Passenger Trains > Thank you Metrolink from your Christmas Train

What Metrolink does with their Holiday Toy Train and running a train with over 30,000 Christmas Lights is very special and we should all feel blessed that they do. How many other transit agencies take the time and money each year to run a train like the one I saw Saturday night? Thank you Metrolink for your special treat to all of us and may you all have a great holiday season in 2002.

Chris

PS I posted this below, but since values were being discusssed, no one responsed to it.

http://www.trainorders.com/stories/2002/11/25/484.php

if the railroads saw the look on this girls face they would all run these types of trains

"How many other transit agencies take the time and money each year to run a train like the one I saw Saturday night?"

CTA runs a decorated and (VERY!) lit-up L train around the system on the weekends leading up to Christmas. I\'ve ridden it, and it\'s decorated inside and out (with holiday music playing inside the cars on the PA system!), including a flatcar in the middle of the train with Santa and his sleigh.

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/ctaandpress.wu?action=displayarticledetail&articleid=131881

Metra runs popular "Santa Safety Trains" on various routes during the holiday season. I don\'t know if they\'re decorated, though.

http://metrarail.com/Press_Releases/press-release-11-12-02.html

chrisg wrote:

> Thank you Metrolink for your
> special treat to all of us and may you all have a great holiday
> season in 2002.

I echo your sentiments Chris. I took my son Nathan (6yrs) to Santa Ana this past Saturday (11/16) to see the Metrolink Holiday Toy Express again. We\'ve gone every year (usually more than once). It\'s also noteworthy that Metrolink collects toys for the Spark of Love Toy Drive. Nathan always enjoys picking out some toys to give away.

Santa Ana was lightly attended for the show. Fullerton usually gets a huge crowd. They held the show on the north end of the platform so that a northbond Surfliner could make its station stop. This year\'s show seemed shorter and no marching band on board but it gave the perfomers time to mingle with the crowd which was nice.

Here\'s a collage of photos I took. Merry Christmas!

---

and not West bound??? It get\'s confusing to me when Amtrak says that LA is north of Fullerton, when it is actually West. And How did they Run Around the Metrolink train, or did it leave prior .

Second District out - Spotted the SCAX Christmas train at CPCO53 (Arlington) on the LA&SL back in 1997 crossing the Santa Ana River

LA2ndDistrict wrote:

Hi Adam. You really get around to all of these Discussion forums!

> and not West bound???

Because the trains run from/to San Diego to/from LA, Goleta, or San Luis Obispo and to the traveling public that\'s a North/South route.

> It get\'s confusing to me when Amtrak
> says that LA is north of Fullerton, when it is actually West.

Well, actually LA is NorthWest of Fullerton and yes it\'s a bit confusing since the trains run East/West at Fullerton but most people associate South to San Diego and North to LA/SBA/Goleta/SLO.

> And How did they Run Around the Metrolink train, or did it
> leave prior .

The Metrolink train parked on the north end of the platform on the track closest to the station but it is short enough not to block the main loading/unloading area. Amtrak #591 came in on the far track to unload/load passengers and then departed before the Metrolink train.

> Second District out - Spotted the SCAX Christmas train at
> CPCO53 (Arlington) on the LA&SL back in 1997 crossing the Santa
> Ana River

Always thought that would be the perfect place for a photo of the entire train on that old bridge!

Mike Kimura