Passenger Trains > What railroad is this anyway?

I took the following during a visit to LA on October 3. Near as I can tell, these are all Metrolink trains...but I had no idea they were using such a variety of other folks' equipment. From left to right we have equipment from the Bay Area's Altamont Commuter Express, Seattle's Sounder, and San Diego's Coaster (with Metrolink-painted cars behind it). Is the Coaster engine on loan to Metrolink, or is there some other reason it was in town?

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The Coaster engine was likely up to visit the wheel pit at Redondo Jct.


TCS - 507 looks purty

Lol, that's a great shot! Nice variety.

Oh man, I love that shot!

Coaster and Metrolink equipment are both maintained by TransitAmerica, thus when Coaster power or cars need work done their own shops can't do they are being sent deadhead to Metrolink's shops. Infrequently Coaster's "fifth set" (they have one set out for inspection) of equipment has been seen as far away as Moorpark when metrolink needs a spare set of equipment. When this happened the Metrolink equipment had been involved in a grade crossing accident and passengers were traded to the Coaster set, that set spent about four days in Metro's rotation.

The one in the middle is in Sounder colors from Seattle. Sounder has more equipment than they have trains at the moment.

BLS

During the aftermath of the 1994 earthquake there were green & white GO transit cars with F-7 power cab cars and stainless steel Caltrain cars.