Santa Fe 3751 rolled by the backyards as we passed through Baldwin Park.
Taking the big curve on the way to Covina.
The steam engine took this smaller curve and ran through the Covina Metrolink station.
East of Covina, another smaller curve was rounded before we stopped. I called Let's Talk Trains and after we started moving, gave the listeners the opportunity to hear Santa Fe 3751's whistle and bark as we headed east for Pomona.
The platform for the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.
Santa Fe 3751 curved into Pomona.
The Metrolink Dispatching Center here.
The former Santa Fe Pomona station where I detrained from the Desert Wind on several trips.
Santa Fe 3751 had finally reached its former home rails as we rolled onto the former Santa Fe Seconnd District for the rest of the trip to San Bernardino. We rolled east to Montclair, where we took the siding and waited about twelve minutes for Metrolink 357 to pass on its way to Los Angeles.
Later, a winery at Cucamonga.
The Rancho Cucamonga station was having a passenger tunnel installed.
The train has reached the outskirts of Fontana.
Chris Parker at Etiwanda Avenue.
The platform at the California Speedway that Metrolink racing trains use.
We stopped at the Kaiser Siding to wait for Metrolink 359 before continuing to Rialto to wait to pick up the Mayor of San Bernardino.
Leaving Rialto, there was Chris Parker for the last time along our route.
Santa Fe 3751 passed beneath the Palmdale Cutoff with photographers being very dangerous standing on the Union Pacific-owned bridge. Acts like this is what gives railfans a bad name with the railroads.
3751 took the curve into San Bernardino which leads to the flyover here.
Santa Fe 3751 crossed the flyover and was ready to arrive at the San Bernardino station.
Just a few photographers on the Mount Vernon Avenue bridge.
And only a few more as we arrived at the station. It has been a great trip behind Santa Fe 3751, not only being able to hear that great whistle but also the engine working hard as we came to San Bernardino. We detrained to join the thousands of people who came to see the steam engine arrive today.
Santa Fe 3751 surrounded by lovers of that unique engine.
New Metrolink coach 211 was on display here but not open for tours which was disappointing because I really wanted to see the new collapsible tables in this new car. I saw all the event display tables and toured the station to see the exhibits before returning outside to see Santa Fe 3751 one last time today.
Santa Fe 3751 at San Bernardino. Winston and I watched about twenty minutes of a video of Union Pacific 844 coming to Los Angeles in 1989 before we waited for Metrolink train 363 back to Los Angeles. Chris Parker stopped by for a quick visit before he watched our train leave. Winston and I relaxed the miles back to Los Angeles and there he waited by the fish tank while I went and photographed what Los Angeles had to offer.
National Train Day Los Angeles.
Amtrak 457 Ten Years of Surfliner Service, Ten Easy Going Years 25 Million Riders.
The lines were long to tour the equipment.
Pacific Harbor Lines 3GS21C 80 built by National Railway Equipment in 2008 from National Railway Equipment 8511, ex. Ferrocarriles Nationales de Mexico 8511, nee National Railway of Mexico SD40 8511 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1968, on display.
Union Pacific Yard 3GS21B 2719 and 3GS21B 2744 were also on display.
Private cars were "Montana", "Salisbury Beach" and "Scottish Thistle". I stopped by the Depot Inn & Suites table and said hello to Matt Melzer who was there.
I then found Winston at the meeting place and we had a long slow drive down the Santa Ana Freeway to home, after which we drove to the Santa Ana station and rode Pacific Surfliner 580 to San Juan Capistrano and Pacific Surfliner 583 back north to Santa Ana to get our triple Guest Rewards Points for riding on National Train Day. He dropped me off back at my home, ending another fantastic adventure behind Santa Fe 3751.
Santa Fe 3751 Return to Los Angeles May 9,2010Bill Compton and his daughter Mary Ann met me at my house and we dropped off my car at the Santa Ana station before driving to Heritage Park in Santa Fe springs so Bill could see the train displays.
Santa Fe 2-6-0 870, ex. Albuquerque and Los Cerrillos Coal 870 1940, exx. Rocky Mountain and Santa Fe 870 1915, nee St. Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific 101 built by Baldwin in 1906. Despite its sweeping name, the StLRM&P operated entirely in northern New Mexico, mainly serving the coal fields around Raton Pass. It was taken over by the AT&SF in 1913 and operated as a subsidiary. The Santa Fe changed the name to the Rocky Mountain & Santa Fe in 1915 and renumbered the locomotives 870-874. In 1940, the Santa Fe sold three 2-8-0s to the Albuquerque & Los Cerrillos Coal Company, which operated a coal mine in Madrid, New Mexico, connected by a branch line from the AT&SF at Waldo. As demand for coal fell off in the 1950's, however, the mine was shut and the branch line abandoned in 1959. 769 and 870 were left at Madrid sitting amid the remains of the mine operation. In 1989, the City of Santa Fe Springs acquired 870. The locomotive was restored to its post-1924 Santa Fe appearance and moved to the current location in Heritage Park.
The three of us drove to the Metrolink line near Bassett and waited for Santa Fe 3751.
Metrolink 366 passed, which would meet Santa Fe 3751 at Covina. About 4:10 PM, we saw smoke and then a headlight as our train approached.
Santa Fe 3751 came by our location and the three of us enjoyed the sound of the engine and whistle. From here Bill got me back to Santa Ana via the San Bernardino and Orange Freeway. I made Pacific Surfliner 582 for the quick 22.0 mile trip to San Juan Capistrano for a final train ride with Bob Riskie.
Surfliner Conductor Bob Riskie Retires
On Sunday May 9, 2010, Pacific Surfliner Conductor Bob Riskie retired from Amtrak once he completed his runs on Pacific Surfliners 572 and 785. Bob started his railroading days working two years with the Western Pacific but once Western Pacific merged into the Union Pacific, he lost that job but then joined the Southern Pacific, where he worked for 16 years. Again, once the Southern Pacific was merged with the Union Pacific, he lost that job. He joined Amtrak where he started as a Car Attendant where I met him on the Coast Starlight when I was coming back from a trip in Canada, and then became an Assistant Conductor and later a full Conductor. He worked twelve years with Amtrak with no time lost due to any rules violation or disciplinary action, which Bob is most pleased by. He wishes to thank all the Amtrak personnel who provided him with assistance throughout the past twelve years. He will be moving to Bend, Oregon living along the Deschutes River to enjoy his retirement.
Bob working the Santa Fe 3751 steam special to San Diego on May 1, 2010.
Bob had some of the best PA comments I had ever heard aboard a train and hHere are just a few. Coming into Irvine on Pacific Surfliner 572 "We will be arriving into Irvine few minutes early so now is the time for stretching, smoking, tap dancing and standing on your head!" A few minutes later it was "Now is the time to cease and desist from stretching, smoking, tap dancing and standing on your head and reboard the train. Next stop will be San Juan Capistrano." At San Clemente northbound on Pacific Surfliner 785 "If you want to take a dip in the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean, just remember the next train is twenty four hours from now". On most days, Pacific Surfliner 785 would be delayed due to that Metrolink train that leaves Oceanside eight minutes before 785 and you would hear "From now until Los Angeles, all station stops will be brief. If you don't exit the train at your stop, you might experience a panic attack. So be at the door so you don't see your station fade into the horizon instead of the train fading into the horizon."
Two things Bob won't miss at all is having to do cash fares and credit cards. One good thing is he never had been issued one of the new credit card machines.
Pacific Surfliner 785 arrived at San Juan Capistrano on Bob's final run.
Bob greeted me at the door on his final trip as an Amtrak Conductor. I rode with him back to Santa Ana and shook his hand one last time as an active Amtrak Conductor with only 36.0 miles left until he stepped off the train for the final time. Bob would come in to Los Angeles on May 10, 2010 to turn in his keys, ticket books and one final audit and 141 years after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad completion, Bob Riskie will be officially a retired man.
Bob and I became good friends and we participated in many trips together. Highlights include the Grand Excursion 2004, Bart Jennings' Rare Mileage trips in Oregon and Washington and with Chris Parker, we all rode the Royal Gorge Scenic, Durango & Silverton, Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Rio Grande Scenic. Bob was a wealth of knowledge and a blast to travel with. I wish him all the best in his retirement and that it be a very long one. Take care, Bob.
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