Santa Fe 3751

In 1981, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society was formed with intentions of restoring and operating 3751. Four years later, they achieved their goal when 3751 was sold to them for one cent with the condition that the SBRHS must restore and operate the locomotive. In 1986, 3751 was moved from its display to California Steel Industries, where it was restored at a cost of $1.50.[2] On August 13, 1991, it moved under its own steam for the first time in 38 years. It made its first excursion run on December 27, 1991, running with two Santa Fe EMD FP45s and 16 passenger cars on a four-day trip from Los Angeles to Bakersfield. Since then, it has been utilized for a large number of excursions and special trips as well as being on display at many events.[3] Ever since it was restored in 1991, the 3751 is now one of the most well-known steam locomotives in North America that still operates to this day.

The locomotive is currently owned by the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society, the same organization that performed the initial 1986 restoration.

In August 1992, the 3751 was found on its largest assignment so far, as the engine ran the entire route of Santa Fe's Transcon route between Los Angeles and Chicago with three and later two Santa Fe GE Dash 8-40CWs. The engine spent 18 days traveling over 2,300 miles (3,700 km) in both directions.

ATSF 3751, on its first trip after restoration, leads a train eastbound through Cajon Pass.

On April 22–23, 1995, 3751 was displayed in the Riverside Sunkist Orange Blossom Festival in Riverside. On September 22, 1995 when Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe merged with Burlington Northern Railroad to form Burlington Northern Santa Fe with the same number. The excursion happened again on April 20–21, 1996.

Also on April 22, 1995, the engine's 5-chime freight whistle (the aforementioned LM-192, made by the Locomotive Finished Material Company—or LFM—of Atchison, KS) was replaced with a new long bell Santa Fe 6-chime whistle (The LM-540, also made by LFM). This particular whistle design was intended to be the standard whistle on all late Santa Fe steam power from about mid-1931 on — including the 3400 class 4-6-2s, all 4-6-4s, the 3765, 3776, and 2900 class 4-8-4s, and all 2-10-4s, as well as many others. Though most, if not all, of the original 3751 class (14 locomotives in all), retained their 5-chime whistles due to apparent height clearance issues in some passenger train terminals. Namely the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, or LAUPT. To this day, the big 6-chime (believed to have come off of a 2900 class 4-8-4) has been the mainstay on 3751.

In June 1999, the locomotive participated in Railfair 99. On the way to the fair, 3751 ran with a BNSF GE Dash 9-44CW and a passenger train mixed with a boxcar train.

In October 2000, 3751 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

A second locomotive of the same class has also been preserved, Santa Fe 3759 in Kingman, Arizona. It too is listed on the NRHP.

The locomotive has been displayed at Fullerton Railroad Days in Fullerton, California a number of times.

In August 2002, the 3751 ran an Amtrak excursion from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona to participate in the 2002 National Railway Historical Society Convention. The excursion ran over Metrolink, BNSF Railway, and Arizona and California Railroad tracks. The engine also ran on the Grand Canyon Railway for an excursion on the former Santa Fe's Grand Canyon line. The event including double and tripleheading with the Grand Canyon Railway's own steam engines, Ex Chicago Burlington & Quincy 2-8-2 4960 and ex Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 18. There was a night photo session that took place, which featured the three locomotives side by side.[4]

In 2008, 3751 ran on the Surfline route for two excursions from Los Angeles to San Diego. The first, on June 1, was a public excursion which left 30 minutes late due to a delayed Metrolink train and arrived in San Diego two hours behind schedule, mostly caused by the single-track railroad south of Mission Viejo station. The excursion made the locomotive the first steam locomotive to run on the Surf Line since the 1976 American Freedom Train, it was also the first steam powered passenger train to make the run between Los Angeles and San Diego since 3751 last traveled the line in 1953. The train was turned at Miramar Wye, 15 miles north of San Diego station. The second excursion was a private car special on September 21. However, a trespasser was struck near Mission Viejo, delaying all trains up to 3 hours. The excursion passed the cleared location at around 9:00 pm.

In May 2010, the locomotive returned to the Surf Line for a third excursion from Los Angeles to San Diego, pulling eight Amtrak cars and a few dome cars, attracting large crowds. In order to alleviate issues with turning the train, the excursion was split over two days: south to San Diego on May 1, and north to Los Angeles the following day. This proved successful, as 3751 was on time into San Diego the first day and sustained only normal delays northbound, thus proving the excursion to be the most successful yet.[5] The weekend after the trip to San Diego had the engine in San Bernardino for National Train Day as well as the 2010 San Bernardino Railroad Days festival. It made an annual run to San Bernardino for the Railroad Days Festival in April or May since the initial trip.[6][7][8][9][10]

No. 3751 with Grand Canyon Railway 4960 and a GE P42, 2012

In May 2012, 3751 powered a six-day excursion from Los Angeles to Williams, Arizona to celebrate the state's Centennial. As part of the excursion another special roundtrip doubleheader to the Grand Canyon and back was run with 3751 and GCRY 4960. The train also operated over the Arizona & California Railroad on the way to Williams and on the return trip to Los Angeles. Three weeks before the trip to Arizona the engine also made the trip east to attend the San Bernardino Railroad Days Festival for the third year in a row.

In May 2013, 3751 ran on a fourth trip to the San Bernardino Railroad Days Festival.

In May 2015, 3751 made an appearance at Fullerton Railroad Days 2015 in Fullerton, California, making it the first time since 2008 to appear at this event. From April 31 - May 1, 2016, the loco was on display again and left Fullerton 2 hours late due to traffic. From May 6–7, 2017, she was on display yet again for the last time for a few years as she will be going into a 3-4 year restoration. She will be on display at Union Station's Summer Train Fest on July 15, 2017 before being overhauled. 3751's overhaul is currently estimated to be completed in 2021 if all of the work proceeds as planned.