There were two events coming to our area of California. First was Amtrak 203 on the Southwest Chief and then on Super Bowl Sunday, the BNSF Super Bowl train with some of its executive fleet would come north from San Diego. I would cover both events.
Amtrak 203 InformationAmtrak, Operation Lifesaver and Federal Railroad Administration held a ceremony on January 12, 2022 at Washington Union Station to unveil the new 50th Anniversary Operation Lifesaver Locomotive. Amtrak P42 203 was selected for the honor and was designed by Blair Slaughter and his team at Amtrak. The locomotive was painted at Beech Grove shops and will be appearing this year on various Amtrak trains as an important rolling safety billboard.
Amtrak unveiled a specially painted P42DC to mark the 50th Anniversary of Operation Lifesaver. P4DC 203, repainted with the message, "See Tracks? Think Train!" was released into service. The black-and-yellow locomotive commemorates the non-profit organization dedicated to providing nationwide railroad safety education and awareness.
Operation Lifesaver was founded in 1972 with the goal to reduce railroad-related collisions, deaths and injuries across the United States, utilizing the "3 Es" - education, engineering and enforcement. "See Tracks? Think Train!" is one of several major campaigns the organization conducts to connect with the public to increase visibility and awareness around railroads.
Over the past five decades, Operation Lifesaver and its safety partners have helped reduce railroad-crossing incidents by 84%, from 12,000 in 1972, the year Operation Lifesaver started, to 1,900 in 2020. But there is still work to be done. Every 3 hours in the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a train," OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh says.
Amtrak 203, constructed in October 2001 by General Electric, was repainted in Operation Lifesaver's rail-safety scheme at Amtrak's shop in Beech Grove, Ind. The locomotive will remain in revenue service throughout Amtrak's national network.
2/10/2022 I was up early and after having my breakfast, I drove to the Fullerton station for the arrival of the Southwest Chief.
Metrolink 701 from South Perris to Los Angeles stopped in Fullerton then went west.
Next was Metrolink 603 from Oceanside to Los Angeles which arrived and departed. The next train on this track will be the Southwest Chief.
Pacific Surfliner 562 came into Fullerton for its station stop.
Pacific Surfliner 562 left and now it will be the Chief's time.
Southwest Chief Train 4 arrived this morning.
My first two pictures of Amtrak 203.
Two more pictures of Amtrak 203 before I relocated across Harbor Boulevard for a broader side view.
Southwest Chief Train 4. It departed Fullerton bound for Los Angeles and I was a happy railfan.
2/13/2022 Now for the big event. Elizabeth and I got up and after breakfast, we drove south down Interstate 5 to the Avenue Calafia exit and made our way to the parking lot and parked. I paid for parking and we walked down to the bench that overlooks the beach. We saw three dolphins before there was any train activity.
The morning view from the bench.
A late running Pacific Surfliner 562 was our first train.
On time Pacific Surfliner 567 was the next train. Elizabeth was checking Trainorders.com for updates.
San Clemente Island could be seen this morning. After we learned the BNSF Super Bowl train had passed through Carlsbad-Poinsettia at 8:15 AM, I knew it would be ahead of Metrolink 661.
BNSF Super Bowl Specal at Calafia Beach, south of San Clemente.
BNSF ES44AC 5828, one of the 25th Anniversary locomotives.
BNSF ES44AC 6163, one of the 25th Anniversary locomotives.
Now the train's consist.
BNSF sleeper 66 "Cajon Pass", ex. ATSF 66, nee ATSF 1824 "Regal Lark" built by American Car and Foundry (ACF) in 1950.
BNSF crew sleeper 69 "Eagle Pass", ex. Jon Clark sleeper "Regal Isle", exx. KCS, exxx. AMTK 2352, nee AT&F 1822, built by ACF in 1950.
BNSF head-end power car 53 "Mt. San Antonio", ex. instruction car 88, exx. ATSF 88, nee ATSF baggage 3911. It was built by Pullman-Standard in 1963.
BNSF power car 51 "Mt. Rainier", ex. BNSF "Snoqualmie Pass", exx., BN A30, exxx. Transcisco Tours 138, exxxx. DLWX, exxxxx. ATSF steam generator car 138, exxxxxx. ATSF 140, nee ATSF baggage car 3931 built by Pullman Standard in 1964.
BNSF crew sleeper 63 "Glorieta Pass", ex. Greenbrier Express 2SR-8BD sleeper 800231, exx. American Railway Explorer "Petrified Forest", exxx. American Orient Express "Monte Carlo", exxxx. American European Express AE-11 "Monte Carlo", exxxxx. 8404 Corp. sleeper 5465, nee Baltimore and Ohio 7045 "OPEQUON", built by Pullman-Standard in 1950.
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BNSF business car 6 "Topeka", ex. ATSF 51, nee ATSF 5002 built by Budd in 1957.
BNSF sleeper 67 "Trinchera Pass", ex. BNSF "Donner Pass", exx. AT&SF 67, nee ATSF 1825 "Regal Manor" built by AC&F in 1950.
BNSF business car 4 "Missouri River", ex.BN A6, nee. NP "Yakima River" built by Pullman-Standard in 1955.
BNSF sleeper-lounge 60 "Stevens Pass", ex. BNSF "Deschutes River", exx. BN A11, exxx. BN B12, exxxx. BN A11, exxxxx. BN B2, exxxxxx. Great Northern Rules Instruction Car X-7853, exxxxxxx. GN parlor buffet blunt end observation 1085, exxxxxxxx. GN barber-buffet-solarium-observation 1073, nee-Pullman Plan 3990 "David C. Shepard". Built by Pullman in 1929.
BNSF sleeper 65 "Raton Pass", ex. ATSF 65, nee ATSF 1823 "Regal Lane", built by ACF in 1950.
BNSF sleeper 64 "Marias Pass", ex. AT&SF 64, nee ATSF 1820 "Regal Hunt", built by AC&F in 1950.
BNSF business car 1 "Gerald Grinstein", ex. BNA 1 "Mississippi River", exx Burlington Northern, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. Built by Budd in 1952.
BNSF dining car 10 "Lake Superior", ex. BN A26, exx. BN 1293 (not applied), exxx. BN 459, nee Northern Pacific. Built by Budd in 1957.
BNSF dining car 11 "Fred Harvey", ex. ATSF 61, nee ATSF 600, built by Pullman-Standard in 1950.
BNSF full dome-lounge 31 "Carl R. Ice", ex. BNSF "Bay View", ex. ATSF 60, nee ATSF 506 built by Budd in 1954.
BNSF inspection-theatre car 32 "William B. Strong", ex. ATSF 89, exx. 53-seat club lounge-diner 1397, exxx. 47-seat club lounge, nee 58 seat club lounge-news stand-coach, built by Budd in 1940.
The train headed north to Commerce. We tried to chase it, but we saw the rear of the train at La Veta Avenue in Orange, as well as when it was crossing Bativia Avenue. It had been a good time for this special train.
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