Houston Hot Spot

[bnsfkline]

I may be going to Houston this summer. I was wondering if there are any Hot Spots around Houston that I can get to. If any of you guys live in or near Houston, maybe you guys can show me around the area with the hot spots, or is there any place in Houston that see 30+ trains a day? If so, Let me know.

[edblysard]

Wayside drive and Loop 610, one block South on Wayside you pass under the Englewood hump, park at the bottom of the overpass, walk back up to the top, your on eye level with the twin hump crests of Englewood, less than 100 feet away from the pin puller, look right, entire Englewood yard, including the twin mains, left is East yard, behind you is Settagast Yard, with the North Shore and the Rabbitt running directly underneath you.
Everything that enters Settagast from the south has to pass beneath you, all east west traffic into Englewood, and most traffic that is running through out onto the Rabbitt will pass beneath you left to right, and vice versa.
Almost all UP intermodel into both Englewood and Settagast will have pass you.
Lots of coal trains, unit grain trains, the Sweeney Coke train, loaded out bound and empty in-bound twice a day, and a whole bunch of transfer trains.

Get bored there, go 3 miles south on Wayside drive, under IH 10, drive past,
then over UP's Basin Yard, look left, the great big yard you see is where I work, PTRA's North Yard, take the Clinton Drive exit, loop around under Wayside, come up to Gate 8, Port of Houston, turn left at the light into the PTRA North Yard, and Sat thru Wed, I will be switching directly under the control tower, 6:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Bring food!!!
Lots...my helper is a really big guy!
You will get to see some serious flat yard switching, and several of our "road" jobs per hour.

When you get bored with that, turn around, and watch the ships being turned in the ship channel turning basin to head back out the channel and into the Gulf of Mexico via Galveston.

When that gets old, go back out Wayside, turn left on 610, head west to Hardy Toll road, exit the frontage road, park beside the UP twin main to Dallas and most points north.

Do not exit your car at this location, not the best, or safest part of town.
Every where else your should be ok.

Or, if your adventureous, drive downtown to the Milby Street roundhouse, still has a working turntable.
And its across from the Maxewell House Coffee Plant, fresh ground coffee, they even give tours.
About one mile west from there is Enron(opphs) MinuteMaid Park.

Or, go out old highway 90, SP main to Sugarland and most points west.
That sees about 5 trains per hour.

Spring, Texas, about 20 minutes north on IH 45, is on the main Dallas/Fort Worth line, with a wye in town.

Not wore out yet, you can go back downtown, and watch the Metro Light Rail play bumper cars with the city traffic.
And the main to the Amtrak station and the beginning of the Hearn sub starts there, with a "tunnel" under the parking lot of the U of H Downtown campus.

When that gets boring, come park at the end of my street, BNSF's old Denver& Ft Worth main is right there, with average of three to four train per hour daylight, one to three per hour nights.



E-mail me before you head out, will see what we can set up...
Ed

[bnsfkline]

edblysard, Thanks for the information...E-mail you telphone number to me. I will call you when I am about an Hour out of houston. Maybe you can get me a ride on on of your shifts if possible, or give me a tour of the place. I need to get a new Video camera battery as mine does not last as long anymore. I am going to be shooting lots of video. When I am done, I will send you, and anyone else who shows me around, a copy of the video....

[jeaton]

Ed

No wonder your get so many posts on picture of the day. I am jealous. Delavan is never going to be a hot spot unless a sub-group developes that has an interest in the oxydation of steel rails. Maybe Bergie? (See number 10.)

Jay