May Day at L.A. broke clear and warm, with a light breeze. Just the sort of day most people would choose for riding southern California's rails hither and yon (mostly yon, though hither does have its good points) to revel in the wealth of scenic diversity: cityscapes, suburbia, countryside; urban, industrial, mall-ified, agricultural, rural; mountains, valleys, plains, and of course our superlative Pacific coastline.
Most people are not railfans, however, and to the more ferroequinologically-inclined subgroup of the railfan ilk (of which I count myself an adherent) any day that includes a fired-up, fire-breathing, whistle-blowing, rods flying (or gears gnashing), bell-ringing, hissing, huffing, puffing, smoking steam locomotive is a great one. Put that locomotive to work pulling a passenger train loaded with like-minded enthusiasts on the active main line of a real railroad - throwing excellent weather into the bargain - and one would be hard pressed to find any hint of dissent among the faithful to an assertion that such a day achieves something very closely resembling perfection.
Stripped of florid verbosity: Scenery, schmenery. Run the machinery!
Team Whooz (yours surly and co-captain Alice) arrived trackside at Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) in fine fettle, high spirits, and brimming with eager anticipation for our imminent ride behind Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 on the Saturday, May 1, southbound leg of San Diego Steam Special 2010. LAUS was at its usual Saturday morning level of bustle, with Amtrak Pacific Surfliners, Metrolink commuter consists, and Metro Gold Line light rail trains arriving and departing more or less constantly during a morning rush not TOO greatly diminished from the weekday versions.
This year's Special was an encore of the inaugural excursion, in 2008, which occasion was the first time in about 50 years that steam power had handled a passenger train, L.A.-San Diego. A planned 2009 Special foundered on the rocks of recession and was canceled, apparently due to inadequate ticket sales. Mainline steam doesn't come cheap, and if costs can't be covered, well...
The only damper on 2010 Steam Special day as it began was the unfortunate absence of a charter member of Team Whooz, our Amtrak Unlimited SoCal pal sportbiker (Mark). He had called the previous evening to inform us of a motor mishap. The mixed news was that HE was okay (good), his vehicle not so much (bad), and that the need to expedite vehicle repair meant he wouldn't be riding with us (really bad). We did get to greet him briefly the following Saturday at National Train Day L.A., and I can attest that he was healthy, unbroken, and looked no worse than usual.
Doing the 2008 excursion solo, I had arrived at LAUS via the Red Line (subway) early enough that I was on the platform to watch 3751 arrive from its nearby home at Redondo Junction - on the grounds of Amtrak's L.A. shops. Not so this time, as upon arrival locomotive and train were already spotted for departure on track 12 and surrounded by a goodly number of fans/photographers. So much for getting any clean shots of the locomotive. The overwhelming mob focus on 3751 meant the passenger consist was wide open and unobstructed, so I worked it over for awhile.
The car of most interest to me was the "Pony Express" baggage car (Canadian Pacific #4210) with open doors on both sides. While taking pictures of the train (Amfleets, Horizons, 4 domes) I returned to mental review of the route to San Diego (well known to me), churning through photo opportunities available on both sides of the train along the run. This wasn't a new thing, as it had been known since the Steam Special was first announced that an open car would be in the consist. More a matter of final decisions on seeing the photo platform itself for the first time, up close and personal.
With departure time growing near it was noticed that a couple train crew members (all of whom are volunteers) were seated at a table on the platform with a line formed before them. Figuring it for some sort of check-in requirement, Team Whooz waited in the line for about 15 minutes in order to learn that we didn't have to wait in the line. Our wait was not for naught, though, as we also learned we could board forthwith, which we proceeded to do.
A number of ticketing options had been available for the excursion: Coach one-way or round trip (over two days; southbound Saturday, northbound Sunday) $99/$198; Dome $198/$398; Dome Premium $249/$498. Beyond that were add-ons for onboard lunches provided by Amtrak, and Pacific Surfliner returns from either San Diego or L.A.
Team Whooz opted for one-way Coach, packed its own lunch, and independently booked a Saturday Surfliner return to L.A.
Boarding passes were snail-mailed a couple weeks prior to departure, and as in '08 for Coach included car - but not seat - assignments. We were to ride in Car 1, i.e. directly behind 3751, tender, and Amtrak P42 (lucky) No. 13.
The first-come, first-served seating policy provided an excellent rationale for early boarding, seeing as how because most folks seem to prefer seats on the coast side of the train (right south, left north) those are the first to go, and seeing as how Team Whooz co-captain Alice aligns with most folks when it comes to preference for ocean views. Maybe I'm jaded from a life spent living and traveling on the west (correct) coast, but my boredom threshold is very low when it comes to looking at water. Looking landward is far more interesting, and on the rail route between L.A. and San Diego the train's inland side provides most of the best opportunities for seeing the train itself on curves - a crucial consideration when a steam locomotive is involved.
Anyway, Alice climbed aboard to hunt for the perfect seat as I broke down her wheelchair - quick-release wheels - and hauled it aboard to be stowed in an area at an end of Car 1 - an Amfleet coach.
We were immediately confronted with seat configuration weirdness. For some unfathomable reason nearly all the Amfleet's seats were in quad formations - sets facing each other. A fairly ridiculous setup, given that the distance from seat edge to seat edge when they're set up that way is about 8 inches. Concern over awkward seating - for us, and for anybody trying to occupy the seats facing us - turned out to be unfounded; nobody tried to sit there. The arrangement raised the question (in my small brain anyway) of how many Steam Special tickets had actually been sold - or NOT sold - that the quad configurations could fly without really inconveniencing anybody. And why was ours the only car - that I saw; didn't walk the whole train - set up that way?
Never bothered to ask, as these minor mysteries were cast aside in favor of enjoying the main event.
Departure was about 10 minutes behind the advertised, a major improvement over the hour late in '08. A stroll back to the open car, 4th in the passenger consist, found the hatches jammed with folks who - like myself - wanted views and shots of 3751 on the tight righthand curve out of LAUS. From an Amtrak or Metrolink train there's not much to see there. In addition to being stuck behind closed windows, the big wall surrounding the Men's Central Jail effectively blocks the view around the curve. Northbound departures offer clear curve views, but we weren't going to Santa
Barbara.
Well, we quickly found that being able to lean outside a car doesn't make much difference, at least not from one 6th in line behind the locomotive (tender, Amtrak P42, 3 coaches). That unpleasant little lesson learned, the shift began to the other side of the car for the next curve - to the left - on the flyover at Redondo Junction.
Gathering speed past the Red Line (subway) yards, several score derelict ExpressTrak boxcars, and idle intermodal buckets on the right, with the Los Angeles River on the left, we passed Amtrak's L.A. shops, where Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 lives, and where it can usually be seen from the right side of southbound Amtrak and Metrolink trains traversing the flyover. There was a general laugh as some master of the obvious yelled, "Hey, thirty-seven fifty-one is GONE!"
The Redondo Junction flyover (it flies over a busy UP line, and the junction was a major bottleneck in the days before grade separation) is an elevated, elongated S-curve. Southbound it runs up and left, a straight portion past a cement plant and recycling yards, then down and right for the run through L.A.'s industrial underbelly on the way to Fullerton. The up and left part is primo viewing and photo territory aboard any train (further back the better). For the restive, camera-toting mob at the hatches of the open baggage car the flyover promised the excursion's first good gander at reciprocating external combustion Valhalla.
I had maneuvered into a pretty good position for holding the camera out and catching video of 3751 on the climbing curve. Tight quarters, but not bad, and several others were similarly positioned. Everybody began shooting on the climb. As the curve commenced, several big, fat, incredibly rude jerkingtons lunged over those of us already in position and completely blocked our shots by pressing us down and thrusting their big, fat, incredibly rude selves and ugly arms right in front of our lenses.
Retaliation was clearly in order ("F me? F YOU!"). Maybe the crass Bozos got good video on the flyover curve - at the expense of those of us who were there first - but unless they wanna listen to my curse-laden tirade as well they'll be watching it sans sound or dubbing something in. That's still more than I ended up with, which was nothing. My footage had to be trashed thanks to the gang of gargantuan boors, and others were heard to remark - then and later - that their flyover shots had also been completely ruined - blocked - by the amazingly selfish behavior. Some might argue that my reaction was small-minded and vengeful, to which I would reply "Damn right."
After the flyover it's mostly a straight shot to Fullerton, meaning not much in the way of locomotive viewing. Good time to walk back forward and see how Alice was faring. Just fine, thank you, puttering about with her scanner and timetable, and enjoying the urban-industrial landscape sliding past the Amfleet's attenuated, gun-slit windows.
Given the option of boarding there instead of at LAUS, something like 80 more passengers would be joining us at Fullerton. Before arrival I moseyed on back to the open car for a better look at the crowd that would surely be waiting on the main platform for the only scheduled stop. With no particularly photogenic curves in the immediate offing, and slowing for the station as well, there was no longer any crowding at the hatches. As anticipated a sizeable pack of people was on hand to greet the train. Passenger boarding apparently went less smoothly than anticipated, as Alice
later reported, and there were also some trespassing problems on the ground.
While the train waited on track 3 the platform-bound folks streamed toward the obvious object of interest and affection, 3751. New passenger boarding at last complete, cleared by dispatch, highball given, the San Diego Steam Special 2010 got back underway.
No sooner had 3751 begun moving than all those poor saps on the Fullerton main platform were handed a very nasty surprise: An L.A.-bound BNSF intermodal stack train started passing on track 2 at that same moment, completely blocking their view of the excursion train's Fullerton departure. And I thought I had it bad back at the flyover! Onboard there was great sorrow for the platform denizens' foiled photo opportunity - not - and at the open hatches it was a joke to yell at them at the gaps between passing stacks.
Getting back up to speed it turned out there was some passable photo curvature - and good grade crossing whistle action - around Anaheim. Riding Amtrak or Metrolink around there I usually don't pay much attention to the right of way, but a steam locomotive seems to sharpen the senses so that one becomes keenly aware of the route's every nuance.
Further along through Orange County (how many states have counties named Orange?) - more straight shot running - I asked the volunteer crew member behind me at the hatch - he was enforcing the safety glasses requirement for being at the hatches, and kinda expediting through traffic - about the location of the steam excursion ritual photo run-by. It was known that there would be a run-by, but not where. He claimed he didn't know the location.
"You don't know, or you ain't sayin'?"
He smiled and nodded.
"I rode in '08," I offered, "and Carlsbad Poinsettia worked pretty well."
"It did," he replied, and said that for this trip other sites had also been considered.
"I understand not saying in advance, but why not now?"
"Too many people with cell phones aboard."
AH!! An attempt at avoiding a flash crowd at the run-by site.
Told the guy I'd looked over Pacific Surfliner and Coaster timetables, considered the fact that in '08 the Carlsbad Fire Dept. had provided water to 3751's tender, and thought Poinsettia was an obvious choice. The Limeys say a nod's as good as wink, and I got both. An overly large run-by crowd was not in my best interest, so of course I didn't go around braying the news to cell-toting passengers. I did return to Car 1 to quietly let Alice know the deal, so she could time her prepations accordingly. I had also learned that we'd be making an unscheduled stop at Oceanside to board some "special" passengers - perhaps a group that had missed boarding at L.A. - so that pause would be Alice's cue that the run-by stop was imminent.
Returning to my station in the open car - inland side - once again, I talked a bit with a young man who had also made that particular hatch his post. He sported engineer garb, and I learned he's involved with a tourist line in my area, the Fillmore & Western Railway. Mostly, though, we enjoyed the treat of the open car ride, and had a lot of fun waving and smiling as we passed the many groups of spectators lining the route - especially at grade crossings - who naturally waved, smiled, and sometimes shouted to us as well. It occurred to me that I was gonna be in a lot of people's videos. Poor saps.
By the time we stopped at Oceanside I was back in Car 1, making my own run-by preparations. Carlsbad Poinsettia has restrooms, but best get to that sorta thing outta the way before spending a couple hours on the ground during the servicing/run-by evolution.
On arrival at Poinsettia the first order of business was disgorging passengers at the short (Coaster-length) platform. Few doors were opened, so most had to walk at least some of the train to exit. As you might imagine, this took awhile. Passengers had the option of remaining aboard, and for those who chose it the decision was final: no ons or offs during the servicing and run-by.
Pretty big crowd on the ground, and not just excursion passengers. Once everybody who wanted to be was off the train, 3751 backed into position for servicing, but not before northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 571 barreled past at a ridiculously high speed:
Pacific Surfliner Speeds Past Carlsbad Poinsettia
Santa Fe 3751 Backs For Servicing
3751 was spotted at the north end of the platform, with the tender just beyond for water replenishment access. As in '08 the Carlsbad Fire Dept. was on hand to provide water. Filling the tender wasn't the only thing going on, though. I was able to get close enough to watch 3751 get a grease job:
Santa Fe 3751 Gets Greased
As servicing was finishing up southbound Pacific Surfliner 572 passed by, much more slowly than the northbound train. Apparently the earlier train hadn't gotten the word that the site was lousy with people on the ground near (and sometimes on) the tracks, but this one had.
Surfliner 572 Passes Santa Fe 3751
With servicing complete it was time for the Main Event, for which the San Diego Steam Special 2010 was backed up the line.
Santa Fe 3751 Backs For Run-by
NEXT: Run-by, and on to San Diego.
Most people are not railfans, however, and to the more ferroequinologically-inclined subgroup of the railfan ilk (of which I count myself an adherent) any day that includes a fired-up, fire-breathing, whistle-blowing, rods flying (or gears gnashing), bell-ringing, hissing, huffing, puffing, smoking steam locomotive is a great one. Put that locomotive to work pulling a passenger train loaded with like-minded enthusiasts on the active main line of a real railroad - throwing excellent weather into the bargain - and one would be hard pressed to find any hint of dissent among the faithful to an assertion that such a day achieves something very closely resembling perfection.
Stripped of florid verbosity: Scenery, schmenery. Run the machinery!
Team Whooz (yours surly and co-captain Alice) arrived trackside at Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) in fine fettle, high spirits, and brimming with eager anticipation for our imminent ride behind Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 on the Saturday, May 1, southbound leg of San Diego Steam Special 2010. LAUS was at its usual Saturday morning level of bustle, with Amtrak Pacific Surfliners, Metrolink commuter consists, and Metro Gold Line light rail trains arriving and departing more or less constantly during a morning rush not TOO greatly diminished from the weekday versions.
This year's Special was an encore of the inaugural excursion, in 2008, which occasion was the first time in about 50 years that steam power had handled a passenger train, L.A.-San Diego. A planned 2009 Special foundered on the rocks of recession and was canceled, apparently due to inadequate ticket sales. Mainline steam doesn't come cheap, and if costs can't be covered, well...
The only damper on 2010 Steam Special day as it began was the unfortunate absence of a charter member of Team Whooz, our Amtrak Unlimited SoCal pal sportbiker (Mark). He had called the previous evening to inform us of a motor mishap. The mixed news was that HE was okay (good), his vehicle not so much (bad), and that the need to expedite vehicle repair meant he wouldn't be riding with us (really bad). We did get to greet him briefly the following Saturday at National Train Day L.A., and I can attest that he was healthy, unbroken, and looked no worse than usual.
Doing the 2008 excursion solo, I had arrived at LAUS via the Red Line (subway) early enough that I was on the platform to watch 3751 arrive from its nearby home at Redondo Junction - on the grounds of Amtrak's L.A. shops. Not so this time, as upon arrival locomotive and train were already spotted for departure on track 12 and surrounded by a goodly number of fans/photographers. So much for getting any clean shots of the locomotive. The overwhelming mob focus on 3751 meant the passenger consist was wide open and unobstructed, so I worked it over for awhile.
The car of most interest to me was the "Pony Express" baggage car (Canadian Pacific #4210) with open doors on both sides. While taking pictures of the train (Amfleets, Horizons, 4 domes) I returned to mental review of the route to San Diego (well known to me), churning through photo opportunities available on both sides of the train along the run. This wasn't a new thing, as it had been known since the Steam Special was first announced that an open car would be in the consist. More a matter of final decisions on seeing the photo platform itself for the first time, up close and personal.
With departure time growing near it was noticed that a couple train crew members (all of whom are volunteers) were seated at a table on the platform with a line formed before them. Figuring it for some sort of check-in requirement, Team Whooz waited in the line for about 15 minutes in order to learn that we didn't have to wait in the line. Our wait was not for naught, though, as we also learned we could board forthwith, which we proceeded to do.
A number of ticketing options had been available for the excursion: Coach one-way or round trip (over two days; southbound Saturday, northbound Sunday) $99/$198; Dome $198/$398; Dome Premium $249/$498. Beyond that were add-ons for onboard lunches provided by Amtrak, and Pacific Surfliner returns from either San Diego or L.A.
Team Whooz opted for one-way Coach, packed its own lunch, and independently booked a Saturday Surfliner return to L.A.
Boarding passes were snail-mailed a couple weeks prior to departure, and as in '08 for Coach included car - but not seat - assignments. We were to ride in Car 1, i.e. directly behind 3751, tender, and Amtrak P42 (lucky) No. 13.
The first-come, first-served seating policy provided an excellent rationale for early boarding, seeing as how because most folks seem to prefer seats on the coast side of the train (right south, left north) those are the first to go, and seeing as how Team Whooz co-captain Alice aligns with most folks when it comes to preference for ocean views. Maybe I'm jaded from a life spent living and traveling on the west (correct) coast, but my boredom threshold is very low when it comes to looking at water. Looking landward is far more interesting, and on the rail route between L.A. and San Diego the train's inland side provides most of the best opportunities for seeing the train itself on curves - a crucial consideration when a steam locomotive is involved.
Anyway, Alice climbed aboard to hunt for the perfect seat as I broke down her wheelchair - quick-release wheels - and hauled it aboard to be stowed in an area at an end of Car 1 - an Amfleet coach.
We were immediately confronted with seat configuration weirdness. For some unfathomable reason nearly all the Amfleet's seats were in quad formations - sets facing each other. A fairly ridiculous setup, given that the distance from seat edge to seat edge when they're set up that way is about 8 inches. Concern over awkward seating - for us, and for anybody trying to occupy the seats facing us - turned out to be unfounded; nobody tried to sit there. The arrangement raised the question (in my small brain anyway) of how many Steam Special tickets had actually been sold - or NOT sold - that the quad configurations could fly without really inconveniencing anybody. And why was ours the only car - that I saw; didn't walk the whole train - set up that way?
Never bothered to ask, as these minor mysteries were cast aside in favor of enjoying the main event.
Departure was about 10 minutes behind the advertised, a major improvement over the hour late in '08. A stroll back to the open car, 4th in the passenger consist, found the hatches jammed with folks who - like myself - wanted views and shots of 3751 on the tight righthand curve out of LAUS. From an Amtrak or Metrolink train there's not much to see there. In addition to being stuck behind closed windows, the big wall surrounding the Men's Central Jail effectively blocks the view around the curve. Northbound departures offer clear curve views, but we weren't going to Santa
Barbara.
Well, we quickly found that being able to lean outside a car doesn't make much difference, at least not from one 6th in line behind the locomotive (tender, Amtrak P42, 3 coaches). That unpleasant little lesson learned, the shift began to the other side of the car for the next curve - to the left - on the flyover at Redondo Junction.
Gathering speed past the Red Line (subway) yards, several score derelict ExpressTrak boxcars, and idle intermodal buckets on the right, with the Los Angeles River on the left, we passed Amtrak's L.A. shops, where Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 lives, and where it can usually be seen from the right side of southbound Amtrak and Metrolink trains traversing the flyover. There was a general laugh as some master of the obvious yelled, "Hey, thirty-seven fifty-one is GONE!"
The Redondo Junction flyover (it flies over a busy UP line, and the junction was a major bottleneck in the days before grade separation) is an elevated, elongated S-curve. Southbound it runs up and left, a straight portion past a cement plant and recycling yards, then down and right for the run through L.A.'s industrial underbelly on the way to Fullerton. The up and left part is primo viewing and photo territory aboard any train (further back the better). For the restive, camera-toting mob at the hatches of the open baggage car the flyover promised the excursion's first good gander at reciprocating external combustion Valhalla.
I had maneuvered into a pretty good position for holding the camera out and catching video of 3751 on the climbing curve. Tight quarters, but not bad, and several others were similarly positioned. Everybody began shooting on the climb. As the curve commenced, several big, fat, incredibly rude jerkingtons lunged over those of us already in position and completely blocked our shots by pressing us down and thrusting their big, fat, incredibly rude selves and ugly arms right in front of our lenses.
Retaliation was clearly in order ("F me? F YOU!"). Maybe the crass Bozos got good video on the flyover curve - at the expense of those of us who were there first - but unless they wanna listen to my curse-laden tirade as well they'll be watching it sans sound or dubbing something in. That's still more than I ended up with, which was nothing. My footage had to be trashed thanks to the gang of gargantuan boors, and others were heard to remark - then and later - that their flyover shots had also been completely ruined - blocked - by the amazingly selfish behavior. Some might argue that my reaction was small-minded and vengeful, to which I would reply "Damn right."
After the flyover it's mostly a straight shot to Fullerton, meaning not much in the way of locomotive viewing. Good time to walk back forward and see how Alice was faring. Just fine, thank you, puttering about with her scanner and timetable, and enjoying the urban-industrial landscape sliding past the Amfleet's attenuated, gun-slit windows.
Given the option of boarding there instead of at LAUS, something like 80 more passengers would be joining us at Fullerton. Before arrival I moseyed on back to the open car for a better look at the crowd that would surely be waiting on the main platform for the only scheduled stop. With no particularly photogenic curves in the immediate offing, and slowing for the station as well, there was no longer any crowding at the hatches. As anticipated a sizeable pack of people was on hand to greet the train. Passenger boarding apparently went less smoothly than anticipated, as Alice
later reported, and there were also some trespassing problems on the ground.
While the train waited on track 3 the platform-bound folks streamed toward the obvious object of interest and affection, 3751. New passenger boarding at last complete, cleared by dispatch, highball given, the San Diego Steam Special 2010 got back underway.
No sooner had 3751 begun moving than all those poor saps on the Fullerton main platform were handed a very nasty surprise: An L.A.-bound BNSF intermodal stack train started passing on track 2 at that same moment, completely blocking their view of the excursion train's Fullerton departure. And I thought I had it bad back at the flyover! Onboard there was great sorrow for the platform denizens' foiled photo opportunity - not - and at the open hatches it was a joke to yell at them at the gaps between passing stacks.
Getting back up to speed it turned out there was some passable photo curvature - and good grade crossing whistle action - around Anaheim. Riding Amtrak or Metrolink around there I usually don't pay much attention to the right of way, but a steam locomotive seems to sharpen the senses so that one becomes keenly aware of the route's every nuance.
Further along through Orange County (how many states have counties named Orange?) - more straight shot running - I asked the volunteer crew member behind me at the hatch - he was enforcing the safety glasses requirement for being at the hatches, and kinda expediting through traffic - about the location of the steam excursion ritual photo run-by. It was known that there would be a run-by, but not where. He claimed he didn't know the location.
"You don't know, or you ain't sayin'?"
He smiled and nodded.
"I rode in '08," I offered, "and Carlsbad Poinsettia worked pretty well."
"It did," he replied, and said that for this trip other sites had also been considered.
"I understand not saying in advance, but why not now?"
"Too many people with cell phones aboard."
AH!! An attempt at avoiding a flash crowd at the run-by site.
Told the guy I'd looked over Pacific Surfliner and Coaster timetables, considered the fact that in '08 the Carlsbad Fire Dept. had provided water to 3751's tender, and thought Poinsettia was an obvious choice. The Limeys say a nod's as good as wink, and I got both. An overly large run-by crowd was not in my best interest, so of course I didn't go around braying the news to cell-toting passengers. I did return to Car 1 to quietly let Alice know the deal, so she could time her prepations accordingly. I had also learned that we'd be making an unscheduled stop at Oceanside to board some "special" passengers - perhaps a group that had missed boarding at L.A. - so that pause would be Alice's cue that the run-by stop was imminent.
Returning to my station in the open car - inland side - once again, I talked a bit with a young man who had also made that particular hatch his post. He sported engineer garb, and I learned he's involved with a tourist line in my area, the Fillmore & Western Railway. Mostly, though, we enjoyed the treat of the open car ride, and had a lot of fun waving and smiling as we passed the many groups of spectators lining the route - especially at grade crossings - who naturally waved, smiled, and sometimes shouted to us as well. It occurred to me that I was gonna be in a lot of people's videos. Poor saps.
By the time we stopped at Oceanside I was back in Car 1, making my own run-by preparations. Carlsbad Poinsettia has restrooms, but best get to that sorta thing outta the way before spending a couple hours on the ground during the servicing/run-by evolution.
On arrival at Poinsettia the first order of business was disgorging passengers at the short (Coaster-length) platform. Few doors were opened, so most had to walk at least some of the train to exit. As you might imagine, this took awhile. Passengers had the option of remaining aboard, and for those who chose it the decision was final: no ons or offs during the servicing and run-by.
Pretty big crowd on the ground, and not just excursion passengers. Once everybody who wanted to be was off the train, 3751 backed into position for servicing, but not before northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 571 barreled past at a ridiculously high speed:
Pacific Surfliner Speeds Past Carlsbad Poinsettia
Santa Fe 3751 Backs For Servicing
3751 was spotted at the north end of the platform, with the tender just beyond for water replenishment access. As in '08 the Carlsbad Fire Dept. was on hand to provide water. Filling the tender wasn't the only thing going on, though. I was able to get close enough to watch 3751 get a grease job:
Santa Fe 3751 Gets Greased
As servicing was finishing up southbound Pacific Surfliner 572 passed by, much more slowly than the northbound train. Apparently the earlier train hadn't gotten the word that the site was lousy with people on the ground near (and sometimes on) the tracks, but this one had.
Surfliner 572 Passes Santa Fe 3751
With servicing complete it was time for the Main Event, for which the San Diego Steam Special 2010 was backed up the line.
Santa Fe 3751 Backs For Run-by
NEXT: Run-by, and on to San Diego.
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