Do you Flip?

Flip video that is! We at OCTA produce weekly short video clips, called "Transportation in 2", to highlight transportation projects throughout the county.

The Flip video camera is easy to use and we can edit all of our videos on the Mac using iMovie. Our latest video is from Metrolink's unveiling of the new Crash Energy Management (CEM) rail cars that passengers will soon be able to use.



But check out this online story by Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc., that demonstrates how three nonprofit agencies (OCTA included) use the Flip for a variety of topics.

So...do you? Let me know where I can see your videos and learn more about what you Flip!

Visit our YouTube page to view other OCTA videos, or Tin2's as I like to call them.

PubComm Team Explores L.A.

OCTA’s Public Communications department recently visited Los Angeles and I wanted to share some of the highlights of our trip. I’ve made my way up to L.A. a number of times in the past for meetings, family trips and sporting events…but this was unlike any other excursion because it was all transit related! Needless to say, I felt like a kid in a candy store.


Catching up with some gals from our department, naturally,
we rode Metrolink to our destination.


Touring Union Station.


I had to include this picture, I just think it looks so cool!

Figuring out the Red Line to get to Pershing Square.

Riding the Angels Flight Railway
(literally the shortest railway in the world)...

and making it to the top for only 25 cents!

Nearly 400 Boy Scouts Participate in Railroading Merit Badge Day

We successfully hosted our first Railroading Merit Badge Day with nearly 400 Boy Scouts at Knott’s Berry Farm. Scouts learned how to be safe around tracks, the railroading industry and had the chance to visit the historic Edna & Durango rail cars that the president of the Rio Grande railroad used to travel in back in the 1800s.

Our friends at Garden Grove TV3 developed a great news clip on the event and captured some of the highlights of the day, directly from the scouts.



The Orange County Register also covered our event, highlighting that troops came from all over Southern California to earn their merit badge.

We heard from a number of parents and troop leaders that they hope the Railroading Merit Badge day will become an annual or semi-annual event – we hope so too! And get this, some of the scouts even mentioned that they’re interested in working in the railroading industry after participating in our event– it’s pretty cool to be a part of someone’s future planning like that!


A HUGE thanks to Knott’s Berry Farm, the Boy Scouts of America and all the scouts, troop leaders and volunteers who participated in the event. I couldn’t have done it without you and I’m looking forward to next time!

Max & Lucy Comic Book Heroes Help Kids with Rail Safety

Since safety messages are literally for everyone, we created Max & Lucy, rail safety superheroes, to educate kids and the younger generations in our community about how to be safe around train tracks.

Hot off the press - we just received our comic book, "Rail Tales with Max & Lucy" and I'm so excited to share it with you! It's honestly a great feeling to see all of our hard work come to life. Stay tuned for Max & Lucy's safety web page and an interactive rail safety quiz.

Check out my AudioBoo with @TedNguyen, aka my Public Communications manager at OCTA!

My Railroad Days at Disneyland

I just celebrated a birthday at Disneyland and there were a few things I simply could not resist:

1. Riding the teacups & spinning so fast I can't walk straight
2. Eating a Disney churro

3. Taking pictures with anything train related

I just had to share some of my favorite moments. I don't know all that much about the history behind the Disney railroad, although it is a fully functioning and operational railroad (awesome!), or the train in California Adventure...but I have an annual pass now and I intend to learn more with each visit.

If you know some fun info and background about rail related rides & attractions at Disneyland, please share. I'd love to hear about it!

WANTED: Boy Scouts

On Saturday, April 17, OCTA is partnering with Knott's Berry Farm to offer Boy Scouts an opportunity to earn their Railroading Merit Badge at Knott's Berry Farm while learning about rail safety.

Scouts will participate in various activities that will fulfill the Railroading Merit Badge requirements, including riding on the Calico Railroad throughout the park, visiting the historical railroad cars of The Edna and The Durango and learning from OCTA about how to be rail safe.

Young men are statistically more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors around train tracks, so…this is a great opportunity for us to educate pre-teen and teenage boys about rail safety!

If you are a Troop leader or your son is a Boy Scout, please join us at the Railroading Merit Badge Day. Registration is available to the first 500 participants (including guardians and Troop leaders).

Cost is $32.50 and includes:

• Merit badge activites
  
• Delicious box lunch
  
• All-day admissiont to Knott's Berry Farm

Registration ends April 9 or when 500 participants register.

Check out our flier with additional information too!

Be Rail Safe Team & Swallows Swoop into San Juan Capistrano

More than 5,000 people participated in the 52nd annual Swallows Day Festival in San Juan Capsitrano this past weekend. OCTA’s Be Rail Safe team also was there sharing tips with children and adults on how to be safe around train tracks.

Getting out into the community and meeting people face to face is definitely one of the best parts of my job! I feel like I’m making a difference when I surprise someone by informing them that train tracks are private property and pedestrian do not have the right of way.

It was a super hot weekend down in San Juan Capistrano but our participation at the festival was a huge success. We definitely don't have a boring information booth..like some out there...it's actually really exciting to see the kids play with the prize wheel while adults and parents take our rail safety survey!

Don’t be sad if you missed us in SJC, there’s still another chance to check us out. We’ll be hosting a booth at Railroad Days in Brea on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Hope to see you there!