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How close is your home to the nearest tracks?

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  • Member since
    March 2001
  • From: US
  • 32 posts
Posted by electflr on Monday, March 1, 2010 4:31 PM

Hi all I live about 800 to 1000 Ft from what is called the Joint line it is the BNSF and Uncle Pete railroads. from my yard I can watch the trains go by This is in Colorado Springs, CO USA

loneflyr
  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Sydney Australia
  • 33 posts
Posted by puddlejumperoz on Monday, March 1, 2010 4:13 PM

About three minutes walk to our main suburban Western line. I regularly see both the Ghan and Indian Pacific roll through and also the monstrous sets of coal trains coming and goin from Lithgow, awesome sight those, quite often with 3 or 4 locos hauling countless coal hoppersBig Smile

Are there trains in Heaven?
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 106 posts
Posted by OldArmy94 on Monday, March 1, 2010 4:04 PM

I live about 6 miles to the nearest tracks (Arkansas Midland) so I don't hear or see anything, alas.  I wish I could be along the UP main (9 miles away) that runs through NE Arkansas--they get around 40 trains a day.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • From: Michigan
  • 338 posts
Posted by georgev on Monday, March 1, 2010 3:41 PM

I live about 5 miles from the Grand Trunk ..I mean CN doubletrack main that runs north from Detroit to Pontiac and points north.  On a still night you can hear the horns at the crossings.  Northbound trains a slugging up a long grade and  if there's enough units you can hear the rumble of the diesels. 

20+ years back I lived about 200 feet from that line and the sounds would knock you out of bed.  There'd be 4-5 trains per day until we put the house up for sale, then it seemed there were about 15/day and I think the dispatchers knew the realtor's schedules.  

George V.  

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: northeast ohio
  • 966 posts
Posted by 0-6-0 on Monday, March 1, 2010 1:37 PM

Hello I live about 100 yards give or take a few yards from the WL/E branch line that runs though Twinsburg into Solon Ohio.  I can see the tracks from my front door in the winter .When spring comes the leaves get in the way. The train goes by about 3 am weekdays once in a while it will come by in the day. Have a nice day Frank

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 61 posts
Posted by NSdreamer on Sunday, February 28, 2010 6:43 AM

If you drive down the road for 1 or 2 miles, welcome to CSX branch that feeds The Virginia Power. I learned to live with it. I am told they only get trains on select days, but I hear one almost every day.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • 63 posts
Posted by SidecarJoeG on Saturday, February 27, 2010 10:48 PM

 I live about 200 hundred feet from the nearest line.  Its the old PRR branch that ran down the Mon.  Its NS now.  Across the river I can see CSX.  You can hear the horns blowing all the way up and down the river valley.  Sometimes at night its relaxing.  Also, sometimes the trains and barge drivers blow their horns at each other up and down the river.  Thats fun during the day but not so much at night.

   My year and a half old son runs to the door to look down the street to see the trains coming by.  Depending on where I sit in my living room I can see them go by.  We have a great view from our porch and an even better view out our attic window, where my layout is.

   I grew up about a quarter mile from the W&LE (was NW when I was a kid... its the old Wabash and P&WV line).  Another split from that line runs about a mile from my house now and has a really awesome tressle right along route 88 near Mingo Creek Park.  There are alot of rails still left in the Pittsburgh area.

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Kent, England
  • 348 posts
Posted by challenger3802 on Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:20 PM

 10 metres from my kitchen window to the main London to Dover line (UK), trains all day and most of the night!  Christmas Day is really quiet as no trains running and it definitely feels like something is missing.

Ian

  • Member since
    July 2005
  • From: Dyer, IN
  • 156 posts
Posted by m sharp on Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:10 PM

The former Monon, now CSX runs about 4/10 mile to my east, and the former EJ&E, now CN runs about 3/4 mile south of my house.  Trains run much more frequently on the CN line, and Amtrak also runs a train on the CSX track. 

I grew up in Hammond, IN, which had 87 grade crossings and at least 10 different railroads running through town.

Mike

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Posted by wholeman on Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:40 AM

1train1

Is this close enough ?

 

That is about the exact distance from my house.  Although the tracks aren't up against my property.

Will

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: High Desert
  • 42 posts
Posted by projectbluebird on Friday, February 26, 2010 11:42 PM

 About 6 (big) blocks from the UP's North Yard in Salt Lake City. My two main routes into the city are crossed by UP and the new Commuter Rail tracks. Usually I'm in no hurry to get anywhere and just watch the trains pass by. On a good night you can feel the diesels growl as they start pulling out a long train.

 I'm a little sad that my part of town has become the new "it" place to live. People bought homes near the tracks and then got upset when the trains blew their horns at the crossings (almost one a block) Now there's a quiet ordnance and you can't hear the horns anymore... except now and then, someone "forgets"

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Friday, February 26, 2010 4:53 PM

How close is my home to the nearest tracks?

About this far........

Philip
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Paris Junction
  • 247 posts
Posted by 1train1 on Friday, February 26, 2010 4:28 PM

Is this close enough ?

 

Paris Junction Mile 30.73 Dundas Sub Paris, Ontario http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/ppuser/3728/cat/500
  • Member since
    March 2009
  • 67 posts
Posted by Philly Bill on Friday, February 26, 2010 2:11 PM

salt water cowboy
Tracks there now used by Amtrak from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

 

 Familiar with all those locations.  Once a day, Amtrak goes on to Pittsburgh, and there's a proposal to increase that traffic, to maybe three a day each way.  How many travel tickets include a landmark like Horseshoe Curve?

 Anyhow, my son lives in Harrisburg, overlooking the Amtrak station; nice view from his balcony.  And in the Harrisburg station, again for no additional cost to your train ticket, there's a GG-1 parked along one of the platforms.

Hanging around Horseshoe Curve
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: eastern Nebraska
  • 219 posts
Posted by binder001 on Friday, February 26, 2010 9:39 AM

About 1/2 mile from the BNSF double track line from Lincoln to Omaha.  We can hear them all the time (bothers my wife more than me!) but with newer buildings added we can hardly see the line anymore.  The BNSF tracks bisect our town.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Vicksburg, Michigan
  • 2,303 posts
Posted by Andrew Falconer on Friday, February 26, 2010 8:50 AM

About one mile away from the Grand Trunk Western CN tracks.

If some of the trees and houses were removed from the end of the road, I could clearly see down the road and watch the trains rolling by while standing at the end of the driveway, but they would still look like Z scale trains though,

Andrew

Andrew

Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer

  • Member since
    December 2002
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Posted by pastorbob on Friday, February 26, 2010 8:30 AM

I live in western Kansas City KS about 3 miles north of the UP main from KC to the west, and 4 miles from the Santa Fe (BNSF WHO?) transcon mainline.  Best of all worlds.  The last church I served as pastor before retiring was about 1/4 mile from the Santa Fe transcon at Pomona KS an hours drive south of KC.  What a treat except on Sunday mornings.

Bob

Bob Miller http://www.atsfmodelrailroads.com/
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Austria
  • 71 posts
Posted by Kiwigerd on Friday, February 26, 2010 7:37 AM

I live about 2 kilometres away from the major route Vienna to south (Italy, Slovenia). The tracks are elevated but enclosed, so the trains are not viewable and not audible during daytime. There is a light rail line much closer to my home and they are horning at a level crossing. This can also be heard only at night time when everything is calm and quiet.

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • 1,047 posts
Posted by betamax on Friday, February 26, 2010 5:58 AM

When I was growing up, the CPR was the backyard. Mainline traffic, the works, everyday. Now, I live about a mile from a yard.

http://www.railways.incanada.net/circle/Wrecks.html#Pembroke1930

in this picture, nothing has really changed, my parents house/property would be about where the big hook is, to the right. At this point in time the land is an orchard.

Sadly, those tracks may be gone in a few years. CP has announced their intentions to abandon the line and rip it up. Maybe the politicians will step in and rail bank the line for future use, as it stands, CN plans to abandon their line soon and CP is planning to follow, meaning no railroads in the area soon.

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Glendora, CA
  • 1,423 posts
Posted by zgardner18 on Friday, February 26, 2010 12:44 AM

rdgk1se3019

I live a quarter mile north of the old Reading Co. mainline between Pottstown and Reading PA.

About a block below that is the old R O W of the Pennsylvania Schuykill division.

I've been to Pottstown back when I lived in Hazleton for a short time.  The railroad history in that area is amazing.

In Hazleton I lived right next to the local's tracks.  I could throw a snowball at the Conrail Geeps coming by.  Yep Conrail. This was back when I was 19 years old in '96

--Zak Gardner

My Layout Blog:  http://mrl369dude.blogspot.com

http://zgardner18.rrpicturearchives.net

VIEW SLIDE SHOW: CLICK ON PHOTO BELOW

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Rhode Island
  • 60 posts
Posted by patrickllaforge on Thursday, February 25, 2010 8:50 PM

I live about 600 yards or so from the Providence & Worcester mainline in Woonsocket RI.  Fall and winter is nice as you can see clear as day...  Summer months you can't see as well.  I'm jealous as there are a few houses even closer, and by that I meandishes fall off the table close! 

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Westcentral Pennsylvania (Johnstown)
  • 1,496 posts
Posted by tgindy on Thursday, February 25, 2010 8:05 PM

I grew up in the city just two blocks...

...from just this side -- of the other side of the tracks!

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Ogden UT
  • 1,055 posts
Posted by PA&ERR on Thursday, February 25, 2010 4:31 PM

 I live about a 1/2 mile from Union Pacific's Riverdale yard (adjoins the old Ogden yard). In about 10 minutes time, I can be on I-84 chasing trains East to Evanston WY up the Wasatch Grade.

-George

"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 2 posts
Posted by drale988 on Thursday, February 25, 2010 3:19 PM

I live about a mile away from the old Rock Island line which is now a metra line, I also see CSX painted in heritage Rock Island freight trains on there some times also

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Thursday, February 25, 2010 2:53 PM

I live a quarter mile north of the old Reading Co. mainline between Pottstown and Reading PA.

About a block below that is the old R O W of the Pennsylvania Schuykill division.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 384 posts
Posted by Redore on Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:41 AM

My home is about 1/2 mile from a former Missabe branch.  Too many trees to see it, but the sound comes in clear.  Growing up I lived less than a block from a Great Northern iron ore mine branch, had to cross those tracks on the way to school.  The tracks were so close behind a neighbor's alley that you could touch the cars from public property.  In the spring and fall it was fun to watch trains from the school classroom windows.

My wife grew up about 100 feet from a Missabe main line.  Their house shook when a Yellowstone went by.

Good times.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Liverpool New York
  • 245 posts
Posted by fireman216 on Thursday, February 25, 2010 9:31 AM

 I live about a mile from the Syracuse Regional Transportation Station. Tons of trains each day plus passenger service. It's great hearing the diesels get cranked up and hear and feel the rumble as they notch up coming by the station every so often. My wife thinks I am crazy because every time they lay on the horns I say "can you hear the music honey??...doesn't it sound great?"....

A true friend will not bail you out of jail...he will be sitting next to you saying "that was friggin awesome dude!" Tim...Modeling the NYC...is there any other?

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Hershey, Pa.
  • 309 posts
Posted by salt water cowboy on Thursday, February 25, 2010 8:25 AM

 Let's see where to begin!  1/2 mile from switching action at the Hershey Chocolate factory. 3 miles I guess as the crow flies to the Rutherford inter-modal yard. About 10 miles from the Enola yards and 18 or so to the Rockville Bridge (longest stone arch railroad bridge in the world. Crosses the Susquehanna north of Harrisburg) All this is Norfolk Southern territory. I'm also about 30 miles from the Strasburg Railroad and along I-283 paralleling is the old catenary where GG-1s used to travel. Tracks there now used by Amtrak from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Matt

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Clinton, MO, US
  • 4,261 posts
Posted by Medina1128 on Thursday, February 25, 2010 7:07 AM

 My duplex is 2 blocks from the Missouri Northern Arkansas tracks. Smile It's great hearing those Geep horns.

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