I decide to photograph the Metrolink Special Los Angeles Rams Football Trains by riding one of them this season. Since they run on my Orange County Line, I could catch it in Laguna Niguel on one of the Sundays during the Rams' home games and decided on November 12, 2017. I asked Robin Bowers to join me and for more mileage, decided to take Pacific Surfliner 562 from Santa Ana south to Oceanside, then Metrolink 661 to Laguna Niguel, where we would catch the LA Rams Special Train 673X to Norwalk, then take Metrolink 662 back to Oceanside, then return to Santa Ana on Metrolink 665.
I met Robin at Santa Ana for the first leg of our trip and bought our Metrolink Sunday Pass then boarded the cab car on the rear and rode to Oceanside before crossing underneath and boarding Metrolink 661 in the bicycle car. We had our second run along the surf before arriving at Laguna Niguel where we detrained.
Metrolink 673X, led by MP36PH-3C 899, built by Motive Power Industries. I decided to walk to the west side of the station for a front view of the train and as I did that, Metrolink 857 bound for Oceanside was also leaving.
Metrolink 857 departing. I traversed the new ramps at the Laguna Niguel station for the third time and walked past the platform.
Metrolink 673X from a different angle. I returned to the train and Robin was waiting for me at the ramp. By this time, the train was now open and we chose two seats in the bicycle car of this special train and twenty people boarded before we left on time at 9:35 AM. I felt that Metrolink should start this service from Oceanside as the current routing forces Rams fans from points south of Laguna Niguel to take the regular Sunday trains. We stopped at Irvine, picking up another twenty-four fans then went to Tustin for thirty, Santa Ana twenty, Orange twenty-two, Anaheim eighteen, Fullerton five, Buena Park seven and Norwalk three. The two of us detrained at Norwalk and went up onto the pedestrian bridge over the BNSF mainline.
Pacific Surfliner 1567 passing through Norwalk. We went down to trackside and boarded Metrolink 662 for Oceanside, then took Metrolink 665 back home to Santa Ana.
Jump ahead to Sunday, November 26, 2017 and I had another chance to photograph the LA Rams Special Train. I bought another Sunday Weekend Pass and rode Pacific Surfliner 562 down to Oceanside where I detrained on Track 2 and while I was waiting for Metrolink 661, Pacific Surfliner 565 arrived with a low-level Pacific Surfliner trainset.
Pacific Surfliner 565 at Oceanside.
Amtrak Veterans cabbage car 90208. Metrolink 661 then arrived late and we departed fifteen minutes late; I rode this train to Norwalk as Rams and Saints fans also boarded the normal train. Once there, I went up on the pedestrian bridge over the BNSF mainline and there were no freight trains blocking my view this morning.
Metrolink Special Rams Football Train 753X from Perris at Norwalk.
BNSF 7939 East came and stopped. So much for my clear view pictures!
Pacific Surfliner 768.
Metrolink Special Rams Football Train 763X from Laguna Niguel at Norwalk.
While I was photographing the Metrolink train, this BNSF freight snuck by me so I only managed a tail view.
Pacific Surfliner 1567.
BNSF 7928 West, after which I went trackside to wait for Metrolink 662 from Los Angeles.
BNSF 7772 East. I rode Metrolink 662 to Oceanside but was warned by my conductor that this trainset was being taken out of service once we arrived. I helped the crew keep the waiting passengers off the now-dead trainset then went over to Burger King and while ordering, I heard "Mr. Chris!" and turned around to see one of my students from Heninger Elementary School sitting at a booth with his family. The dead train left and I took my hamburger over to Track 2.
Pacific Surfliner 777 arrived and would wait for the new Metrolink 665 to arrive back at the station. A few minutes later here came 665 and I was shocked by it consist.
Metrolink 665 had a cab car leading then a coach, a locomotive, then a second cab car, three more coaches and a second locomotive.
Our conductor walked by the forward engine.
The oddest Metrolink train I had seen and I rode it back to Santa Ana, ending another railfanning adventure.
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