As part of the CAL Rail 2020 Conference in Ventura, a rare mileage trip was offered on Sunday November 8, 2009 on the former Santa Paula Branch of the former Southern Pacific, now the Fillmore Western, Railroad. It was supposed to go from Montalvo to Piru, but track work between Montalvo and Saticoy took those tracks out of service. Chris Parker and I decided to go anyway as we love riding the train in the Santa Paula Valley through the orange groves.
That morning, I arose early and after breakfast, drove to the Santa Ana station at 5:10 AM and found the Thruway Bus already there so boarded and took this bus via Fullerton to LAUPT. I walked to the front of the station waited for Chris Parker who picked me up and we drove through the dense fog. Near San Fernando, we came out into the bright clear morning sunshine and had a great drive to Fillmore. We parked and I walked over to where I saw the train crew but stopped for a pair of pictures.
Salt Lake Garfield & Western S6 1040, ex. Salt Lake, Garfield and Western DS4, exx. Chrome Crankshaft D, exxx. Southern Pacific 1207, nee Southern Pacific 1040 built by American Locomotive Company in 1944.
Our Fillmore Western excursion train that would take us west to Saticoy and east to Piru.
The east end of our train, whose consist was F7A 100, FWRY power car 1375, FWRY dining car 10204, FWRY table car 6052, FWRY table car 3106, FW bar/dance car 205, FWRY sleeper 2508 and FWRY F7A 101. At 8:15 AM, our train departed for Saticoy.
The Southern Pacific Fillmore station built in 1887.
The author.
Chris Parker.
The table car in which we rode, FWRY 6052.
One of the many packing houses.
The table that Chris shared.
Our train crossed Sespi Creek.
A field waiting to be planted.
Young trees.
These trees caught my eye.
View to the south.
View to the north.
Young trees planted.
These trees have been topped.
We passed the Loose Caboose with its upside down trees.
More young trees.
Our train arrived at Santa Paula.
The former Southern Pacific Santa Paula station built in 1887. We paused here for ten minutes then were allowed to detrain.
Our train at Santa Paula. Once we started moving, my new rail mileage started which would last until Saticoy.
This building in Santa Paula will become a farming museum.
Packing houses.
Rounding a curve.
Calavo Packing House.
Sunkist Saticoy Lemon Assocation.
View to the south.
Views looking to the north.
A southward view.
A school farm as we neared Saticoy.
View looking back.
The southward vista.
Our train went under California Highway 126.
An old packing house just after the underpass.
Cacti along our route.
Running along the orange groves.
Fields to the right.
Old farm buildings at this farm.
An oil well.
Strawberry fields forever.
Our train was almost at Saticoy.
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