Living in Santa Monica, Metrolink isn't quite in Peter Norman’s back yard. But that hasn’t stopped the 38-year-old lighting console programmer from enjoying many of the destinations the rail system offers. After driving to L.A. Union Station (LAUS) to begin the journey, Peter looks forward to a fun day of letting someone else do the driving, often to family-friendly destinations in Orange County.
“The $10 Weekend Day Pass is the best thing going,” he said. “With my growing little family, we may head down to San Juan Capistrano and meet friends and family. We'll spend the day and just roam around the beautiful walking downtown of Capistrano. There's an animal park right by the station, plenty of cafes and quaint eateries and even an historic Mission. We catch the last train back to LAUS and have no fear of freeway traffic. The kids don't have to be strapped into car seats so we can all enjoy the ride together.”
For Peter, however, Metrolink represents even more than a convenient, comfortable and cost-effective way to travel. A Lego builder from an early age, he regards the trains as a source of inspiration. A member of the Southern California Lego Train Club (SCLTC.org), Peter constructs some of the detailed miniature trains featured in club displays all over southern California. A recent exhibit at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, for example, depicted the Tustin blimp hangars, Tustin city buildings, Rialto Metrolink station, town sections, and two yards displaying engines and freight cars. Other display venues include trade shows, schools, museums, the OC Fair, Fullerton Railroad Days and many more.
Originally, Peter’s Metrolink set was based on the rare F59PH locomotives that were once common on the line. Now, he’s updating his Lego collection with colors and pieces to build miniature replicas of the newer stainless steel railcars introduced in 2010.
A Lego CAD program allows Peter to build models on his laptop computer. This simplifies the actual construction using Lego’s 10,000 different elements, including train-specific pieces like track, wheels, magnetic couplers and train motors.
He starts a new project by finding pictures online or taking them himself. “I'm a train guy, so I like taking pictures of all kinds of rail operations,” said Peter. “There's a lot you can see trackside, but some things are best seen from the trains themselves.”
That’s something most Metrolink riders can agree on, even if what they’re seeing is the backed-up traffic as their train bypasses congestion and transports them smoothly and efficiently to their destination.
Monday, January 20, 2014