Nostalgia & History > Wanted! MetroLink Pictures

Help... I am interested in finding images of Southern California's "MetroLink" rail operation. What I need are shots of the "double-ended" operation that they used in the beginning, 1990's. When MetroLink started, I recall many times giving them a "roll-by", and the trains had a locomotive on both ends. These shots would be before they used "Cab-Cars". After the '94 earthquake, the emergency operations to the Antelope Valley used loco's on both ends, those I remember. Did they do that on the other routes?

Again, I need pictures showing the locomotives on both ends. In addition, it may be helpful to have any other photographs of "double-ended" operations on any other rail passenger operations in the U.S. or Canada, i.e. "Cabbage-cars".

Please check your files, and contact me. Thanks in Advance...

Take Care, Be Safe, Have Fun!

Larry

I can't help you with photos but I can give you some info. I do not recall any regular trains operating with an engine on both ends, I am not saying it didn't happen I just do not recall if it did. I do remember several special trains especially prior to service start up that ran double ended and of course after the earthquake there were leased F40's on Lancaster trains. I also remember L.A. County Fair, Summer Beach trains and California Beach trains that ran double ended.

I remember when they had the borrowed GO Transit F-units and cars, that was in 1994, I have some photos of Lamcaster, I wish I could find them.
Tom Helliwell

Before the present-day Metrolink Beach trains and Speedway trains to Fontana, the only other time I recall seeing double-enders was this special, run on August 21, 1992. To promote awareness for the coming Metrolink startup in October of '92, this train was run roundtrip from LA to San Bernardino, using the the ATSF Pasadena Sub (since the ex-SP portion of the Metrolink San Gabriel Sub from Claremont to El Monte was not quite complete yet).

The train consisted of F59PH 851 on the east end and 852 on the west. Stops along with ceremonies were made at many future stations along the San Bernardino line, including Montclair and Rancho Cucamonga. I have about 7 or 8 slides of the train, but I'm not sure if the locomotive on the opposite end can be seen very well in the pictures.

Rich

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Page 118 of Serpico's "Railroading Through the Antelope Valley" has a photo taken in July 1994 of a Metrolink train near Ravenna with locomotives on both ends. The cars in the photo are the leased green and white ones of GO (Government of Ontario) Transit. Between the rear locomotive and the bi-level cars, there appears to be a F7 or a standard-height car of some sort, painted green and white (one can't really tell what it is from the photo in the book).

JohnSweetser Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Page 118 of Serpico's "Railroading Through the
> Antelope Valley" has a photo taken in July 1994 of
> a Metrolink train near Ravenna with locomotives on
> both ends. The cars in the photo are the leased
> green and white ones of GO (Government of Ontario)
> Transit. Between the rear locomotive and the
> bi-level cars, there appears to be a F7 or a
> standard-height car of some sort, painted green
> and white (one can't really tell what it is from
> the photo in the book).


I believe it was a former FP7. It only provided HEP and was otherwise unpowered from what I understand. Did the GO Transit cars use a different power system for their cars thus requiring different HEP?

Here's a fairly good picture: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=47750

BTW, those trains in '94 after the earthquake are the only trains I ever remember operating with locomotives on both ends on the Lancaster line.