On Friday night, I saw Aerosmith at the Anaheim Pond. I drove to the Anaheim Amtrak Station, took Metrolink 604 south to San Juan Capistrano and Surfliner 785 back. I walked over to the Pond, saw Lenny Kravitz who did an excellent set, then Aerosmith Rocked the House! Of course they did "Train Kept a Rollin" which I always enjoy. After a great show I walked back to my car and drove home. Down at the station it was all lit up as they were putting in the pedestrian bridge. I went home and slept a short night.
On Saturday February 25th, 2006, I drove down and parked in our parking structure after seeing the new bridge as I drove down to the station. I went up to the top level for my first picture of this bridge.
The Ticket Counter at Santa Ana with my two great Amtrak agents Gary and Larry. I learned my southbound Surfliner 564 was running over thirty minutes late. I went outside to wait for Surfliner 763 to arrive.
The first train under the new Pedestrian Bridge was Surfliner 763. Once the train left it was now time for a few pictures.
A station side view of the new bridge.
The view from the north balcony. I went inside to talk with the agents and a few minutes before our train time a southbound BNSF freight with two rear DPU's on it made its way through the slow order south of the station.
Surfliner 564 2/25/2006About ten minutes later, Surfliner 564 came into Santa Ana but I was surprised by the power. P42DC 117 was pulling our train this morning. It was being tested to see if these units could work in this service. Running time, braking and acceleration from the station would all be looked at. We ran to Irvine where I spotted Cathy Stanfill and her mother boarding the train. I found them downstairs and greeted them. Our train passed that BNSF Freight at CP Avery before we did our San Juan Capistrano stop. Running along the surf, the most dolphins I had ever seen were out this morning. We ran to Oceanside, Solana Beach and then Old Town before we arrived into San Diego.
Surfliner 564 with the P42DC 117 in San Diego after it arrived. I went inside the station for a Coca-Cola and a few pictures.
The view looking north in the station.
The excellent tile work with the Santa Fe emblem in the station.
The ticket counter area of the station.
The view looking south into the station lobby. I called Let's Talk Trains but never got on the air.
Surfliner 571 2/25/2006I saw passengers boarding Surfliner 571 and knew I had better get going. I walked out to the train and visited with Conductor Jeff who let we use his cell phone to call the show. I was on hold from San Diego to CP Cumbres before I hung up again knowing we would lose service going down the steep grade into Sorrento Valley. We had left San Diego over half an hour late. I asked the engineer if I could take pictures of the meets with the southbound trains today and he said it would be fine. Coming down Miramar Hill we got a double yellow signal to take the siding at Sorrento Valley.
We went into the siding at Sorrento Valley and waited 12 minutes for that same BNSF freight we had passed at CP Avery on the way south. After he had cleared, we ran to Solana Beach.
At CP Farr we stopped and first met Surfliner 768.
We sat there and waited on Coaster 646 before we ran to Oceanside. We crossed Camp Pendleton then rolled along the surf through San Clemente.
At Serra Siding, we met Surfliner 572 before we did our stops at San Juan Capistrano and later Irvine.
Train 571 arriving into Santa Ana where I detrained.
One last shot as Surfliner 571 headed north towards Los Angeles and I went home finding Trains Magazine in my mailbox.
