LOS ANGELES — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3751 will make 2024 public debut this September at the Rail Safety: Los Angeles event, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society has announced.
The free, two-day event will be the largest rail safety event hosted in downtown Los Angeles in more than a decade. Taking place at Los Angeles Union Station on Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., attendees will see rail equipment displays from the Historical Society, Amtrak, and Metrolink. Information booths from other agencies such as Metro, Operation Lifesaver, Los Angeles Union Station, LOSSAN, and local public safety agencies will also be on hand.
Attendees are also encouraged to walk through the beautifully restored, 85-year-old structure that is Los Angeles Union Station and enjoy exploring the unique restaurants and stores located inside.
The short outing for No. 3751 will be the locomotive’s third time out on the mainline since the Historical Society completed its 1,472-day inspection in 2022. Since then, the locomotive traveled to Fullerton, Calif., last September, where it participated in an Amtrak and Operation Lifesaver event [see “Santa Fe No. 3751 steams …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 31, 2022], and made a similar trip to Los Angeles Union Station in September of 2023 to attend Los Angeles Union Station’s Train Festival: A Celebration of Past, Present and Future event.
No. 3751 was Santa Fe’s first 4-8-4 when built by Baldwin in 1927. Subsequent modernizations included a 1936 conversion to oil fuel and a major upgrade in 1941 that included 80-inch driving wheels and roller bearings. The railroad retired the engine in 1953 and it was subsequently displayed in San Bernardino, Calif., before being acquired by the SBRHS and restored to operation in 1991.
Details involving equipment movements to and from the event have yet to be finalized, subject to the dense schedule of passenger trains that operate in the Los Angeles basin. For the latest information, visit the society’s website or follow the organization on Facebook or Instagram at @SantaFe3751.
