met at a grade crossing there while waiting for the Piedmont to arrive, was at Fullerton today. John was on a major cross-country train trip but had planned to be here in the offchance of meeting me..
Pacific Parlour Car "Willamette Valley". The afternoon stayed busy and soon it was close to teardown time.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 in the late afternoon sun, after which I walked over to the Slidebar Caf é for a special Train Travel Meetup Group dinner with Tom and Kelly Marshall.
This was our largest group.
Tom Anderson arrived late so I chatted with him until it was time for me to leave.
One last view of the group before Christy Walker and I walked over to see the Southwest Chief leave Fullerton for Chicago. I then waited for her father Winston to drive me back to my car at the Santa Ana station, and I drove home, ending another good day at Fullerton Railroad Days.
