Oh what fun it is to ride a...steam train.  I had business in San Pedro on Sunday and returned to the 3751 public display.  All the private cars had owners to meet their future passengers.  These private cars do get around the country and are no strangers to steam.  The Pony Express was part of a 4449 excursion just a few weeks earlier in October across the Pacific Northwest. Overland Trail goes to San Diego regularly and was part of the RX Express with Pacific Sands in September 2004 to Vancouver, Canada.  Overland Trail and Pacific Sands are scheduled for monthly trips to San Luis Obispo for wine tasting weekends coinciding with a new Amtrak train.  The Overland Trail went to California State Rail Fair in 1999 with 3751.

I picked up my parents at the World Cruise Ship Terminal prior to their cruise to Mexico and brought them to the 3751.  We walked through all the cars and my 85 year old father climbed  the  stairs to the 3751 cab.  While walking through the Overland Trail, I happened to mention to Bill Hartick that my dad was a W.W.II Veteran.  Bill was excited to hear and immediately invited my folks to be a part of his annual Pearl Harbor "Train of Remembrance" running December 4, 2004  This public excursion aboard Overland Trail, is Bill's salute to our war heroes, a step back to the time of 1940's travel.

The public display of the 3751 ended at 4 PM though visitors still walked up to the engine.
The hard working 3751 team was spotted returning from a walk in the late afternoon.
Later, other crew members were seen hooking up a fire hose to a hydrant across the street.    
The train pulls out at 6:45 PM for the run back to Redondo Roundhouse.  Below, some people did know this was a special train.  The route was parallel to Harbor Boulevard and later John S. Gibson Boulevard.
Below right, the train crosses by the World Cruise Center and under the west approach of the Vincent Thomas Bridge.
The train worked its way to run alongside John S. Gibson Boulevard, then Harry Bridges Boulevard and onto the Alameda Corridor.
Below right is the Union Pacific Dolores locomotive facility.
Eventually the train worked its way into the less scenic at night mid-corridor trench.  We had a meet with a UP train.
The train entered the Amtrak Los Angeles yard from the south.  There the train was broken away from the 3751 and tool car.  The tool car was left on another track and finally the 3751 was backed through the locomotive washer and onto the turntable.  I could never imagined what happened next.  The Amtrak night manager told Billy to give the 3751 two revolutions on the table!  I stood there with Bill Hatrick who commented "how magical it was to watch 3751 on her home turntable at her old home terminal."  Finally she was eased off the turntable into what someone said was a "breadbox" due to the fact that 3751 is fenced in and locked up.  The saddest moment was marked by one SBRHS crew member who stated how he disliked putting out the fire.