Western Railroad Discussion > ATSF 5704 and 250th Birthday (Perris, CA)

Many thanks to TO member D-Althaus and the SoCal Railway Museum in Perris for the timely updates on Santa Fe's SD45 Bicentennial unit, ATSF 5704:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6190469

I had planned a transit-only San Diego trip for the July 4th weekend until I read the above post. Kept my airline tickets the same, but rented a car, then drove about an hour and half to Perris.

For me, Independence Day is more an appreciation day than a celebration. Having a Bicentennial Unit run on the Sesquicentennial is a simultaneous "flashback" and an appreciation, and it brought me subdued joy today. Happy 250th Birthday, America.
 

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That's it for the report.

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Excellent job my good friend!

Cool man I knew the clouds were going to move in. good work!

Thanks for going out there and getting this!

Posted from iPhone

Good coverage Charles.
Let me know if you make it the Bay Area.
Regards, Jim Evans

Great looking train!

Great visit Charles.  Looks like you had the place to yourself.  No long lines at Perris, CA.

Good stuff, thank you!
Bryan

Well done! 5704 sure looks fine.
GK

Neat series!

How much trackage do they have to run on?  Any trackage expansion hopes / plans??

coach Wrote:
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> How much trackage do they have to run on?  Any
> trackage expansion hopes / plans??

The museum has a 0.5 mile dual guage loop to run the trolleys, and a 1.5 mile trackage to the north to downtown Perris to run interurban/diesel/steam, part of what you saw on this report. All electrified.

Occasionally, there are TO discussions on the connector to the ex-ATSF, Metrolink trackage downtown, just south of the relatively new Metrolink station, at the north end of 1.5 miles. There's a temporary connector there, which is how ATSF 5704 (and Coaster 2105, F40PHM-2C) made it into the museum last year, in May.

Hopes and plans for now concern the connector, to make it permanent. Those in-the-know might chime in for a better answer.

All of the parts to the switch are on hand at the museum and are just awaiting the OK to move forward with the installation from the party's to be at the RR and RCTA. All concrete ties will be used and the switch is brand spanking new no hand me down. 

czuleget Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All of the parts to the switch are on hand at the
> museum and are just awaiting the OK to move
> forward with the installation from the party's to
> be at the RR and RCTA. All concrete ties will be
> used and the switch is brand spanking new no hand
> me down. 

According to satellite view on Google Maps the switch is installed but it's not connected to the museum trackage.

PHall Wrote:

> According to satellite view on Google Maps the
> switch is installed but it's not connected to the
> museum trackage.

From previous discussions, it's not "the switch" but rather "the other switch" that needs to be installed.  The plan isn't just a simple connection but rather a crossover, so museum trains can continue north on their own rails to the pocket track at the Perris station OR cross over to the current Metrolink line when equipment needs to come or go.  That means a second CTC-interlocked switch needs to be installed on the museum track near the current hand-throw off Metrolink:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5676485

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
>
> > According to satellite view on Google Maps the
> > switch is installed but it's not connected to
> the
> > museum trackage.
>
> From previous discussions, it's not "the switch"
> but rather "the other switch" that needs to be
> installed.  The plan isn't just a simple
> connection but rather a crossover, so museum
> trains can continue north on their own rails to
> the pocket track at the Perris station OR cross
> over to the current Metrolink line when equipment
> needs to come or go.  That means a second
> CTC-interlocked switch needs to be installed on
> the museum track near the current hand-throw off
> Metrolink:
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,
> 5676485

Going to take a lot more then that. The museum track ends at 7th Street and while the track across 4th St (CA-74) is in place the rest of the track from 7th to 4th Street and 4th Street to the planned end of track at the Perris Depot is not there yet. 

Great coverage 006! Those two diesels look fantastic!!!

Posted from Android

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA