Home at Last. A sight over three years in the making, cosmetically restored Santa Fe Bicentennial SD45-2 5704 rests quietly at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, CA for the first time. Following its donation to the museum by BNSF in 2021 and the completion of its impeccable paint work and arrival in California in 2022, 5704 was housed in BNSF's Commerce Diesel Facility near Los Angeles due to there not being a rail link to SCRM's tracks from the nearby Metrolink mainline. Finally, on May 3, 2025 the long-awaited journey began as coordination between BNSF, Metrolink, and SCRM allowed for temporary panel track to be laid to connect the mainline with the museum's tracks and 5704, along with ex-Coaster F40 2105 which was also donated, made the homecoming trek from Commerce to Perris. After a long day of traveling and being the center of attention for hundreds of railfans who came to see it, 5704 was taken to SCRM's Barn 7 as dusk rolled in and safely tucked away in its new home.
