Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF's Holiday Express returns to the Pasadena line!

A few days ago, I was pleasantly surprised to read on another forum that BNSF had scheduled today to run their Holiday Express train on the old Pasadena Subdivision. I figured that last year's train to City of Hope in Duarte, CA would be the last one ever on the line - with the track in front of the hospital having been removed for the Metro Gold Line Foothill extension project earlier this year.

But I guess Mr. Brendza and the great folks that put on the train worked out a way for patients to board at the Montclair station on Metrolink's San Gabriel Sub. The train then headed west and made one roundtrip today, using the former Pasadena line west of CP Cambridge in Claremont. I believe this route was chosen so that the train would have minimal interference with Metrolink's Sunday service on the San Bernardino line.

The plan was to originally go as far west as Irwindale to change ends, but due to slow going flagging all the crossings in Glendora - they made a judgement call to turn around around MP 115 in western Glendora. Along with several other fans waiting around the Azusa depot, we gave up on that spot and made other plans for the return trip to Montclair upon hearing the news on the scanner.

I was so jazzed that the train will continue that I wound up getting him in about 9 different locations today. It'll take a little time to post them, but here's some samples from today of the inbound empty train going away at Euclid Avenue in Upland around 8:40am. Also westbound at La Verne after loading in Montcalair, and eastbound in Claremont on the return leg.

Rich



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 16:08 by PasadenaSub.

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Darn.. I was on Metrolink 354 out of LA bound for Rancho Cucamonga this morning. I think I heard the Christmas train on the scanner near Cambridge. Oh well. .. Since I had already committed to babysitting my nephew today, there was no way I could have gotten out anyway. I look forward to your pics Rich !

Tony



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/12 14:15 by zuco74.

Nice shot Rich I was waiting behind you guys down the road in azusa where I got skunked for a return trip.

Nice shots Rich, look like we nearly crossed paths several times. See you next time.

Bob

Anybody get a shot at the actual turnaround point?

Steve Donaldson
Pacific Grove, CA