Where to railfan in the WV-VA-MD area, and PA?

[Harrison]

Hello railfans,

My family and I will be taking a trip soon to northern VA (Leesburg). This will be for various reasons (history, sightseeing, etc) but of course they will have to indulge me in a bit of railfanning/railroad stuff too...

Here is our general route down, going via Allentown and Harrisburg.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Plattsburgh,+NY/Leesburg,+VA/@41.9046996,-76.4297074,7.1z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4cca38a8e8a57ed7:0xb5b0e8a1c5537415!2m2!1d-73.4529124!2d44.6994873!1m5!1m1!1s0x89b63d83d53b39bb:0xb1920f56e3f9bdf3!2m2!1d-77.5636015!2d39.1156615!3e0

On the way home we will most likely be stopping over at the Red Caboose in Strasburg (and railfanning the Strasburg Railroad and maybe some Amtrak Keystone). Our route will look something like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Leesburg,+VA/The+Red+Caboose+Motel,+Paradise+Lane,+Ronks,+PA/Plattsburgh,+NY/@41.6334641,-75.9041104,6.69z/data=!4m25!4m24!1m5!1m1!1s0x89b63d83d53b39bb:0xb1920f56e3f9bdf3!2m2!1d-77.5636015!2d39.1156615!1m10!1m1!1s0x89c639bf04e10ec7:0x74526d4e3c78b6cc!2m2!1d-76.151436!2d39.985439!3m4!1m2!1d-75.4782531!2d40.5637134!3s0x89c43baba1990711:0x40473f96d8bec702!1m5!1m1!1s0x4cca38a8e8a57ed7:0xb5b0e8a1c5537415!2m2!1d-73.4529124!2d44.6994873!3e0

I'm not interested in info regarding railfanning north of the NY-NJ border, as I could do that a couple times a year. Are there any good railfanning spots not too far from our destination or route?

We're already planning on visiting Harper's Ferry (for history and trains) and Shenandoah Junction. How many trains a day do these locations get, and what are the best times? 

[BaltACD]

About 15 miles North of Leesburg on US 15 is CSX's Point of Rocks - the location where the Old Main Line and the Metropolitan Sub come together.  A few miles further West is the CSX yard at Brunswick, MD and a little further West is iconic Harpers Ferry where the Cumberland and Shenandoah Subs join.

[caldreamer]

The famous Horseshoe Curve just outside of Altoona, PA.  Quite a busy route and great scenery.  The Rockville bridge over ther Susquahanna river between Harrisburg and Enola.  And of couse the large freight yard in Enola overlooking the Susquahanna river. 

 

[tree68]

Unless you are hard set on the route shown, consider turning north on your return leg onto I-81 and stopping at Nicholson and Lanesboro - both not far from I-81 in Northern PA.  Can't speak to the traffic, but just seeing these monuments is worth your time.  Then you can catch I-88 out of Binghampton back over to Albany.

If you exit I-81 at Exit 206, you can head west to Nicholson, then follow US11 north, where you'll pass under the Martin's Creek viaduct (Tunkahannock's little brother) to New Milford, where you'll find PA492 (and then PA92 North), which will take you to Susquehanna and Lanesboro.  Or, you can go to Great Bend and take PA171 over that way.

The Susquehanna depot is still there, and an interesting landmark.  Then make your way over to Starucca Viaduct and stay on the county road north until you reach Windsor.  Jog over NY17 to NY79 (ironically Exit 79) and follow that north to I-88.

Some country driving there, but AFAIK, all good roads.

I-88 more or less follows the old D&H, but I can't vouch for how much of that line you'll see.

[Flintlock76]

Balt's suggestion of "Point of Rocks" is a good one, both for CSX traffic and also commuter traffic.  The stunning Point of Rocks station is still there to be seen but it's not open to the public.  That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it from the outside though.

There's a great ice cream place just east of Point of Rocks on Route 28 called Rocky Point Creamery. Don't miss it, it's great!  We've been there!

The station in Manassas is a good spot too, there's quite a bit of Norfolk-Southern action there in addition to Amtrak. Manassas is a neat place as well, there's a trainshop in town and the Bull Run battlefield isn't too far away. 

Harrison me lad, be careful in Strasburg, you won't want to leave! 

I noticed your northbound route includes Route 287 in NJ.  It's a good road but watch it, it's one of those highways that for some reason is an "idiot magnet," so as the old saying goes "Watch out for the other guy!"

287 will take you past Mahwah, Suffern, Sloatsburg, and Tuxedo Park, all are good locations to catch New Jersey Transit, Metro-North, and Norfolk-Southern trains. NJT and M-N traffic is heaviest in the mornings and afternoons, NS tends to operate during a mid-day window when the transit trains don't run.  

[Harrison]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, Point of Rocks sounds like a great place that we will check out! Manassas is a bit far (40 mins in the wrong direction), but because of its importance in the Civil War (which I wouldn't mind visiting myself being a bit of a war buff) we might be able to get down there. 

As far as railfanning on the way/way back, we're looking for places pretty close to the route. Macungie looks like a good place, but how much action is there? 

[BaltACD]

Harrison

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, Point of Rocks sounds like a great place that we will check out! Manassas is a bit far (40 mins in the wrong direction), but because of its importance in the Civil War (which I wouldn't mind visiting myself being a bit of a war buff) we might be able to get down there. 

As far as railfanning on the way/way back, we're looking for places pretty close to the route. Macungie looks like a good place, but how much action is there? 

There is Civil War significane in every direction from Leesburg - Bull Run, John Brown's attack at Harpers Ferry, Antietam Battlefield, Sharpsburg, and about 60 miles North on US 15 - Gettysburg.

Keep ones eyes open and you will see many roadside markers that denote numerous historic events.

[MidlandMike]

I second Tree's suggested route, and I would also add Steamtown as long as you are going thru Scranton.

[rixflix]

Harrison

As far as railfanning on the way/way back, we're looking for places pretty close to the route. Macungie looks like a good place, but how much action is there? 

Re: the return trip on 222, pass on Macungie in favor of CP Wyomissing Jct. as it has the same Macungie (NJ ports) traffic plus the Philly trains. This is where the bulk of NS's freight to Jersey and Philly splits on the former Reading. It is literally yards off of 222 at State Hill Rd. Railfanreading.com says 40+ trains a day and has maps that will take you right to their location #2. 

I used to live a block away and evenings after work I'd go up that little dirt road behind the parking lot to watch the parade. Many times I'd watch a train and start to leave, when the annunciator buzzer and light on the equipment shed would warn me that the next one was a few minutes away. 

Should you cross (carefully because you'd be trespassing) the tracks to that shed you might make out the Reading's logo under the silver paint. That's because my brother used to repaint it for years in a little war with Conrail, who kept re-silvering it. Tim would be working on his creation and Conrail engineers would give him a horn salute.

Of course all this assumes your being able to escape from Strasburg!

Rick

Actually rather than railfanreading.com just google CP Wyomissing so you don't have to navigate through Jim Rinker's other stuff. This will get you to railfanreading quicker.

  

[Lithonia Operator]

I second the motion on Steamtown.

[Flintlock76]

LithoniaOperator

I second the motion on Steamtown.

 

Not a bad suggestion, but I'd check the Steamtown website to see what, if anything, is going on there.  There IS the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad nearby with it's stable of vintage Alcos.

Strasburg, on the other hand has the steam railroad, plus the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the Choo-Choo Barn, and don't be put off by the cutesy-poo name, it's a fine model (O gauge) railroad display,  AND the Toy Train Museum, operated by the Toy Train Collectors Association, which is like Christmas morning gone berserk!  Amazing what's in there!

[Harrison]

Thanks everyone. rixflix, If we don't spend too much time around Harrisburg we will definately try to check out one of those spots. Sadly I don't think we'll be going home via Scranton since we'll be staying over at my grandparents in the Hudson Valley, but I hope to take a seperate trip there sometime. On the way home from there we'll try to hit some of the usual spots (Catskill, Selkirk, and maybe visit a few railfan friends).