Association of Private Railcar Owners {AAPRCO} Convention for 2008 would be held in San Pedro, California and the group got the Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 scheduled to pull an all private car train down to San Diego and then over to San Pedro by diesels down the Alameda Corridor. Some owners were selling space so Steve Grande booked me aboard my favorite private car the Pony Express for the trip. The 24 car consist was posted on Trainorders.com and I just had to wait for the day for this trip to start.
The Consist
AT&SF Steam Locomotive 3751.
Amtrak diesel running cab rear P42 DC 63. Amtrak diesel running cab forward P42DC 87. Amtrak diesel running cab rear P42DC 99. City of Spokane RE Parlor Buffet Obs GN Port of Seattle 800362. Northern Dreams Sleeper/Lounge UP North Platte 800710. Northern Sky Dome/Sleeper/Lounge UP 9003 800588. Birch Grove 10-6 Sleeper SP 9020 800736. The Observatory Dome/Sleeper/Lounge NP 558 800290. Chapel Hill OP Private Car PV Hussar 800043. Salisbury Beach 6-4-6 Sleeper B&M Salisbury Beach 800257. Overland Trail Barbershop/Lounge SP 2981 800633. City of Angels Sleeper/Lounge NYC Laurel Stream 800180. Tolani 48 Seat Coach AT&SF 2822 800721. Colonial Crafts Sleeper/Lounge PRR Colonial Crafts 800061. Silver Lariat Dome/Coach CB&Q Silver Lariat 800190. Pony Express Party Car CPR 4210 800326. Caritas OP Business StL&SF Pierre La Clede 800045. Louis Sockalexis BE Sleeper/Lounge PRR Frank Thomson 800110. Pointe St. Charles OP Business CN 800516. Hollywood Beach Sleeper/Lounge SBD Hollywood Beach 800129. Colorado Pine 6-4-6 Sleeper L&N Plantation Pine 800563. Two Rivers Sleeper/Lounge NYC River Series 800032. Burrard OP Tour Car CN Burrard 800591. Virginia City OP Business Pullman Crystal Peak 800313. Bella Vista OP Dome/Sleeper/Lounge UP 9006 800212. Palm Leaf 10-6 Sleeper AT&SF Palm Leaf 800237. Scottish Thistle OP Business CN 800636. Getting to the Santa Fe 3751 9/21/2008I got up at 3:45 AM and prepared for my day with the Santa Fe 3751 aboard the Pony Express. Steve and Barbara picked me up at 4:25 AM and we took the freeways all the way to San Pedro. We pulled up to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in San Pedro and I got us a parking pass for the day. We parked in the basement and took the elevator to the lobby. Carol Walker pulled up about twenty minutes later and after she got her parking permit I took her down to park her car. Steve and Barbara waited for Tom and Kelly of the Depot Inn & Suites of La Plata, Missouri. Carol and I decided to ride the first bus to the Amtrak 8th Street Yard and on an early Sunday morning there was no traffic. The bus parked in the Amtrak 8th Street Yard in Los Angeles and after a few minutes we were allowed off to board the train. I boarded the Salisbury Beach and then walked through the Overland Trail, City of Angels, Tolani, Colonial Crafts and Silver Lariat before I reached the Pony Express where I was greeted by owner Stan Garner.
Santa Fe 3751 AAPRCO Excursion to San Diego 9/21/2008
The view out of the large Baggage Car Doors of the Pony Express.
Surfliner 564 passed the Amtrak 8th Street Yard and we would follow him south on our way to San Diego. Then an early Southwest Chief ran by for an early arrival into Los Angeles Union Station.
At 7:32 AM the Santa Fe 3751 started backing the train up so it could reach the switch out to the mainline located under the train.
The train backed about 16 car lengths before stopping to throw that switch we needed to leave the 8th Street Yard.
The Santa Fe 3751 then made its way out of the Amtrak 8th Street Yard.
The train passed the Amtrak Los Angeles switchers on its way out of the Amtrak 8th Street Yard.
The train headed out onto the Metrolink River Sub at CP Olympic.
Running along the Los Angeles River. The Santa Fe 3751 next crossed the Flyover across the Alameda Corridor and the Los Angeles River.
The Santa Fe 3751 had crossed the Flyover and at CP Soto entered the BNSF San Bernardino Sub for the trip down to Fullerton.
The train crossed the Union Pacific Railroad at Hobart Tower.
The Santa Fe 3751 passed by the BNSF Hobart Yard.
A BNSF power set heading from the BNSF Commerce Engine Facility to Hobart Yard.
The BNSF Commerce Engine Shop.
East of Interstate 5 we met a westbound freight.
The Yard Tower at Pico Rivera.
The Santa Fe 3751 smoked it up on a curve east of Pico Rivera.
The Santa Fe 3751 approached the San Gabriel River and DT Junction.
The BNSF is adding a third track in the future along most of the San Bernardino Sub between CO Soto and Fullerton.
The Santa Fe 3751 is about to cross the former Pacific Electric Whittier Line.
The Santa Fe 3751 took the big curve at Los Nietos heading for Santa Fe Springs.
The Santa Fe 3751 passed through the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink Station.
Future third track being added in La Mirada.
The Santa Fe 3751 has entered Orange County at Buena Park.
The rear of our train at Buena Park.
The Santa Fe 3751 passed through the Buena Park Metrolink Station.
The Santa Fe 3751 and train took the curve at Basta heading for Fullerton. I called the Santa Ana Station to let them know we were on our way.
The train passed through the Fullerton Station.
At Fullerton Jct, the train left the BNSF mainline for the Metrolink San Diego Sub.
At Orangethorpe Ave, I spotted my friend Bob Riskie videotaping our special steam run to San Diego.
The Santa Fe 3751 has entered Anaheim and about to run through CP La Palma.
In South Anaheim the Santa Fe 3751 took the curve and crossed Lewis Street.
At CP College the train crossed the former Southern Pacific Tustin Branch with Anaheim Stadium in the background.
The Santa Fe 3751 took the curve to cross State College Blvd.
The Santa Fe 3751 approached the Anaheim Station then we under the Orange Freeway.
The Santa Fe 3751 then crossed the Santa Ana River.
A few minutes later after seeing Roy and Cliff of the Orange County Railroad Historical Society, the train went through the Orange Metrolink Station.
The train crossed La Veta Ave before passing beneath the Garden Grove Freeway.
The Santa Fe 3751 crossed Santiago Creek and entered Santa Ana.
As the rear of the train was still in Orange we passed under the Garden Grove Freeway.
A few minutes later, the train passed through the Santa Ana Transportation Center and my home station that I would not be visiting today.
The train took the curve south of the Santa Ana Station and went by the former location of the old Santa Ana Santa Fe station.
The train then took the curve to reach the long straight away to Irvine and beyond.
One of the Blimp Hangers in Tustin, the world's largest wooden structure.
The Santa Fe 3751 ran through the Tustin Metrolink Station.
The grade separation project at Jeffrey Road in Irvine.
The Santa Fe 3751 came off the Jeffrey Road Shoo Fly.
Bob was videotaping us again this time at Sand Canyon Road.
The big orange balloon at the former El Toro Marine Base future Great Park.
The Santa Fe 3751 ran through the Irvine Station next.
Near El Toro Road in El Toro, the Santa Fe 3751 met Surfliner 565 on the fly.
The Santa Fe 3751 is about to cross Oso Creek.
The Santa Fe 3751 is nearing the highest point on the ex Santa Fe Surfline.
The Santa Fe 3751 has reached and crossed the highest point on the ex Santa Fe Surfline.
A look back as the train entered Mission Viejo.
The Santa Fe 3751 crossed under La Paz Road and then went under Interstate 5.
The Santa Fe 3751 rolled down the grade from the top of the El Toro Hill.
A few minutes later the train went under Crown Valley Parkway in Laguna Niguel.
The train then passed through the Mission Viego/Laguna Niguel Metrolink Station and then entered single track at CP Avery.
A few of the many photographers along our route today.
The Santa Fe 3751 passed through San Juan Capistrano.
The Santa Fe 3751 crossed San Juan Creek and took the turn to reach the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
The Santa Fe 3751 took the "S" curves at CP Capistrano.
Taking the curve in the middle of Serra Siding.
