Passenger Trains > A few Metrolink variations from Sunday

Sometimes I head out to photograph local SoCal freight action only to be shut out, but there's always Metrolink to fall back on. Love it or hate it, it doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon and it can add some variety. Here are three examples from last Sunday.

1) On what once was referred as the "short way" just west of San Bernardino in Santa Fe days, Metrolink train #859 has just departed town for Oceanside behind F59PHI 881.

2) A few blocks north, leased F59PH RBRX 18533 in Michigan DOT colors is seen on the service track from the Mt Vernon Ave overpass.

3) My last stop of the morning was a few miles from home at Rancho Cucamonga for train #354, seen accelerating out of the station with SCAX 860 in the most current Metrolink paint scheme.

This operation may not be everyone's cup of tea but, as I mentioned, it can provide a little variety. Thanks for looking.

OYW



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/14 21:37 by oyw.

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I really like your "Short Way" shot Bob. All very nice.

KC

" Love it or hate it"... Can't say there's many that love it.

Yea, short way shot is pretty awesome, CA all the way.
JB

oyw Wrote:
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> Sometimes I head out to photograph local SoCal
> freight action only to be shut out, but there's
> always Metrolink to fall back on. Love it or hate
> it, it doesn't appear to be going away anytime
> soon and it can add some variety. Here are three
> examples from last Sunday.
>
> 1) On what once was referred as the "short way"
> just west of San Bernardino in Santa Fe days,
> Metrolink train #859 has just departed town for
> Oceanside behind F59PHI 881.
>
> 2) A few blocks north, leased F59PH RBRX 18533 in
> Michigan DOT colors is seen on the service track
> from the Mt Vernon Ave overpass.
>
> 3) My last stop of the morning was a few miles
> from home at Rancho Cucamonga for train #354, seen
> accelerating out of the station with SCAX 860 in
> the most current Metrolink paint scheme.
>
> This operation may not be everyone's cup of tea
> but, as I mentioned, it can provide a little
> variety. Thanks for looking.
>
> OYW

Why would Metrolink be "going anywhere"?

I am convinced many on this board, despite being rail fans, would be much happier to see the demise of passenger trains rather than continued growth.

Yes the current Metrolink paint scheme is bland and he mismatched cars and engines are ugly but I guess it's function over form.

The paint scheme for the new locomotives is depicted in the minutes from the Metrolink board meeting of sept 12.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/14 08:31 by CMS.

This was my view of the "short way" bridge coming back from San Juan Capistrano one day. Typical Inland Empire haze.

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Congratulations on IOTD.

Congrats Bob on image of the day! Great shots as always. You also deserve an award for being out in the 107 degree heat. A braver soul than I!

Being an ex-Californian circa the early 1940s, I love to see any increase in
passenger service in the Southland. Keep it up!

John.

Congratulations Bob on IOTD. You made Metrolink look good; that's not an easy thing to do!

Gary

In terms of being attractive in appearance Metrolink falls a bit short, but to see rail used as much as it is for public transportation is a good thing. To even imagine multiple trains to/from the Lancaster/Antelope Valley area in 1990 could not have been fathomed. Now they are there using the old SP routing that once saw the Owl and SJ Daylights of yore. For that particular trip to L.A. Union Station from Lancaster, I wish there was food service offered on the morning and evening runs even if just a snack type of car added to the consist. But such a car would likely not pencil out or yield a profit and passengers would balk at the cost of items.But attractive or not I am glad Metrolink is there and is helping to keep cars off of the highways albeit to a limited degree.It fills in the gap for those who can not or choose not to drive. The So. Calif. basin is better for having Metrolink on it's properties.

Phil Blommendahl
Getzville, NY

Phil1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In terms of being attractive in appearance
> Metrolink falls a bit short, but to see rail used
> as much as it is for public transportation is a
> good thing. To even imagine multiple trains
> to/from the Lancaster/Antelope Valley area in 1990
> could not have been fathomed. Now they are there
> using the old SP routing that once saw the Owl and
> SJ Daylights of yore. For that particular trip to
> L.A. Union Station from Lancaster, I wish there
> was food service offered on the morning and
> evening runs even if just a snack type of car
> added to the consist. But such a car would likely
> not pencil out or yield a profit and passengers
> would balk at the cost of items.But attractive or
> not I am glad Metrolink is there and is helping to
> keep cars off of the highways albeit to a limited
> degree.It fills in the gap for those who can not
> or choose not to drive. The So. Calif. basin is
> better for having Metrolink on it's properties.

Totally agree. I think what we mean by "not going away anytime soon" is, Metrolink is great.... we just don't understand why the locomotives and cars get painted to look like a box of tampons.

Years ago Metro painted one of the light rail sets in Pacific Electric colors and it looked awesome.

It would be so cool if Metrolink could reflect some of the old passenger colors of the region's history.

$10 weekend passes are awesome too.

Posted from iPhone

Great, colorful set of Metrolink pics Bob. Congrats on the IOTD!

Rich