Southern California Rail Journal, 5 Discs, 2008 thru 2012, Over 10 Hours

Southern California’s railroad scene has been an attraction for railfans since trains began their journey across the region. Here are 5 shows that shine a light on mid-2000’s railroading in SoCal.

Southern California Rail Journal 2008 Come with Pentrex on a railfan’s journey throughout Southern California. This innovative visual journal begins in June 2008 and continues through late December, with each scene featuring all new footage of trains presented in the same order in which they were filmed. Our railfan journalist is a California native with a keen eye for great locations. He’ll take us through Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties to share the mighty railroading action this area offers. Among the thrills waiting for you are former Santa Fe 3751 running on the San Bernardino Sub at night under a full head of steam; Amtrak’s Coast Starlight making several detours over Tehachapi; an Amtrak meet with a freight on Soledad Canyon; and UP’s specially painted George HW Bush locomotive leading two Heritage Units in a dazzling rainbow consist over Beaumont Hill. You’ll also see visitors from Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Ferromex adding even more color and variety to the show. The Orange Empire Railway Museum provided vintage diesel and steam trains, and extra treats include the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus train and a wind turbine train. If that’s not enough, we’ll finish the program with snowy winter scenes on Cajon Pass.

Southern California Rail Journal 2009 Southern California Rail Journal 2009 continues the saga of a railfan journalist who travels throughout this vast region of famous railroading locales to record the never-ending parade of interesting trains and equipment found here. This visual journal contains all new footage not seen in other shows, and it is presented in the same chronological order as filmed so that you can experience Southern California railroading in 2009 as it unfolded. Making several appearances on the grades of Cajon Pass and Beaumont Hill are Union Pacific Heritage Units #1983, #1988, #1995, and #1996. Union Pacific’s #4141, the George H.W. Bush locomotive, performs two great run-bys for our camera, and both Olympic units are spotted on Cajon. You’ll see everything from military trains, work trains, circus trains, and passenger specials to Metrolink’s dazzling Holiday Toy Express. Our journey takes you to Colton Crossing, Beaumont Hill, the Cajon Subdivision, Fullerton, and Buena Park. Coverage also includes activity on the Yuma, Los Angeles, Alhambra, and Needles Subdivisions. Insightful narration and the beauty of the surrounding terrain enhance these striking images of trains battling nature.

Southern California Rail Journal 2010 Southern California Rail Journal 2010 is the third in our Rail Journal series and it delivers more trains, more variety, longer running time, and more railroading adventure than ever! All new footage, not used in any other Pentrex show, is presented to you in the same chronological order as it was recorded so you can experience the year’s activities just as if you were side-by-side with our rail journalist as he sought out the best locations and movements in this densely trafficked region. Along your journey, you’ll pay a visit to the Surfline to catch Amtrak and Coaster commuter trains as they battle Miramar Hill and other sites on the route. You’ll be there in May to see former Santa Fe 3751 making her third trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and return on the following day, including the much talked about photo run-by at the Poinsettia Station. You’ll also see the 3751 one week later when she pulls a short train over Metrolink’s San Bernardino line to the Railroad Days Festival being held at the San Bernardino Station. Colton Crossing and the Cajon Subdivision present their own brand of heavy traffic. You can enjoy trains streaming past two of the area’s last remaining wigwags, including the soon-to-be-abandoned portion of Union Pacific’s Riverside Branch. Even more variety was found on Beaumont Hill, Cajon Pass, and busy Pepper Avenue in West Colton.

Southern California Rail Journal 2011 Southern California Rail Journal 2011 takes you on a whirlwind tour of great SoCal railfanning hotspots to bring you the action seen here from January to December, with all new footage not found in any other show. Our pursuit took us to interesting locations from Riverside to San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Kern, and Ventura counties. We’ll visit Tehachapi and Beaumont Hill; the Salton Sea and Winterhaven near the Arizona border; and Cajon Pass during snowstorms and sunny days. The great action we captured along the way features everything from a 1913 consolidation running on the Fillmore & Western to an ultra modern Sprinter on the former Santa Fe Escondido Branch. Steam was also on the rails here in 2011. Former AT&SF 3751 and UP 844 made special appearances, as did four of UP’s Heritage Units, each one on the point of its train. Plus, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train is seen traveling through Afton Canyon and over Miramar Hill. All that and a lot more is yours to enjoy in this entertaining visual memoir.

Southern California Rail Journal 2012 Southern California Rail Journal 2012 is a thrilling visual journey of trains and more trains in SoCal’s heavy rail traffic areas and scenic locales. Presented in chronological order from January through December, you’ll experience amazing new footage that has never been seen in any other show. Our crews focused on anything rare, scenic or unusual – and in this fifth installment of our Rail Journal series, we deliver just that! We invite you to join us on this exciting journey that will take you from the high desert to winter snow scenes. All six of Union Pacific’s Heritage Units make an appearance including two of Amtrak’s Heritage Units. You’ll see Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner riding along the beautiful coastline and BNSF freight action over a 1,507-foot long bridge above the Colorado River. Enjoy the action as heavy tonnage tackle the challenges of Cajon Pass. You’ll even get a rare glimpse of Beaumont Hill activity during a solar eclipse.