Hello! I have decided to put together a small collection of shots I took in the City of Covina, CA in the year of 2019, before I started uploading my videos. These feature the important transition period that Metrolink took in terms of obtaining new power, and phasing our older power. All locomotives Metrolink operates/operated regularly will be seen here. From the older F59PH, and rebuilt F59PHR. To the newest F125s, and all in between are seen. This is the Ultimate Railfanning Covina, CA, having 24 clips with everything Metrolink operated in the year of 2019.
I spent a significant portion of my time growing up in Covina, CA, and these Metrolinks were a huge part of it. Many fond memories of sitting by the tracks or the park and watching these steel giants fly by!
This portion of the SCAX San Gabriel Subdivision was originally built under the Southern Pacific Railroad as part of its Covina Branch. It ran from it's junction with the original SP Baldwin Park Branch in Baldwin Park, CA, to a Junction with the SP Alhambra Sub in Pomona, CA. In 1945, the portion from La Verne, CA, to the Alhabra Sub Junction was abandoned, as it was pretty much redundant trackage for the SP at this point. There was also a long spur which extended from La Verne to a Junction with the ATSF Pasadena Subdivision in Claremont, CA, which served as the line's new terminus.
The Covina Branch continued to serve local industries, most notably Citrus, just like the neighboring Baldwin Park Branch. As the Citrus industry in SoCal gave way for housing, traffic on the line became more sparse, and up until 1991, served a handful of industries along the route with a daily local serving them. In 1991, the newly formed Metrolink purchased the line from the SP, along with the Baldwin Park Branch, and the neighboring Pasadena Subdivision, and start conversion for commuter rail service there. All three were merged into the newly formed San Gabriel Subdivision, with the north ends of the Baldwin Park Branch, and Pasadena Subdivisions being left as dead-end branch lines, both which are now some of the oldest untouched rail lines to date.
Presently, in 2020, Metrolink dominates train traffic in Covina, hosting their busiest line there, the San Bernardino Line. However, all is not lost for freight, as 2-3 industries remain on the long lost Covina Branch, being served by the Southern Pacific, and now Union Pacific, Azusa/Baldwin Park Local, which heads during the evening as needed, on tuesdays and thursdays past covina, to a tank car facility in San Dimas, and Mohawk Plasitcs in La Verne, with a possible third industry to the east also in La Verne. We also have hosted the Amtrak Southwest Chief several times when its main route has closed! Commuter rail brought a new life to the Covina Branch, and its future looks bright!
This line is my favorite Metrolink Line, and Metrolink is my favorite railroad, so I really enjoy capturing footage from over here! Thanks for watching!
Locomotives Featured:
Train #1:
Cabcar: SCAX 647~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 851~F59PHR
Train #2:
Cabcar: SCAX 663~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 857~F59PH
Train #3:
Locomotive: LTEX 18533~F59PH
Cabcar: SCAX 662~Rotem Cabcar
Train #4:
Locomotive: SCAX 882~F59PHI
Cabcar: SCAX 695~Rotem Cabcar
Train #5:
Cabcar: SCAX 693~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 875~F59PHI
Train #6:
Locomotive: SCAX 915~F125
Cabcar: SCAX 644~Rotem Cabcar
Train #7:
Locomotive: SCAX 888~MP36PH-3C
Cabcar: SCAX 695~Rotem Cabcar
Train #8:
Cabcar: SCAX 655~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 870~F59PHR
Train #9:
Locomotive: SCAX 905~F125
Cabcar: SCAX 660~Rotem Cabcar
Train #10:
Cabcar: SCAX 658~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 926~F125
Train #11:
Locomotive: SCAX 910~F125
Cabcar: SCAX 644~Rotem Cabcar
Train #12:
Cabcar: SCAX 670~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotives:
SCAX 879~F59PHI
SCAX 868~F59PHR
Train #13:
Locomotive: SCAX 935~F125
Cabcar: SCAX 641~Rotem Cabcar
Train #14:
Cabcar: SCAX 670~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 879~F59PHI
Train #15:
Cabcar: SCAX 682~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 882~F59PHI
Train #16:
Locomotive: SCAX 882~F59PHI
Cabcar: SCAX 682~Rotem Cabcar
Train #17:
Cabcar: SCAX 663~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 891~MP36PH-3C
Train #18:
Cabcar: SCAX 668~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 868~F59PHR
Train #19:
Locomotive: SCAX 884~F59PHI
Cabcar: SCAX 642~Rotem Cabcar
Train #20:
Locomotive: SCAX 873~F59PHR
Cabcar: SCAX 640~Rotem Cabcar
Train #21:
Cabcar: SCAX 664~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive: SCAX 898~MP36PH-3C
Train #22:
Locomotive: SCAX 891~MP36PH-3C
Cabcar: SCAX 663~Rotem Cabcar
Train #23:
Locomotive: SCAX 898~MP36PH-3C
Cabcar: SCAX 664~Rotem Cabcar
Train #24:
Cabcar: SCAX 6~Rotem Cabcar
Locomotive~SCAX 930~F125
Locations filmed at include:
Glendora Ave Railroad Crossing
Cypress/Banna Ave Railroad Crossing
Citrus Ave/Covina Metrolink Station
Azusa Ave Railroad Crossing
Barranca Ave Railroad Crossing