Passenger Trains > Pre-Surfliner F40's

Here's another "last-minute" type shots. I found out with only minutes to spare, so I went to Fullerton Depot and lucked out this time.

This photo shows 3 of the 4 Surfliner F40's, en route for painting in San Ysidro. The unit numbers are 381-383-415-460. Date is January 24, 2001.

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Just simply amazing! Thanks for sharing these David!

I would have liked to have seen that train. Thanks for posting it

I am kind of curious about the strobe on 381. I thought these were all red strobes? It looks like a clear headlight in the image.


Todd Clark

webmaster Wrote:
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> I am kind of curious about the strobe on 381. I
> thought these were all red strobes? It looks like
> a clear headlight in the image.
>
> Todd Clark

Yes, that used to be a red strobe (or light, I can't remember which). F40PHR231 would know for sure. Upon rebuilding, they replaced it with a clear lens. Apparently if the regular headlight failed, they could use that as a backup.

The rebuilt F40s, beginning with a group before the Surfliner batch (i.e. Phase IV #398, etc.) had their red strobes replaced with a normal headlight. Check out birthday-boy F59PHI450's web gallery that shows it in use... (#381 photo)

http://www.trainweb.org/f59phi450/amtrak/f40ph.html

Why exactly that happened, I do not know, and didn't see it always in use on the Cascades Corridor when 383 and 399 ran the Talgos for a good half-year. The rebuilt F40s, which were painted in Phase IV, but had an all-silver roof, unlike the unrebuilt ones with Phase IV, black roof. #386, 398, 401, 404, 405, etc. all had the red strobe replaced by a headlight.

yeah, that is one sweet shot ya got there - wondered how they all went down for repainting and would never have guessed they went down elephant style on a revenue Surfliner like that! SO SWEET!

espeeboy Wrote:
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> yeah, that is one sweet shot ya got there -
> wondered how they all went down for repainting and
> would never have guessed they went down elephant
> style on a revenue Surfliner like that! SO SWEET!


Only if it was leading...

I saw that train too down at the Freeway Center in Mission Viejo. I saw the silver looking boxes and thought Amtrak was starting Mail & Express shipments to San Diego. Much to my surprise they were F40s. As much as I like my namesake locomotives I wish we still had a guest appearance from time to time by the F40s. Having everything look so uniform gets boring after a while, although I am doubtful Amtrak would factor in railfan entertainment before retiring locomotives.
-F59PHI450 (Happy Birthday to me!!!)

http://www.trainweb.org/f59phi450/ Yes, it is updated from time to time now!

Not to bring up ancient threads but seeing this picture wows me a lot. Is their any video of the Surfliner F40's out on the web or on a DVD? I have searched the net and came up empty but I did find some great Amtrak footage on google video's. I have found pictures of these units. I regret so much not railfanning the surfline sooner. Thanks for any info.