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Friday, December 11, 2015 11:00 AM, Perris, California -- Bob Manning, Richard Phelps, and I (Steve Grande) arrived at the new Metrolink Station in Downtown Perris, California, just before 11 AM. The three of us along with a few others serve on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Rail Passenger Association (SWRAIL.ORG). Richard also works for RailPlan International (RailPlan.com) and I spend most of my time managing the APRHF TrainWeb Sites (TrainWeb.com and TrainWeb.org). For Bob, managing the Southwest Passenger Rail Association, organizing the next Cailfornia Passenger Rail Summit, advocating for a train to Coachella Valley as well as for better passenger rail service throughout the southwest is a full time endeavor.
This is the first in a long time that I have personally been out to the field to cover a train or station inauguration. For the last several years it has usually been one of the other TrainWeb volunteer correspondents such as Carl Morrison or Chris Guenzler that have provided reports and photos of rail events. For other reports and photos from inaugurals of other new train lines and stations, click here to visit TrainWeb.com/bigstories.
There wasn't much publicity about this event in the regular news media or even in the internet chatter area frequented by those interested in behind the scenes rail news. Chris Guenzler was the first to mention to me about this event, but the word was that this was strictly going to be a VIP and Press Event. Just a couple of days before the event, Bob Manning contacted me and Richard Phelps suggesting that we should be there representing the Southwest Rail Passenger Association. Oddly on my drive to the event in the morning a local Riverside radio station did mention the event. They even stated that there would be a train ride and it was open to the public. The time they mentioned on the radio was 11 AM. The radio station really should have announced 1 PM as the time of the event as the morning coffee, networking and luncheon I think was supposed to be just for invited guests.
On the previous page of this report you can see photos of the presentations, the luncheon, and the band playing Christmas caroles.
The above flyers were handed out at the event reception table. The above low resolution thumbnails are not readable, but if you click on each one, larger images will be displayed that are legible.
The below souvenir gifts were also provided free at the event reception table. I'll be sending the flyers and souvenir gifts that I picked up to the APRHF Silver Rails Gallery and Museum in La Plata, Missouri, to be archived and placed on public display. This is pretty much where TrainWeb and I personally have sent everything I have ever collected or purchased related to rail. This is especially true of everything related to Amtrak as the APRHF Exhibition of Amtrak History is located in La Plata, Missouri. The APRHF collection of Amtrak sourvenirs, books, videos and memorabilia is probably second only to the Amtrak History Train itself. Actually, there is a good chance that the collection in the APRHF Exhibition of Amtrak History is even more extensive than what is in the Amtrak History Train.
At the end of the presentations the audience was invited to take the poinsettia plants home that surrounded the event stage. Bob and I each grabbed one and brought them to our vehicles before boarding for the train ride. Doesn't the poinsettia look great in the foyer of my Anaheim vacation house?
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