Once upon a time, southern California had a massive transit system - the Pacific Electric Railway (along with local trains operated by Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific). But the PE's system of streetcars was allowed to die over time, until eventually there was nothing but freeways. The area was prime for a rail renaissance, and in 1990 the MTA opened the Blue Line light-rail line on the old PE right-of-way between downtown Los Angeles and downtown Long Beach. Realizing that light rail would not be enough for a metropolitan area as large as Los Angeles and its suburbs, plans were made to create a heavy-rail commuter train network as well. Earlier attempts at commuter trains in the L.A. area had failed (the short-lived trains between L.A. and Oxnard in late 1982) or were duplicates of existing service (the El Camino train on the same line as Amtrak's San Diegans), so the proposed Metrolink system, serving five counties with five or so lines (initially) was met with some skepticism. In 1990, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), operator of the proposed Metrolink, obtained a GO Transit F59PH and a Bombardier coach in order to show everyone what their equipment would be like (since SCRRA had ordered the same locomotives and cars). These were sent out on tours of the proposed line, and on October 19th, 1990, GOT F59PH 552 and coach 235, along with a former-Union Pacific dome car (the better to impress people riding along), traveled from Los Angeles to San Diego County's Oceanside, which would be Metrolink's southern terminus. The train is seen here crossing the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside as the line skirts along the Pacific Ocean. This would be a very scenic commuter line!
