Western Railroad Discussion > Today's mission at Fullerton

A few weeks ago I was sorting through some old photos that I had previously scanned and came across one I took in September 1981 of ATSF caboose 999390 framed in the breezeway arch at Fullerton station. My kids were looking over my shoulder and I told them that I had taken that photo nearly 35 years ago as a teenager at Fullerton station, which is very close to our recently purchased home in Orange County.

I've been taking care of one of my sons who has been sick all week, then I managed to catch his bug too. But life doesn't stop when you're sick and as the chores piled up, I told him today that I needed to go to Costco in neighboring Fullerton to fill my truck's gas tank. After being cooped up in the house all week, he was eager for a brief local outing but before we walked out of the house he asked if we could stop by Fullerton station real quick so we could try to take a modern version of the shot I had taken back in 1981. Who could say no to that?

After filling up the tank, we headed to the depot and ended up spending nearly two hours there and even having lunch at the Santa Fe Cafe there at the station. We not only accomplished our mission, but we saw 10 trains total in less than 2 hours. Here's the Then & Now series, and some of the other shots from the day are below. It was nice to get out and get some fresh air, sunshine, and a tasty lunch with an endless parade of trains to amuse us.

---

---

Three more from today's Fullerton outing. The first two are "down the street" from the depot, just west of Highland Ave.

---

---

---

Three more...

---

---

---

Next three...

---

---

---

Last three. Man, his brother is going to be pissed when he finds out we went train watching today while he was in school. LOL!

---

---

---

Great ! Hope all that train watching got you to feeling better !

nice get the little ones involved love that lunch mmmmmmm

Fullerton is a must for railfans once in their lives. Even my wife puts up with me going there. And do the freights rumble through...

Posted from iPhone

The ones with your son in them are priceless ....

Regards,
Burlington John
 

Nothing better than railfanning with your son to cure your ailments. Glad you both feel better!

SantaFeRuss

Posted from Android

When we were rebuilding the Silver Splendor in Anaheim, my young sons, Martin and James (now 22 years old), used to beg me at the end of a long workday, "Dad, can we go to Fullerton?"  Sometimes I would oblige them and they always loved going there because of the sheer volume of trains.  Wonderful memories!

-John

I like that Coke-Cola dispenser they have there at that Cafe.

 

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

Dad's right,
Martin and I loved going to Fullerton as kids.  Little did we know that our Silver Splendor would be kept there for a few years.  Many a cheeseburger were eaten at the Santa Fe Cafe.  Needless to say, their cinnamon rolls were our downfall.
Cheers,
James Caestecker