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Santa Fe 3751 to San Bernardino 5/8/2010

I learned that Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 would be pulling an all-private car train out to San Bernardino for that city's first San Bernardino Railroad Days 2010. Winston Walker helped get me the phone number of Allen Bone, Vice President of the City of San Bernardino Pioneer & Historical Society, who gave me directions on how to get tickets. Winston and I would both be riding in the "Pony Express". All this took place in mid-March. As part of our ticket package, it included a return to Los Angeles aboard any Metrolink train that afternoon or evening so we should have time to see National Train Day in Los Angeles. Due to the 9:05 AM departure, Winston and I would have to drive to LAUPT to catch the train then make a round trip from Santa Ana to San Juan Capistrano to get our triple Guest Rewards points for National Train Day 2010.

Winston picked me up and we drove north on Interstate 5 to Los Angeles Union Passenger Station, parked in the MTA parking lot and I walked up onto the platform for a few pictures.

Metrolink's new cab car 638. A few minutes later, a few who were present saw smoke and we knew Santa Fe 3751 was reversing into LAUPT.

The train came into view.

Former Canadian National business car "Tioga Pass" built in 1959.

"Overland Trail", ex. Amtrak 3500, nee Southern Pacific 2981, built by Pullman in 1949.

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy dome "Silver Splendor", ex. Amtrak 9457, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 4735 "Silver Buckle" built by Budd Company in 1956.

"Pony Express" baggage car PPCX 800320, nee Canadian Pacific baggage-express 4210 built by Canadian Car and Foundry in 1941.

Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751.

Metrolink MP36-PH-3C 892 built by Motive Power Industries in 2008.

Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 built by Baldwin in 1927.

Santa Fe 3751 and train ready to depart for San Bernardino.

One more view of the steam engine. I walked over to the platform and waited outside the "Pony Express" to board. While we waited, the Southwest Chief, Metrolink 260 from Lancaster and Metrolink 351 arrived before we boarded the train via "Silver Splendor". As we waited, we wondered what would come into LAUPT next?

Stan Garner, our host and owner of the "Pony Express".

Pacific Surfliner 763 next arrived and at 9:05 AM, it departed for Santa Barbara. We waited for a green signal to depart for San Bernardino.

At 9:18 AM, Santa Fe 3751 started the trip to San Bernardino.

The newly-wrapped Pacific Surfliner 457 10 Years of Pacific Surfliner Service as we departed.

Leaving the station and passing the old Terminal Tower.

The "Tioga Pass" leaving the station.

Santa Fe 3751 passd the Coast Starlight as it reversed into the station.

Passing Mission Tower.

Our train then crossed the Los Angeles River.

We passed through the switches to reach Metrolink's San Bernardino line.

"Tioga Pass" came off the Los Angeles River.

Downtown Los Angeles to the west.

The train passed under North Mission Road.

Starting its journey along the San Bernardino Freeway by passing under the Golden State Interstate 5 Freeway. The sounds of Santa Fe 3751 sounded really incredible as we headed east since it echoed off the concrete walls along the freeway.

Next we went under Marengo Street and a few minutes later, passed through the Cal State Los Angeles Metrolink station before we entered the middle of the San Bernardino Freeway.

In the middle of the San Bernardino Freeway.

Santa Fe 3751 passed the siding in the middle of the freeway. I then saw a truck and knew who was driving it.

Here is my good friend Chris Parker taking a picture of our train as he was driving east on Interstate 10.

Two views as Santa Fe 3751 took us down the San Bernardino Freeway.

Nearing El Monte, our route left the freeway and headed out onto the El Monte Flyover.

The train high over El Monte as our locomotive managed to stop baseball games on the baseball fields below our route.

Putting on a great show coming off the El Monte Flyover.

The train arrived at the El Monte station where we paused for a few minutes before continuing east.

The Santa Fe 3751 crossed the Flyover across the former Southern Pacific Sunset Route and San Gabriel River.

Chris Parker, now on the ground at CP Basset, before our train turned northeast.