N Scale Amtrak Surfliner and/or Metrolink and "Mooning the Amtrak"




I've been trying to think of a good theme/time/era/region, etc. to model. Due to a lack of space, I've been looking at NTrak modules as a possibility.

It occurred to me that the annual Mooning of the Amtrak (and Mooning of the Metrolink) might be a fun scene to recreate. For those that don't know what that is, yeah, it's just like it sounds. Thousands of people line up at the right-of-way fence and drop their pants and "moon" the Amtrak and Metrolink trains that go by.

This is not an organized event. No one is in charge, there is no admission, and there is no one to sue if you hurt yourself while mooning. It is a spontaneous gathering of people. Lack of a formal organization is probably the biggest reason that the city, county sheriff, highway patrol, and others have not been able to shut it down—they would have to shut down 8,000 people individually.

I have some photos of the 2008 event, but I was focused more on what the people were doing than I was on details of the trains that we, I mean, "other people", mooned as they passed by.

I don't live in that area any more so it's harder to go look myself. I think the Metrolink trains were usually a locomotive and 3 cars, but I'm not positive. It's a local commuter train. And I'm not sure what the makeup of the Amtrak Surfliner was.

I think it would be a fun NTrak module to build, but I can't seem to find N scale locomotives and cars in the correct schemes. I don't know if I'm looking the wrong places, don't know enough yet to know what I'm looking for, n scale Amtrak and/or Metrolink isn't available, or what.

I'm new to trains so I'm not even sure that I know enough to know what I don't know. My modelling skills aren't up to custom painting (yet).

Anyway, from my photos, I've been able to identify the following equipment throughout the day. The parentheses indicate information I've found on the web.

#450 locomotive (EMD F59PHI, blue and silver scheme)
#457 locomotive (EMD F59PHI, blue and silver scheme)
#6300 "Coach/Cafe" (Alstrom Surfliner, "Rose Canyon" name)
#6305 "Coach/Cafe" ("Diablo Canyon" name)
#6307 "Coach/Cafe" ("Big Tujunga Canyon" name)
#6400 "Coach" ("Carpinteria Beach" name)
#6408 "Coach" ("Capistrano Beach" name)
#6411 "Coach" ("Pismo Beach" name)
#6412 "Coach" ("Seal Beach" name)
#6452 car ("Mission Beach" name)
#6800 "Pacific Business Class" ("Griffith Park" name)
#6903 "Coach/Baggage" ("Point Mugu" name or "Point Piedras Blancas" name)
#6904 "Coach/Baggage" ("Point Sur" name)
#31047 car (Coach/Baggage, 62-passenger)

#210 (maybe #270) car
#868 locomotive (EMD F59PH #926230-1, Nov 1992, 3000 HP, Periwinkle Nose, White w/Single Periwinkle Stripe)

I have a set of photos of the 2008 Amtrak/Metrolink moonings on Flickr here:

And in case you're interested...

The next Mooning of the Amtrak will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2013. The event takes place along the chain link fence adjacent the train tracks, across the road from Mugs Away Saloon (which is not affiliated with the mooning event, but is where it started in 1979).
27324 Camino Capistrano, #102
Laguna Niguel, (Orange County) California 92677
(949) 582-9716

There is more information at:

Thanks in advance for any comments, advice, solutions, and so on.

Caveman Chuck
Since the original post (and some sleep), I found this online:

Amtrak consist March 3, 2008
Northbound #775
EMD F59PHI #459
Surfliner Pacific Business Class #6806
Surfliner coach/cafe #6307
Surfliner coach #6414
Surfliner coach #6409
Surfliner cab car/baggage #6908

And looking at lots of photos, the Metrolink trains are usually a locomotive and three cars, but four cars is common too. The cars in use are from the following list:

Bombardier BiLevel Generation 1 (mfg 1992–1993) #101–163
Bombardier BiLevel Generation 2 (mfg 1997) #164–182
Bombardier BiLevel Generation 3 (mfg 2002) #183–210
Hyundai Rotem bilevel cars (mfg 2010–2013) #211–270

The Metrolink car in my photos, mentioned in the original post, would have been #210, not #270.

I think I have enough information to put together a realistic combination of locomotive and cars. Unfortunately, they seem to be available in every scale except N, even Z scale is available.

Does anyone have any sources for N scale?

Caveman Chuck
