Railfanning San Clemente - 7/26/14

In light of my previous trip of some light rail railfanning the day before, I decided to head to San Clemente and the San Clemente Pier and railfan for a change of pace and also mainly because I haven't been back here since April. Although it was a hot, humid, and busy Saturday at San Clemente, I managed to get all the trains that passed through while I was there, and because of the busyness and number of pedestrians, I managed to also get some awesome and likely the loudest K5LA action I've ever heard in San Clemente ! As seen throughout the video, the city of San Clemente has already put in trackside equipment for the future "wayside horn" system. As of currently, BNSF and the city of San Clemente are in a legal standstill regarding whether or not the crossings that are to be "wayside" equipped are actually public, or private. BNSF currently has the leading case towards keeping the actual train horns because the city of San Clemente applied for a Quiet Zone to the Public Utilities Commission, but the PUC has no power over federally regulated Quiet Zones. Because the crossings are considered private as of today, the crossings currently can not be designated as a "Federal Safety Quiet Zone". As it stands today, the possibility of the train horns staying are somewhat likely.

Update : As of June 2016, the entire city of San Clemente is consequently designated as a Quiet Zone as all legal complications were resolved and the city had continually pursued to achieve an active QZ. The wayside horns are now in use with audio recordings of ATSF #3751's whistle.

Train 1 : Amtrak 564 with F59PHI #452 & CabCar #6908.

Train 2 : Metrolink #857 with CabCar #694 & F59PHI #887. Seems apparent that the train undershot the platform.

Train 3 : Amtrak 567 with CabCar #6907 & F59PHI #450. Pretty weak horn action on #6907.

Train 4 : Amtrak 566 with P42DC #206 & CabCar #6900. Awesome K5LA, action and volume, arriving into San Clemente !!!

Train 5 : Metrolink #660 with MP36PH-3C #894 & CabCar #669. The engineer sure takes his time coming to a complete stop !

Train 6 : Amtrak 769 wih CabCar #6951 & F59PHI #464.

Train 7 : Metrolink #859 with F59PH #18520 & CabCar #680. Awesome K5LA action and volume on #18520 !

Train 8 : Amtrak 768 with F59PHI #457, #451, & CabCar #6904. Looks like F59PHI #457 returned from its overhaul at Beech Grove. Nice and clean, although the old horn was without a doubt better.

Train 9 : Metrolink #665 with CabCar #669 & MP36PH-3C #894.

Train 10 : Amtrak 573 with CabCar #6908 & F59PHI #452. Nice, loud K5LA on #6908 !

Train 11 : Metrolink #662 with F59PH #861 & CabCar #690. Very loud and squeaky P2 on #861.

Train 12 : Amtrak 572 with P42DC #162 & CabCar #90208. Nice K5LA action on #162.

Train 13 : Amtrak 777 with CabCar #6900 & P42DC #206.

Train 14 : Metrolink #663 with CabCar #690 & F59PH #861. This train came in very hot !

Train 15 : Amtrak 774 with F59PHI #454 & CabCar #6901.

Train 16 : Amtrak 579 with CabCar #6904 & F59PHI #457. My favorite CabCar on the Surfline, CabCar #6904, blasts through with a very loud K5LA !

Train 17 : Metrolink #858 with CabCar #680 & F59PH #18520.

Train 18 : Metrolink #664 with MP36PH-3C #894 & CabCar #669. This train sure did sneak up on me !

Train 19 : Amtrak 580 with F59PHI #450 & CabCar #6907.

Train 20 : Amtrak 583 with NPCU #90208 & P42DC #162. This train was fairly late, as Amtrak 580 went through San Clemente first.

Train 21 : Metrolink #860 with F59PHI #887 & CabCar #694. This was probably the most packed train of the day, as many people on the train were standing, packed inside.

Train 22 : Amtrak 785 with CabCar #6901 & F59PHI #454. Sick K5LA, quill, and horn action from the engineer & conductor approaching the crossing !!!

Train 23 : Amtrak 582 with F59PHI #452 & CabCar #6908.

Train 24 : Metrolink #667 with CabCar #669 & MP36PH-3C #894. Very loud K2 on #669 !

Thanks for Watching !