Exploring Amtrak and More at LA Union Station: A look at the Passenger Trains in Los Angeles

[@bjm3210]

33:06 Santa Fe 3751 is stored at Amtrak's 8th Street yard and was the first steam locomotive to bring a passenger train into Union Station.

[@Mesabi193]

What a great video! One of my favorite couch-foaming videos I've watched in a long time. LA Union Station is really fun to watch the action! Thanks for making it

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@Milanfanoftrains]

Nice video! Its nice!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@gdrriley420]

Surfliner cars and the SC-44 are due for an overhaul they have been having a lot of issues recently and they've hit the age being around 25 and 8 respectively. Dash 8, P42, NPCU and comets on the surfliner are a sign somethings broken unless its a special event train.

[@crickkett7510]

Definitely not enough ‘working’ equipment, since summer adding helpers because of that, and adding an additional SB/NB train in March, another in November

[@georgemcdowell8302]

Excellent drone video! I used to explore L.A. Union Station on weekends during the '60's when there were more trains. I even hung out at the point just where trains made their final approach to the platforms-a railfan's delight. The grey concrete complex in that area is The L.A. Men's Central Jail. The Amtrak shop & turntable once belonged to ATSF where The Superchief, El Capitan, & other historic trains were serviced. What you've illustrated using a drone beats what I've seen on foot back then. Security was non existent back then, so I've roamed freely. Too bad I didn't have a camera to catch everything until the '80's. I could see the station & platforms from the observation tower of City Hall using their telescope when it was once the tallest structure in L.A.

[@AnthonyPinkerton-d7p]

The Shops that are South of LAUPT are the former Santa Fe Shops that were sold to California Amtrak

[@camarilloconcerns8782]

Back in the sixties when I was a kid, we took a tour of the Santa Fe shops. I remember the turntable along with a bunch of black and white Santa Fe zebra switchers hanging out there.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks for the good info. I do appreciate it.

[@paulsturtz7638]

Good one, especially the shop sequence, thanks!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks, Paul. I'm glad you liked it.

[@amtk821]

Always love shop footage!

[@Milanfanoftrains]

What about the light rail?

[@nkyrailfan]

I'm planning on doing a video on the Metro in the coming months.

[@Milanfanoftrains]

Ok❤

[@Society2day]

There is so much potential for such a beautiful station. It's so empty. LA sky makes eny photo nostalgic. They need to bring back the flagship routes and upscale service. Amtrak is like a mass product being produced. A frist class coach, a nicely detailed lounge and sleeper would be superb to attract worldwide attention. Routes that you wouldn't mind a delay because the experience and time spent would be well worth the adventure.

[@CatherineHomer]

Love the surfliner

[@MarkK395]

Incredible video! Can't wait for your Hobart Yard video. Would you consider doing a Cicero, WIllow Springs, Corwith and LPC video?

[@nkyrailfan]

I'm planning a Chicago rail yard video at some point this summer. Unfortunately, some of the yards are too close to MDW or ORD and I cannot fly my drone around them. I did make it up to the BRC yard if you want to see that in action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eILMcoWwe9Opgbs

[@MarkK395]

@ awesome! Forgot about the airports but it makes sense.

[@August_Ice]

Wonderful video 👏👏👏👏 Union Station will become busier when the Coachella Valley/San Gregoriño trains begin service to and from Palm Springs and the Brightline Bullet trains to and from Las Vegas. Amtrak has plans to restore train service to Las Vegas as well so, it will definitely get busier in the foreseeable future. I wish the tower were to be converted into a nice hotel. It would spruce up the area.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for all the great service info.

[@dextardextar]

excellent

[@Atsf1976]

Nice video and it looks like it was hard to get footage. That's a bummer that they won't let you shoot on property. Did you ask first or just try it and waited to see what happened? Looking forward to the West Colton yard.

[@nkyrailfan]

I asked a security guard about setting up my tripod in the parking lot outside the platform and was told no. If it had just been me and a cellphone, I'm sure I could've gone to the platform and recorded as much as a I wanted. I'm pretty happy with the footage I got (except for being caught off guard numerous times). The West Colton Yard video should be pretty good. I got lots of cars being sorted over the hump and I'm pretty sure I covered every spot in the yard at least for a bit. I hope to have it up on Tuesday.

[@dupdrewww]

I record on the platforms all the time and nobody says anything. Bummer they didn’t let you great video either way.

[@Atsf1976]

@ I liked the video, but was just curious about the recording thing.

[@nkyrailfan]

It probably worked out for the best the way I did it. There's no way they would have let me fly my drone from one of the station platforms.

[@ponyhorton4295]

Pretty sure the security guard lied to you. I've shot video and stills all over LAUPT since 1976 and never been stopped or asked not to film. Once in 1982 I was given official permission to film a small Public Access segment in the station with filming lights, which blew out the station's circuit breakers, and they STILL let me film! Last time I did any shooting with a regular video camera there was 2012.

[@CptAwesome747]

Lol, never interrupt dispatch

[@timdaugherty5921]

Go to London!, many trains there

[@thebabbler8867]

London?.. Where's that?

[@hollistherailfan]

get out

[@georgemcdowell8302]

Excellent drone video! I used to explore L.A. Union Station on weekends during the '60's when there were more trains. I even hung out at the point just where trains made their final approach to the platforms-a railfan's delight. The grey concrete complex in that area is The L.A. Men's Central Jail. The Amtrak shop & turntable once belonged to ATSF where The Superchief, El Capitan, & other historic trains were serviced. What you've illustrated using a drone beats what I've seen on foot back then. Security was non existent back then, so I've roamed freely. Too bad I didn't have a camera to catch everything until the '80's. I could see the station & platforms from the observation tower of City Hall using their telescope when it was once the tallest structure in L.A.

[@georgemcdowell8302]

Excellent drone video! I used to explore L.A. Union Station on weekends during the '60's when there were more trains. I even hung out at the point just where trains made their final approach to the platforms-a railfan's delight. The grey concrete complex in that area is The L.A. Men's Central Jail. The Amtrak shop & turntable once belonged to ATSF where The Superchief, El Capitan, & other historic trains were serviced. What you've illustrated using a drone beats what I've seen on foot back then. Security was non existent back then, so I've roamed freely. Too bad I didn't have a camera to catch everything until the '80's. I could see the station & platforms from the observation tower of City Hall using their telescope when it was once the tallest structure in L.A.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks for all the great information! I really do appreciate it. What I wouldn't give for a time machine to go back and record railroading over the decades. Every video I record, I'm reminded of how much has been lost from the spots I'm filming.