Save the date: Sept. 9 & 10, 2023
“An experience that truly encapsulates the timeless wonders of train travel”
Los Angeles Union Station, with presenting partners Metro, Amtrak and Metrolink, will welcome train enthusiasts, history aficionados and commuters of all ages to celebrate Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival 2023: A Celebration of Past, Present & Future on Saturday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10 from 10am – 6pm.
Train Festival 2023 will treat visitors to railroad equipment tours and displays, model train displays, architecture, arts and culture tours, information booths, music, giveaways, eateries, amenities, ShopLAUS and more.
“Los Angeles Union Station is thrilled to welcome new interactive and engaging activations to Train Festival 2023. We’re excited to provide train fans, rail experts and the local community with an experience that truly encapsulates the timeless wonders and legacy of train travel,” said George Meyer, VP and General Manager at Los Angeles Union Station.
Guests will have the opportunity to take exclusive tours and view displays of railroad equipment on tracks 13, 14, and 15. From the world-renowned Steam Locomotive Santa Fe 3751 of the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society (SBRHS), which pulled the first named passenger train into Los Angeles Union Station in 1939, to modern day passenger and freight equipment, attendees will be able to walk through rail history and witness the technological advances spanning more than 100 years. Featured displays will include Amtrak passenger equipment, a BNSF Railway freight locomotive and the Southern California Railway Museum’s Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) 5704 diesel, which was one of five locomotives painted in a patriotic red, white, and blue scheme to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United States.
Attendees can also admire an LARail.com vintage private car, the Tioga Pass, which was built in 1959 by the Canadian National Shops designed for railroad executives and the Pacific Railroad Society’s National Forum, a 1956 Pullman sleeping car. Metrolink’s F125 Locomotive will also be on display while the company’s Talgo-Rehabilitated Bombardier Train Car and Rotem Cars will be available for attendees to tour inside.
Train Festival 2023 attendees will also be invited to celebrate architecture, arts and culture through group and self-guided tours of the station facilitated by partners from California Preservation Foundation (CPF), Los Angeles Conservancy (LAC) and Metro Art. Angelenos and tourists alike can make their way through Union Station to learn about its impact as an architectural marvel, historic landmark, Hollywood film location favorite and buzzy hub for those traveling around, to or from Los Angeles. For a unique guided experience, join California Preservation Foundation for the statewide program, Doors Open California, by participating in one of four Los Angeles Union Station Hidden Gems Tours – a guided walking tour held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily, conducted by the director of construction and restoration. Registration is required and space is limited specifically for the California Preservation Foundation tours.
A key highlight of the two-day event will include Train Festival 2023 commemorative TAP Cards with a day’s worth of free Metro fare loaded onto each card given as a surprise and delight to attendees at designated times each day. Subject to availability.
To learn more about Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival 2023: A Celebration of Past, Present & Future, visit unionstationla.com.