General Discussion

cyeargin:

I too cast my vote for Folkston, but since I live only 30 miles away I guess I would technically be considered a "local" LOL

Alas, I bring sad tidings regarding the Sonic: it has been closed, so for fast food you're down to the Mickey D's and Burger King. Still have the Whistle Stop for ice cream though....

Chuck

How sad for Sonic!  I think we have only one in the whole Chicago Metro area, at least an hour away. 

Also I must compliment the aforementioned Okeefenokee Restaurant with a real down-home tone and nice stuff on the buffet. 

Last week was indeed pretty decent: my son and I were there Friday afternoon and after the usual early afternoon lull after lunchtime it got pretty busy...went specifically to get shots of some NS autoracks and Railbox box cars for a couple of modeling projects I'm working on, and I batted a thousand, LOL. Big crowd there watching too.

Chuck

Co-workers who live in Folkston tell me the Sonic is going to eventually be turned into a Taco Bell...uh, yay? LOL. Never have eaten at the Okefenokee...I'm always afraid I'll miss something cool trackside if I take the time to go sit down and eat somewhere vs grabbing something and taking it back to the platform.

A couple of good Georgia spots I can think of are Manchester and Cordele...Manchester has a viewing platform like Folkston's and has a good amount of traffic. Haven't been to Cordele in a long time, but it has a three-way diamond for CSX, NS and what was the Georgia Southwestern when I was there, but think it's the Heart of Georgia RR now. No platform, but there was a public parking lot that is situated right at the diamond. Plus it was featured as a Trains 'Hot Spot" some years back.

Chuck

So far I haven't heard a bad suggestion!

One of the values of a thread like this is finding out about places that are great for train-watching, but which aren't commonly known.   Sometimes they're closer to home than you think! 

Fullerton CA. Is one of the best in the L.A. area. There are many trains through here from BNSF,Amtrak and Metrolink.Also there are a number of restaurants within walking distance,so one can have a meal without missing any action.Because

Fullerton CA. Is one of the best in the L.A. area. There are many trains through here from BNSF,Amtrak and Metrolink.Also there are a number of restaurants within walking distance,so one can have a meal without missing any action.Because

Fullerton CA. Is one of the best in the L.A. area. There are many trains through here from BNSF,Amtrak and Metrolink.Also there are a number of restaurants within walking distance,so one can have a meal without missing any action.Because so many railfans hang out here,train crews call it Foamerton.

I don't know if these are the "best", but they're some of my favorites:                                       Folkston.  There are radios at both the railfan platform and at the depot across the tracks. If you monitor the radio, you can usually tell when there's a lull so you can go to the Okeefenokee Restaurant.  And if you do miss a train, there are usually several more coming.

Also Horse Shoe Curve.  Along with being a "must visit" location, the visitor center has a radio so you can hear what's coming.

Bald Knob, Arkansas.  60 miles North of Little Rock, where UP's ex-MoPac line to Memphis intersects with the Hoxie Sub to St. Louis.  Arkansas Traveler Hobbies occupies the old MP station, so you can shop during lulls in the action.  Also lots of former MP signals so you can usually tell what's coming. And Bald Knob has a Sonic!

Point of Rocks, MD, at least on the weekend when you can park at the MARC station.  Lots of trains passing the classic B&O station.  Saturday is better than Sunday for trains.  The Potomac River and C&O Canal are nearby,

galesburg,illinois during railroad days weekend at peck park.

rochelle,illinois

dolton,illinois

tolono,illinois

nelson,illinois

savahna,illinois

waycross,georgia

Understand that railfanning is not just going trkside to watch trains go by. There are perhaps a half dozen othr activities that can be classified as such. For me, it is reading a good rr history book in the privacy of my home, in my den in totally quiet kicking back in my easy chair reading a couple chapters and before I know it, I'm knodding off.