I woke up on Sunday morning not feeling all the great but nothing was going to stop me today. I fixed breakfast before driving down to the Santa Ana station where I parked then walked over to Track 1 and called Winston Walker to proof part 1 of this story while I was gone. Soon the gates went down and I was ready with my camera.
Pacific Surfliner 763 arrived and I boarded the cab car, being welcomed by Conductor CJ, who scanned my ticket for my trip to LAUPT this morning after I found my seat in the lone Superliner coach.
My joint Metrolink/Steam train ticket for today's trip from San Bernardino to LAUPT in the private car "Acoma".
On one of the turntable leads I saw Amtrak Heritage Unit 822 which was here for use with the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Train which would be at Fullerton Railroad Days next weekend.
Also hanging around Los Angeles was Amtrak Heritage Unit 184. We arrived on time and I said goodbye to CJ then walked around the end of the tracks to my waiting Metrolink train to San Bernardino.
Metrolink 354 for San Bernardino. I boarded but found no Bob Alkire so called him and he was visiting with CJ. Bob then soon appeared and our train departed on time.
Bob on Metrolink 354 this morning. Dave Smetko called and I learnt that if I could be in Homewood on Friday before the Bart Jennings rare mileage trips in May, he made me an offer but it would have to wait to see if his boss would allow it. That then caused Bob and I to change pick plans for our trip for me to pick up Elizabeth at Midway. We had a good trip aboard Metrolink.
Leased locomotive at San Bernardino.
BNSF power here.
Metrolink bicycle car 140, in a wrap advertising its intended use, on the approach to San Bernardino, after which we arrived at the station.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 was on display here.
Brand new BNSF ES44C4 7107 built by General Electric in 2013.
BNSF 3GS21C-DE 1310, ex. BNSF 5696, exx. Santa Fe 5832, exx. BNSF 6482, nee Great Northern 6482 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1973. We next toured the train.
My old friend, "Pony Express". Next I got my first look at the inside "Acoma", the car in which I would be riding behind Santa Fe 3751 this afternoon. It was built for the Santa Fe in late 1936 by Budd for the new streamlined Santa Fe Super Chief. This all new, extra-fare sleeper car train went into revenue service on May 18, 1937 on a once-a-week round-trip between Chicago and Los Angeles. As built, it was a lounge/dormitory/barber shop car. The Super Chief was the train of the Hollywood Stars and the rich and famous. The car was purchased in 1995 by John Bond and Ronald Ashcraft of Albuquerque {Southwest Rail Car LLC} who have continued to restore and preserve this car. Now let us look at this car as I do for my first time.
Views inside "Acoma".
The next car was "Overland Trail".
Bob Alkire, having his dream fulfilled with a haircut aboard the barber shop on "Overland Trail".
Bill Hatrick, owner of this car.
Two of Bill's cute helpers aboard "Overland Trail".
Bob's haircut is almost complete. I visited with Norm Orfall, owner of "Tioga Pass".
Metrolink's new "Stay Alert Stay Alive, Stay off the Tracks" car.
BNSF 7506 West came through San Bernardino.
Inside "Tioga Pass".
There was a pack of Cub Scouts with these people as their leaders.
People were enjoying the cabs of all the locomotives.
The BNSF Police had one of their vehicles on display here today.
Cliff Prather was at the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society table.
Two views of Santa Fe 3751.
A Metrolink view.
The food sellers were out in front of the San Bernardino station. I enjoyed a hot dog and Coca-Cola.
As usual the fire engines were on display.
A baggage cart. From here I walked out onto the Mount Vernon bridge.
Three views from the bridge.
Metrolink 361 leaves San Bernardino.
The slip switch at the west end of the San Bernardino Metrolink station.
Metrolink 361 heads for Los Angeles.
This was the former location of the Santa Fe Railroad San Bernardino Shop complex, now just another container yard.
Another station view.
BNSF 5515 West then came through, after which I went trackside for my next pictures.
Unique writing on the rails.
BNSF 7412 East passed through this afternoon.
Metrolink 359 arrived at San Bernardino. I walked back to the steam train then at 2:05 PM, boarded "Acoma" for the trip behind Santa Fe 3751 to Los Angeles.
Interior view of "Acoma".
I went back to "Overland Trail" for a Coca-Cola which I enjoyed in "Acoma" on this tray which I noticed had a Santa Fe emblem at its base. At 3:00 PM Santa Fe 3751 departed San Bernardino.
A few minutes later, we started up the flyover across the BNSF mainlines.
Santa Fe 3751 came off the flyover and was on its way to Los Angeles.
Me enjoying the ride in "Acoma". We met one Metrolink train at CP Locust, then ran all the way to El Monte where we held the mainline for twenty minutes as we waited for Metrolink 366. Once he cleared we went up over El Monte and into the middle of the San Bernardino Freeway. I spotted Chris Parker on the pedestrian bridge from which we had photographed the steam train yesterday.
We crossed the Los Angeles River but came to a stop.
Metrolink 664, which would have been my ride home if we would not have been held in El Monte. We arrived at LAUPT and I walked over to get my post-arrival pictures.
Santa Fe 3751 and train at rest.
Santa Fe 3751 after another great trip behind her.
I walked over to Pacific Surfliner 784 to take me home to Santa Ana. I said my goodbye to Bob Alkire and we left LAUPT on time, detraining at Santa Ana on time, ending two great days with Santa Fe 3751.
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