Winston Walker and I met at the Santa Ana Amtrak station to go to the Trainweb.com Tenth Anniversary party at the Rail Restaurant in Fullerton. This is the same restaurant that we have our Trainriders Group Meeting on the fourth Monday of the month. With Christmas being on that date this year, this party would be taking its place. I always like to get some rail mileage before the meeting, so it is usually north to Los Angeles, then back to Fullerton for the meeting. Since I would be going that way to leave tomorrow night for La Plata, I suggested a trip to San Juan Capistrano on Amtrak 578 and to Fullerton on Metrolink 609. We would return home from the party on Surfliner 794.
Metrolink 609 pulled into San Juan Capistrano. We boarded the cab car for the trip to Fullerton. We made stops at Laguna Niguel/ Mission Viejo, Irvine, Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange and Anaheim, before arriving in Fullerton.
Metrolink 609 at Fullerton.
Winston and I walked across the parking lot to the Rail Restaurant where the party was going to be held. A group was already outside waiting for the restaurant to open. It did after 5:00 PM and we all went inside. Since some people were leaving on the Southwest Chief for La Plata tonight, they were served first. It was ten years ago on this date, December 6th, 1996 that Trainweb.com received their domain name and the rest is history. Congratulations to Trainweb.com, not only for ten years, but for also hosting my web site that everyone enjoys. Remember, one can obtain a free web site at Trainweb.org as long as it is rail-related. Below, some scenes for this evening's party.
The food service was slow as one dish was being cooked at a time. Our order went in at 5:23 PM and we received our Filet Mignon at 7:52 PM. That meant I could not go to see Carl Morrison and the others off who were going to La Plata. The good news is that they would be waiting for me there. The following attended this unique Tenth Anniversary Party of Trainweb.com: Chris Guenzler, Winston Walker, Steve Grande, Barbara Cepinko, Richard Hamilton, Tessie Casiro, Bonnie and Konrad Kerr, Harry Ortiz, Jonathan Ortiz, Carl Morrison, Mary Stanfill, Cathy Stanfill, Chris Parker, David, Joanne and Christina Fruth, Richard Elgenson, Ross Moore, Pat Moran, Tom Anderson, Dan Dalke and Ken Ruben. A good time was had by all and all too soon, it was time to leave the party to get to the south track to catch Surfliner 794 home to Santa Ana. We rode in the lower level of the cab car and had a quick trip back to Santa Ana, where I said goodbye to Winston before heading home for one last night. Tomorrow night I would be on my way to La Plata, Missouri and the grand opening of Trainweb.com.
