Western Railroad Discussion > Coming to Los Angeles, any tips?

Hi, I am soon coming to visit your wonderful country again (after a ten years) but only for 9 days and I am staying with my Aunt in Rancho Cucamonga , San Bernardino county and apart from the Rail Giants RR museum in Pomona i have hired a Chevy Avio and want to drive to Barstow to see the Western Railroad museum there to see the ATSF FP45 and the donated UP SD40-2 would anyone know a great vantage point to get photos of the action in Barstow railyard? and could anyone suggest where else I could get some great Diesel action shots?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Derek.

Derek Gatt
Sydney,australia, NS

Don't forget the OERM in lovely Metropolitan Perris, CA! Trains run on the weekends! We have a website!

If you're taking photos, a morning on Cajon Pass is a must. Half hour drive from your aunt's house.

Ride Metrolink to LAUS, grab a bite to eat at Philippe's right up the street, then take a trip down to Fullerton on Metrolink's Orange County Line and have a blast watching trains all day... You will likely run into other railfans as well. In the evening, head over to UP's West Colton yard in Bloomington and you will certainly meet a number of friendly local railfans at the famous Pepper Ave. overpass -- exit Pepper Ave. off the I-10 freeway...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/14 08:53 by alto_towerbob.

There is a Metrolink station at Rancho Cucamonga and service to LA Union Passenger Station is close to hourly. From there, you have choices aplenty with Metrolink, Amtrak and 3 different light rail lines. Fullerton on the Orange County (OC) Line is a nice station to visit with BNSF trains sometimes running like streetcars mixed with all the passenger trains.

Oceanside further south is where another commuter operation, The Coaster runs to San Diego. Also, there is a light rail called the Sprinter that takes you to Escondido. I used this to visit the San Diego Wild Animal Park with the family. It was a 30 minute bus ride after getting off at Escondido. Lots of fun!

Enjoy your trip,

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

There is also another pass leaving the L.A.Basin although not as dramatic as Cajon Pass but Beaumont Pass in San Timeteo Canyon is a fairly short drive from Cucamonga. There is a surface road that follows the main tracks between Redlands and Beaumont which is the summit. Google on maps for San Timeteo Canyon. This is the former Southern Pacific Yuma Subdivision, now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Crews work between West Colton, Ca. and Yuma, Arizona.

Ray

Derek, you might want to check the schedule for a visit to the Rail Giants Museum at the Pomona Fairplex. They used to only be open the second weekend of the month. Double check that one though -I might have it wrong.
I always enjoy a ride on the Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. the Starlight offers the Cafe Lounge car for outstanding sightseeing. But, make your way to the Cafe Lounge car quickly and grab your coast side seat in this car as soon as the Conductor scans your ticket in the coach cars -lots of other passengers will have the same idea! Once in Santa Barbara, a walk along State Street offers lots of restaurants, movie theaters, shops and access to the beach. This is an easy day trip. I second the recommendation for a weekend trip to the Orange Empire Railroad Museum in Perris! Have fun Derek!

Posted from iPhone

Enjoy the Western America Railroad Museum...We are charter-founder members..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/14 14:18 by RD10747.

Thanks everyone for your excellent tips!, you guys have been a great help, I will have to go to Cajon Pass and hopefully check out some Dash 9's and Big Emds!. As far as a train ride goes I will be doing that for sure!! And hope to bump into some rail fans and this foamer will be in heaven.

Regards, Derek

Ps : thanks to all you guys for some great tips!

Derek Gatt
Sydney,australia, NS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/14 15:48 by dash7.

Derek, one last little bit on information should you decide to ride an Amtrak long distance train such as the Starlight out of L.A. Union Station, you should obtain a seat assignment inside the terminal prior to walking all the way out to your train. There is a small Amtrak office located to one side of the entryway to the waiting room. You simply present your ticket to the agent and they will issue you a seating assignment for a specific coach car on the train. This is only necessary for the long distance trains originating out of LA. The Surfliners have unreserved seating. The reason I bring this up is because it can be confusing -especially if you're connecting off an inbound MetroLink. Hope this makes some sense!

Posted from iPhone

Thanks Stampedej I appreciate it as there a lot of things I didn't know about taking the train out of union station in LA.

Regards, Derek

Derek Gatt
Sydney,australia, NS

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the tips I drove to Barstow today and went to the western America railroad museum and even though it was closed there was the legendary Sd40-2 and FP45 as well as the Beep and GE switcher, awesome tomorrow I am going to fullerton, I was just wondering if there is a good place to watch trains going up Tehachapi..
Thanks again Derek

Derek Gatt
Sydney,australia, NS