The Pacific Railroad Society's Perris Express 1/19/2017

by Chris Guenzler

In August 2016, upon returning home from my first day of the 2016 school year at Heninger Elementary School in Santa Ana, I saw a posting on Trainorders.com "Ride the Special Train to Perris and OERM on Saturday 10/1/2016". I bought a ticket then called my friends Chris Parker and Robin Bowers to let them know. New mileage was limited but it would be a fun day of train riding and spending time with my friends. The trip was then rescheduled until January, since the day chosen was the Union Pacific Railroad Historical Society Picnic.

The Trip Information from http://www.pacificrailroadsociety.org

That's right, Metrolink does not normally provide service to Perris on weekends, so this will be a special train from Los Angeles to Perris via the San Bernardino line outbound and the Riverside line inbound. Our special train will travel down the middle of Interstate 10 to San Bernardino, then south towards Riverside where we branch off on the new Metrolink Perris line. Stops will be made on the new branch for photo opportunities. At Perris, we'll take turns riding a historic bus to take us the final two miles to the museum. This special PRS excursion includes admission to OERM, an all-day ride pass and lunch in Pinacate Park at the museum. This is your chance to ride many of Los Angeles's historic trolley cars, Pacific Electric Interurban cars, see Ward Kimball's Grizzly Flats Railroad, and visit PRS' funeral car, the Descanso. Equipment for this special train will be Metrolink bi-level coaches.

The Trip

I arose at 5:00 AM and upon checking e-mail, found the final update on today's excursion. When I arrived at Santa Ana station, I met Robin and we waited for the train while further down the platform were women with picket signs going to Los Angeles for a march for Women's Rights.

The train arrived on time and we found seats on a very crowded train which became standing room only at Anaheim, and was worse by the time we left Fullerton. We arrived at Los Angeles and found Chris Parker on the platform.

Pacific Surfliner Train 763 had a private car in the consist as today was one of LA Rail's Vino Trains to Santa Barbara. Robin and I went down to the tunnel and picked up our tickets, as well as Chris Parker's, behind the fish tank at the east portal of LAUPT then walked over to Philippe's, where I enjoyed a double-dipped roast beef sandwich with cottage cheese and Coca-Cola. After a good early lunch, we all returned to the station where I saw the largest crowd I have ever seen here. Women were everywhere with protest signs galore in all areas, including the main station tunnel. I made my way safely down to the Track 13-14 tunnel and watched people, which today was really interesting. A Pacific Railroad Society volunteer then informed me the train was in the yard and would come into Track 5. We walked over and up to the adjacent Track 6 and waited for our train to Perris.

The Perris Express

One Metrolink train arrived but the second one had the "National Forum" in its consist so we all knew that was our train, since the Society owns that sleeping car. I walked to get into position to board the bicycle car and chose the rear table on the left side. I called Chris Parker and told him what car number I was in and Robin found me because he knew my preference. Our departure was delayed even more because a woman fell, but at 9:50 AM, the Perris Express commenced.

We started leaving Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal.

Dodger Stadium up on the hill to the north.

We made it to only Mission Tower when we were stopped by a red signal but after a few minutes, we had a red-over-yellow signal and crept forward to the connection to the Metrolink mainline.

First we crossed the West Bank line.

Next the crossing of the Los Angeles River.

That was followed by the junction with the East Bank line and a meet with Metrolink 353 before proceeding east.

The grade of the former Pacific Electric to Pasadena.

After the Cal State Los Angeles station, we crossed the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 and travelled in the middle.

Near El Monte, we escaped the San Bernardino Freeway and climbed the El Monte flyover high above the Rio Hondo River.

Mount Wilson.

The former Southern Pacific Sunset Route crossed the Rio Hondo River.

Mount Baldy, also known as Mount San Antonio.

The San Gabriel Mountains.

Crossing the San Gabriel River.

This is where Walnut Creek enters the San Gabriel River. We went into the siding at Bassett and waited for Metrolink 357.

We stopped with a very nicely-painted tank car BOCX 3039 at a plant. Metrolink 357 went by then we proceeded through the Baldwin Park station and turned east.

The old sand and gravel pits, after which we went through Covina station without stopping.

The ever-present San Gabriel Mountains.

As we sped through the Pomona North station, the former Santa Fe station came into view.

Next was the Santa Fe station in Claremont.

A very needed dam at the base of the mountains with our extremely wet rainy season this year. We passed through Montclair station.

The clouds were now covering the mountains on the way to Upland.

A wye before we flew through the Rancho Cucamonga station then into BNSF's Kaiser Yard and passing Fontana station.

The stormy clouds before Rialto.

After Rialto station before going under the Palmdale Cutoff.

The former Southern Pacific Palmdale Cutoff.

Lyle Creek Wash Channel. We then climbed the San Bernardino Metrolink flyover.

The former San Bernardino Santa Fe Shops smokestack still stands.

We crossed over BNSF A Yard and started down the San Bernardino Metrolink flyover.

The San Bernardino Mountains to the north.

The BNSF A Yard in San Bernardino before we arrived at what is left of the San Bernardino yard, where our engineer switched ends.

A Union Pacific DPU went east on a train while we waited to depart. We would next proceed south to Highgrove.

The Union Pacific flyover in Colton.

Crossing the Santa Ana River with the former Pacific Electric Riverside bridge. We soon arrived at Highgrove and went south just past the switch to the new connection to the Metrolink Perris Line. The engine crew switched ends once again and the engineer he returned to the locomotive. While we sat they announced we would stop at every new station and could get off and take pictures of the train and station at each.