Whats your favorite RR related attraction???

[Anonymous]

In no particular order:

Strasburg (been going there since I was 5, still have the pictures)
While were at it, the Penn. RR Museum across the street.

The B&O Museum in Baltimore. Several "old friends" I used to ride on are there. It's nice to go see them. Cant wait til it reopens!

The Western Maryland Scenic RR in Cumberland. The cab ride from Frostburg to Cumberland was cool enough, but then continuing the trip to Ridgely W.Va, turning the steamer on the wye at Knobley yard, and then "putting her to bed" back in Ridgely made having the wife chase the train all worth it![:D][:D][:D]

Setting up the camera and video equiptment at Enola, Point of Rocks, Harpers Ferry, Hagerstown, Meyersdale or anywhere else, listening to the radio traffic and swapping stories with friends, while we wait for trains to come by.[8D]

[douginut]

Best attraction? A Via or Amtrak vacation. or a Eurail pass.


Doug, in Utah

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

My old school was right next to some RR tracks. When I was out for recess I would watch trains go by, I remember my teacher draging me in just as the air-horns of the GP38-2 were blowing, and me shouting, "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Is that railfan spirit or what![:D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

What![(-D][(-D][(-D] Wow, you were lucky!

[Anonymous]

My old school was right next to some RR tracks. When I was out for recess I would watch trains go by, I remember my teacher draging me in just as the air-horns of the GP38-2 were blowing, and me shouting, "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Is that railfan spirit or what![:D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rf16a

The NS (PRR), between Enola and Johnstown, PA, especially Lewistown, Altoona, Slope, Brickyard, Cresson, Lilly, Cassandra, South Fork.
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
East Broad Top RR.
The Strasburg Railroad. (www.strasburgrailroad.com)
Steamtown.
Train shows.
My layout.
My friends layouts.

DId you ever go to the boat launch on the northwest side of Rockville? I love the entire NS main line in Pa from Easton to Johnstown. My all-time favorite railfan location is the area across the street from the Amtrak station.

[rf16a]

The NS (PRR), between Enola and Johnstown, PA, especially Lewistown, Altoona, Slope, Brickyard, Cresson, Lilly, Cassandra, South Fork.
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
East Broad Top RR.
The Strasburg Railroad. (www.strasburgrailroad.com)
Steamtown.
Train shows.
My layout.
My friends layouts.

[n2mopac]

I love the Museum of Transportation in suburban St. Louis, MO. They have a huge number of steam and diesel loco's as well as other equipment from all eras. It is the only place I know you can find a Big Boy and a DD40AX sitting nose to tail. Quiet a museum. Check it out (try their web site too.)
Ron

[krump]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EL PARRo

Mine is the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, CA. It's a HUGE museum with lots of different trains,

I visited there in the late 1980's and never forgot it... probably picked up the model railroad "bug" on that trip: got home, unpacked my boxed-set of HO stuff, bought some new rolling stock and magazines, and never looked back.

I've been to numerous club members railroads and get new ideas each visit. lots of fun

[Anonymous]

I enjoy Downtown Calgary. I work in the highest office in the city now and I can see every freight train that enters. The downtown yard is just 4 blocks south of me, and I also get a good view of the city transit light rail lines as well. Nothing like watching the big diesels getting ready to head to the mountains of British Columbia.

[scotttmason]

Mix it up!!! I try to visit new places during my travels. Always interesting to find new locations and those unexpected treasures; like going to the Rhinelander Logging Museum (heard they had a loco on display) only to have the person on duty usher us to the basement to see their Soo Line layout that he helped build depicting the area in the 60's. Or the live steam operation in Eau Claire was first class and reasonably priced. Even Amtrak has a lot of appeal - lots of trackage, access to remote areas and interaction with a variety of other roads.

Go now, or they will fade away for the next generation like the Kettle Moraine Railway, North Lake, WI.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by deschane

Duluth Minnesota's Transportation Museum. They have the James Cook, one of Great Northern's first locos, the Minnetonka, Northern Pacific's first loco, many cabooses and other equipment, a Milw. Road "Little Joe" "Juice Jack" and a huge Duluth Missabe and Iron Range 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. There is also model railroad equipment on display.

Second best, is the Twin Cities Model Railroad Club's O scale layout in Bandana Square in St. Paul, MN.

Great answer! I Was a member of the Bandana club for a number of years, and helped build that layout.

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

the tracks in town. even though there are hardly any trains that go through i still like it. as sometimes in school i'll be able to watch one if i'm lucky. also its nice to hear them at night. then the train tracks in MN that we sometimes go and sit by and watch.

Who owns this line anyway? What exact town do you like to railfan at?

Newport MN is where i took my first railfan pictures. there are 2 sets of tracks one owned by BNSF and the other by CP.

the line going through town is owned by UP.

i usually go with my friend to the tracks in Newport because i don't drive in the cities yet and i don't have gas money to get there. also the track in town we have like 5 trains a day 4 of them usually at night.

[dragenrider]

Here's another vote for the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad! What a way to spend a day or a weekend! The ride is great, there's lots of history, and the mountains are spectacular!

[Anonymous]

Hmm i think it is durand michigan. half hour drive from home.

[CNW-400]

Hard to say, used to be hobby store but good ones are getting hard to find. It kinda depends on the season and what I'm in the mood for, but I guess I list them as:

1) Roshelle Illinois UP/BNSF diamond
2) Alongside the tracks by the Eola Illinois yard (BNSF)
3) Illinois Railway Museum
4) Fox Valley Trolley Museum (nice little place but badly in need of support!)

Mark

[Anonymous]

Duluth Minnesota's Transportation Museum. They have the James Cook, one of Great Northern's first locos, the Minnetonka, Northern Pacific's first loco, many cabooses and other equipment, a Milw. Road "Little Joe" "Juice Jack" and a huge Duluth Missabe and Iron Range 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. There is also model railroad equipment on display.

Second best, is the Twin Cities Model Railroad Club's O scale layout in Bandana Square in St. Paul, MN.

[Anonymous]

My first choice is my 2-car garage with my HO layout in it[swg]! My second choice is the San Diego model railroad museum. My third choice is Los Angeles Live Steamers. I've got to go to the Californa State Railroad museum sometime this year.

[Anonymous]

Has to be the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. Drive time is less than an hour from home. One ride on the old street cars at the museum would more than compensate for a longer drive.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

the tracks in town. even though there are hardly any trains that go through i still like it. as sometimes in school i'll be able to watch one if i'm lucky. also its nice to hear them at night. then the train tracks in MN that we sometimes go and sit by and watch.

Who owns this line anyway? What exact town do you like to railfan at?

[Anonymous]

Thats a hard question to answer.
I've been to the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, Pa. twice,
the East Broad Top in Orbsonia Pa. three times,
the Knox Kane Railroad that went to the Kinzu bridge in Pa.
Green Field Village in Flint, Michigan. twice,
The Cass Scenic railroad in WV. three times,
the Grand Canyon Railway,
the Verde Canyon Railway. in Cottonwood Az.
the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis MO. (there are some articulated locomotives there some of you'all should see in person)
Oh Heck, I can't decide I liked them all.

[Hawks05]

the tracks in town. even though there are hardly any trains that go through i still like it. as sometimes in school i'll be able to watch one if i'm lucky. also its nice to hear them at night. then the train tracks in MN that we sometimes go and sit by and watch.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy

Gotta be Strasburg. They might not have the biggest collection or the longest mainline, but it's one of the "sincerest" railroads I've ever seen (and I've seen most East of the Mississippi, as well as the D&S and CAT). Go to Strasburg on a day they're running, when the weather isn't the best (to keep most of the tourists away) and you'll swear you're back in 1920.

I also love Strasburg.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

WHere exactly is Strasburg?

Strasburg Railroad, in Strasburg, PA (about an hour southeast of Gettysburg). They claim to be the longest running RR in America, with a charter in the 1840s sometime. They've got five miles of track, a few old freight cars, and one of the best steam departments in the country. They're the ones who have built all the officially licensed Thomas engines, and do a lot of work for other steam roads. They've restored several of the steamers for the RR Museum of PA (which is across the street) and do wheel work for lots of steamers. The last time I was in their shops, they were "kitbashing" a 2-8-0 into a 4-6-0, and they were building an old British steamer from scratch!

[JeremyB]

Mine would be railfanning at my local train station and at Bayview Junction

[Jetrock]

WHere exactly is Strasburg?

Another vote for the CSRM--I've got to go get changed for my shift there this afternoon! If you want to see the other side of the cab-forward, you can get an engineer's eye view by peeking along the side as you enter the cab--it's a little dark but you can get a good look from that angle.

I'm just looking forward to the day when the Railroad Technology Museum opens (sometime in the next decade depending on funding and other unpredictable things) which will allow the Sacramento Locomotive Works and much more of the collection to be visible and available to the public. There's a pair of magnificent AT&SF locomotives in the shops area-- #2925, a 4-8-4, and #5021, a 2-10-4. I suppose that technically there are bigger engines but these two are absolute monsters--standing in between them is like being between Godzilla and King Kong. There are other gorgeous things in the Shops, as well as the magnificent buildings themselves!

I must admit a fondness for the Western Railway Museum as well, down in Rio Vista--but then, I'm a traction buff. It's smaller but dedicated to electrics (though they have some diesels and even an old Shay!) and very friendly and informal.

And one of these days I'm going to have to visit the other end of the Transcontinental in Omaha--I've seen their railroad museum from the train, and admired the UP "Big Boy" they keep nearby in the pre-dawn light, but never actually been inside. Worth a look, I'd think...

[orsonroy]

Gotta be Strasburg. They might not have the biggest collection or the longest mainline, but it's one of the "sincerest" railroads I've ever seen (and I've seen most East of the Mississippi, as well as the D&S and CAT). Go to Strasburg on a day they're running, when the weather isn't the best (to keep most of the tourists away) and you'll swear you're back in 1920.

[EL PARRo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

California State Railroad Museum. Its a 27 minute bus ride downtown. We have the last Cabforward.

Yeah, the Cab forward is one of my favorite things to see there. I like how you can even go into the cab.[:)] I just don't like the fact that you can only see one side of the locomotive.[:(]

[AggroJones]

California State Railroad Museum. Its a 27 minute bus ride downtown. We have the last Cabforward.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Mine used to be this place at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, called "enterTRAINment", but it closed 10 years ago. They had this cool Lionel layout. I wonder what ever happened to that place?[:-^][swg]