December 27, 2023
In railfan circles, "rare mileage" refers to traveling a route not normally used by passenger trains. Todays trip from Chatsworth to Fullerton, in part, qualifies for that status.
For the week of December 26 through 29 Metrolink is performing track and signal maintenance and upgrades throughout their system. During this period, Metrolink train service is suspended and Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) will not be accessible. Amtrak is modifying their service so trains will no access LAUS.
During times of normal service, Amtrak and Metrolink are routed on the West Bank Line of the Metrolink River Subdivision (LA River) which allows access to Union Station. From LAUS, Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight trains travel north on the West Bank Line towards Glendale and Burbank. The Southwest Chief and Pacific Surfliner trains travel south on the West Bank Line to CP Soto where the line joins the BNSF San Bernrdino Subdivision to Fullerton. Amtrak is providing connecting bus service and which has been documented in advisories on their website.
I traveled south on Pacific Surfliner #770 from Chatsworth to Fullerton, and returned on #777 back to Chatsworth in the afternoon.
From the Metrolink (SCAX) Valley Subdivision we enter the River Subdivision at CP Taylor and continues south to CP Dayton. At Dayton, we are switched to the River Sub East Bank Line and continue south. Just north of CP Main Street we stop for the regular crew change (normally occurs in LAUS). At this time we also receive a pilot crew (UP) that will take us through the detour. Amtrak crews are not qualified on this territory. The pilot crew is on the late northbound Surfliner #765 so we encountered a delay waiting for that train to reach us. With a crew change, PTC needs to be re-initialized by the pilot crew. This increased our delay. That completed, we continue south on the East Bank Line.
At CP Dayton the River Sub splits into the West Bank Line (tracks crossing the LA River) and our route, the East Bank Line.
Looking west across the LA River at the North Spring Street bridge.
North Main Street
At CP East Diamond we are directly across the river from CP West Diamond and Mission Tower and the entrance to LAUS.
The bridge across the river here is the route of the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle in and out of LAUS to the UP Alhambra Sub.
The Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner trains head north (right) from CP Mission while the Southwest Chief and Pacific Surfliner trains head south (left) from here.
Continuing south on the East Bank we pass the Sixth Street Bridge.
From CP Ninth Street we enter the UP Los Angeles Subdivison headed to the Alameda Corridor. The "fly over" visible in the distance.
Crossing the Los Angeles River.
Passing under the "flyover". Normal Amtrak and Metrolink routing puts those trains on the flyover.
Sitting at the Amtrak Maintenance Facility is AMTK 300 which (leading the Coast Starlight) was involved in a collision/derailment in Ventura County. It is my understanding that 300 will NOT return to service. Steam locomotive ATSF 3751 is under the silver tarps.
At CP East Redondo we enter the Alameda Corridor Sub. Our train moves on down past CP West Redondo, to about CP 25th Street and comes to a stop on the Alameda Corridor.
Sitting here, the operating and pilot crews must move from the head end to the rear of the train to reverse our movement. We were in "push" mode up to here and will be in "pull" mode continuing on. Again, PTC must be reconfigured to reflect the new "leader" (locomotive).
Continuing our journey, we proceed east on the Alameda Corridor past CP West Redondo where we enter the BNSF San Bernardino Sub. We again cross the L.A. River and pass under the flyover and proceed to CP Soto where the West Bank line joins the San Bernardino Sub. The remainder of the trip to Fullerton is normal routing. We make a brief stop near BNSF Hobart Yard where the UP pilot crew leaves the train. When we come back north, we again stop at Hobart and receive a pilot crew. The return trip is generally the reverse of what I just described.
John
Part Two will contain maps of this route.
In railfan circles, "rare mileage" refers to traveling a route not normally used by passenger trains. Todays trip from Chatsworth to Fullerton, in part, qualifies for that status.
For the week of December 26 through 29 Metrolink is performing track and signal maintenance and upgrades throughout their system. During this period, Metrolink train service is suspended and Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS) will not be accessible. Amtrak is modifying their service so trains will no access LAUS.
During times of normal service, Amtrak and Metrolink are routed on the West Bank Line of the Metrolink River Subdivision (LA River) which allows access to Union Station. From LAUS, Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight trains travel north on the West Bank Line towards Glendale and Burbank. The Southwest Chief and Pacific Surfliner trains travel south on the West Bank Line to CP Soto where the line joins the BNSF San Bernrdino Subdivision to Fullerton. Amtrak is providing connecting bus service and which has been documented in advisories on their website.
I traveled south on Pacific Surfliner #770 from Chatsworth to Fullerton, and returned on #777 back to Chatsworth in the afternoon.
From the Metrolink (SCAX) Valley Subdivision we enter the River Subdivision at CP Taylor and continues south to CP Dayton. At Dayton, we are switched to the River Sub East Bank Line and continue south. Just north of CP Main Street we stop for the regular crew change (normally occurs in LAUS). At this time we also receive a pilot crew (UP) that will take us through the detour. Amtrak crews are not qualified on this territory. The pilot crew is on the late northbound Surfliner #765 so we encountered a delay waiting for that train to reach us. With a crew change, PTC needs to be re-initialized by the pilot crew. This increased our delay. That completed, we continue south on the East Bank Line.
At CP Dayton the River Sub splits into the West Bank Line (tracks crossing the LA River) and our route, the East Bank Line.
Looking west across the LA River at the North Spring Street bridge.
North Main Street
At CP East Diamond we are directly across the river from CP West Diamond and Mission Tower and the entrance to LAUS.
The bridge across the river here is the route of the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle in and out of LAUS to the UP Alhambra Sub.
The Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner trains head north (right) from CP Mission while the Southwest Chief and Pacific Surfliner trains head south (left) from here.
Continuing south on the East Bank we pass the Sixth Street Bridge.
From CP Ninth Street we enter the UP Los Angeles Subdivison headed to the Alameda Corridor. The "fly over" visible in the distance.
Crossing the Los Angeles River.
Passing under the "flyover". Normal Amtrak and Metrolink routing puts those trains on the flyover.
Sitting at the Amtrak Maintenance Facility is AMTK 300 which (leading the Coast Starlight) was involved in a collision/derailment in Ventura County. It is my understanding that 300 will NOT return to service. Steam locomotive ATSF 3751 is under the silver tarps.
At CP East Redondo we enter the Alameda Corridor Sub. Our train moves on down past CP West Redondo, to about CP 25th Street and comes to a stop on the Alameda Corridor.
Sitting here, the operating and pilot crews must move from the head end to the rear of the train to reverse our movement. We were in "push" mode up to here and will be in "pull" mode continuing on. Again, PTC must be reconfigured to reflect the new "leader" (locomotive).
Continuing our journey, we proceed east on the Alameda Corridor past CP West Redondo where we enter the BNSF San Bernardino Sub. We again cross the L.A. River and pass under the flyover and proceed to CP Soto where the West Bank line joins the San Bernardino Sub. The remainder of the trip to Fullerton is normal routing. We make a brief stop near BNSF Hobart Yard where the UP pilot crew leaves the train. When we come back north, we again stop at Hobart and receive a pilot crew. The return trip is generally the reverse of what I just described.
John
Part Two will contain maps of this route.
Last edited:
