Steam & Excursion > 3751 Return Today - Am I the First Post?

I kid, I kid... two shots of the return today. First is from the new footbridge in Baldwin Park. Second is from the flyover at Valley Blvd. in El Monte.

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You could have walked between your shots at Baldwin Park and El Monte today with no problem as we sat at Bassett for over 45 minutes for outbound and inbound Metrolink trains to clear. My thought is that they were trying to give us a clear run at the 10 freeway so as not to tie up traffic. I rode the rear platform of Tioga Pass both days. I am happy to have booked us on his car as the owner went out of his way to make his passengers happy.

-Fred-

Norm is always a gracious host on the car and off. I enjoy riding with him whenever I can.

Great shot at Baldwin Park, Charles. I'll have to check out that footbridge there.

Rich

PasadenaSub Wrote:
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> Great shot at Baldwin Park, Charles. I'll have to
> check out that footbridge there.

I will second that. Great vantage point and great shots, Charles.

~Ryan

Great location Charles, killer choice!

Bob

You know...doesn't anyone but me think the consist behind the tender is so disgusting, that they would be better off staying at home and do some chores? I photographed the 4-8-4 on the Grand Canyon line with multiple photo runs. The train was matching dark green coaches. Dave Goodheart put out an excellent DVD on that photo charter. I personally even got a decent cab ride that day.

keystone1, Please keep in mind that 3751 does not belong to a major railroad. The San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society, of which I have been a member for many years, does not own passenger cars. No, the consist is not as eye appealing as a matched set of passenger cars. However this is the 21st century and having mainline steam still running in California is a miracle performed by the many people who keep this engine in proper running order. Getting a passenger consist of any sort for these sporadic trips is quite a job. This particular excursion is usually run every year for the San Bernardino Railroad days celebration where 3751 is one of the stars. I am pretty sure that I have seen it make the run with even less cars just to get it to San Bernardino and I am also pretty sure that one was not a public excursion. I feel fortunate that the engine is allowed to run on our local commuter rail system at all. I have been riding mainline steam excursions all around the country for close to 40 years now. I was originally spoiled with UP excursions out of Denver with their Armour Yellow consist and up to 8 photo runs per day. You were worn out at the end of the day just getting off and back on the train. :) I always rode the open baggage cars that were usually on most steam excursions around the country. Even though this excursion is fairly short as mainline excursions go, I am still happy to have ridden it both days on the rear platform of the Tioga Pass and did not have to venture far from home like usual. We even had a sort of bonus tour of a paper recycling yard at Bassett while we were in the hole for 45 minutes awaiting the Metrolink movements. :)

-Fred-

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> You know...doesn't anyone but me think the consist
> behind the tender is so disgusting, that they
> would be better off staying at home and do some
> chores? I photographed the 4-8-4 on the Grand
> Canyon line with multiple photo runs. The train
> was matching dark green coaches. Dave Goodheart
> put out an excellent DVD on that photo charter. I
> personally even got a decent cab ride that day.

No, I can't agree. Sure, in a perfect world we'd have a nice solid consist of Santa Fe cars from the 1920s, but that doesn't exist and we take what we get. In a perfect world there would be New York Central Hudson running next week and a UP Erie Built AB set running the week after.

I personally reject the complaints and commend the SBRHS on keeping that locomotive so beautiful and running so well.

First thanks for the post and photos. Second,I get tired of seeing posts complaining about the consists of today's steam runs. I grew up watching the matched consists of the UP and 8444 out of Denver in the 60s and 70s. I have been fortunate to ride some of the UP 844 and 3985 excursions with their matched consists. Sure matched consists are cool, but I think complaints about diesels and unmatched consists are an insult to those who spend a lot of time and effort, and I assume money, to keep steam alive for future generations to enjoy. My youngest son and I rode the 2008 3751 excursion to San Diego. We didn't mind the consist, we were happy to be riding behind a steam engine to SD. If I could have worked it out, I would have gone out to LA to ride this trp.

I am grateful to all of those folks who work to keep steam alive. I have enjoyed many steam rides with my younger son, and now the grandson is anxious is take some trips thanks to their efforts.

Just my take,

Randy in PHX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/14 14:59 by randyr.

Amen to the last two posts. If you don't like the consist, stay away and make room for railfans who care about and appreciate the steam, not the consist.