New Railroad Park, Would you go?

[UPTRAIN]

Maybe....If it was anywhere Missouri. [:D]

[Anonymous]

My updates will now be posted at the BRRM forum: brrm.net/forum/. I will still check this forum topic here as well (and mayby post major info). It is just that the BRRM forum is about railroading and/or brunswick, and this topic fits both categories (Plus I'm the forum administrator there)

[piggyjo]

Sounds like fun, if it were closer to me. Good Luck! [:)]

[Willy2]

It sounds pretty good. I'd go if I didn't live hundreds of miles away. Good luck on getting it all set-up!

[Anonymous]

Well, if I'm ever in South Georgia (don't know when I will be), I'll try to stop in at the town of Folkston, which has a well-publicized viewing platform near a busy junction on the CSX system. It's actually periodically advertised in Trains, in the back section where they have ads for special trains, RR museums, and trackside hotels.
Yeah, there are a lot of good trainwatching spots closer to me in Southern California, but I'd especially like to check out some railthemed sites in the Deep South someday because lately I've been a bit fascinated by that part of the country. Possibly because my family is all from New England and I've never seen much of the South, so I have that kinda fascination with, you know, sort of the antithesis of my background.
I may get a chance to ride the Sunset Limited from LA to Orlando this Spring Break (I obviously wouldn't really want to do it during the summer).

[Anonymous]

OK, new photos are up, with a new site style. Its still at :http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/park.html and the photos are at: http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/photos.htm
PLEASE tell me what you think.

[Anonymous]

Well everyone, I just went and bought a cheap Wal*Mart web camera, so Ill have some pics of the location, and the trains that come by, so stay tuned: Same train time, same train URL!

[Anonymous]

Cresson, PA has a nice railfan platform with a scanner, picnic tables and many local shops. The Station Inn caters to railfans there. So, there seems to be enough of an attraction to draw visitors. Having Horshoe Curve a few minutes away doesn't hurt either.

I'd visit your proposed park. It is great to visit towns that are railfan friendly.

[bluepuma]

I live about 58 miles from Rochelle, have gone a few times, but it's about an hour drive, so like to have more than just an hour or two there. If morning, stop for food in Rochelle and take it there. Would stop somewhere else when leaving if I knew where else to go.

There should be some signs, directions to eateries, esp. if they have a view of the line.

Have bought stuff from the hobby shop, N scale SD45, taken pictures, stopped at Dairy Queen, gas station, and done at least one burger chain, but they are away from the park so have to plan ahead or stop when leaving.

I more often drive to Mendota about 30 miles away to view BNSF line with Amtrak, usually on Sunday evening before dark, a few hours of daylight left. I looked at the cars on the dealer lots on the way in, my train trip 2 years ago resulted in a new Concorde, so I watch trains there after getting the oil changed, and eat MickeyD in the parking lot of the Mendota Station. Told my car dealer that the reason I bought there was because of the trains. I like the view better than Princeton on the same line, the train in Mendota curves in from the east from the Del Monte plant, goes south 2-3 blocks, then goes west. I can sit in the car and see trains or stand up outside. Trains are less frequent.

Railroad parks need some stuff for little ones to play on between trains cause they get bored, even adults. I like a place where I can unfold my canvas chairs, talk with my wife while waiting.

I like being able to catch regular Amtrak trains to Chicago or Burlington, but some days am not willing to wait more than 1.5 hours w/o seeing a train unless I'm comfy and relaxed. I spent most of a day and another BNSF line, the original ATSF line between
Streator, Chilicothe, Galesburg. It's usually piggyback or container trains.

The mix of trains has a lot to do with how long I stay.

[Anonymous]

1. on the park's side of the tracks is: the station, a grade crossing leading to the MARC commuter parking lot, the American Legion (roof/back wall collapsed in Pres. Day 2003 snowstorm, currently being demolished to be replaced), and then the park itself. on the opposite side of the park from the AL is a radio (scanner type signal I think) tower still with the chessie logo on the door.
2. The station is still used for Commuter traffic, so it is easily accessable, but not desegnated for railfans.
3. The Museum has a store selling RR books, toys, videos old & new MRR, Trains, RR model craftsman, duplicate B&O employee mags, CDs, Screensavers, photos, and tons of other stuff. (plus sodas, water, trail mix, jam/jelly, etc.)
4. the site was originally set up as a park (Mowed, trees planted, etc.) in the '70s, but it has fallen to waste since the city really doesn't think it is important (And public works people have to do other things, like drive around looking for other grass to cut.

[CShaveRR]

Waiting for more photos of site. Is that a grade crossing between "your" land and the depot? How accessible to railfans is the station platform?

The site looks like it would be a good park, and could use some beautification, so your proposal might work along those lines. Get the American Legion involved, and they might be willing to permit the playground or picnic tables on their vacant land.

If you have the lower walkway at track level, and bathroom entrances below the walkway level, it might be desirable to extend the pavilion roof out over these (if not the deck itself).

Congratulations on gaining business support.

You mentioned the food sources earlier...would the museum be capable of, and willing to, sell railroadiana (books, magazines, etc.) that would appeal to the fans, or possibly to tourists?

[Anonymous]

What? now that I have a photo, everyone has posted more than they want? no comments on the photo? on my designs? I am to impatient and i know it? wait, that was a comment, not a question!

[Anonymous]

I found one photo that has part of the current site Ill post it on the park site soon.

To explain:
1. The side view is not to scale (I kind of crunched it together accedentaly)
2. There would be a ramp down to the restrooms from the lower sidewalk area
3. I only measured up to the spot where I think the park officially ends. There is an extra 50 to 100 feet in leingth to the American Legion parking lot. If this extra empty space was added, it would be around 300 x 100, That is of course a guess, but I measured loosly with a tape measure (Averaging and so on) about 100 feet from the road to thr railroad property line.
4. Ill try to get some photos soon.
5. I already have one business supporter (Who ends up also being a member of the economic Development Commitee for the city of Brunswick)
6. Everyone around here I have shown this to seems to like the plan so far.
Here's the link again: http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/park.html

[Anonymous]

I would probably try to go

[CShaveRR]

Tree68 wrote,

"Definitely has potential. I'll be interested in seeing a couple of photo angles of the current site. If you won't get in trouble, may I suggest some time on the site with a tape measure and some sort of markers, to help further visualize the layout. Some of those flags they use to mark cables and pipes would be useful.

"Having the restrooms on the lower level means ensuring handicapped access to same. That also might mean a track level sidewalk, along the fence, on the track side of the pavilion, which might be a popular place for watching, too."

He's right about the track-level sidewalk...benches outside the bathroom doors could serve a dual purpose...

My comment after seeing the side view is that it still looks too crowded with that display equipment. But, after looking at the map, I'm wondering if your measurements aren't wrong, and you might actually have a site bigger than 100x200. Just a guess...your ten-foot drop between the street and the tracks might be less than that...would you have the room to put the restrooms down below without making the pavilion actually a second story at track level (too high for being that close, IMHO)? You definitely wouldn't want the restrooms, or at least that trackside walkway, below track grade! The pavilion at Rochelle is elevated, and set back a significant distance from both main lines (if you have the Trains book on Hot Spots, you can see that).

As long as you look on these comments as constructive instead of a putdown, this is a fun exercise! If I and other readers can help you think out a plan that will get this proposal through all of the obstacles it will face, we'll have done everyone a big service.

[Anonymous]

Directly across the tracks from WB Tower. (Between the labels Railroad Squair and CSX, and between E. Potomac Street and the tracks)
PS: The museum is directly above the "L" in Railroad Squair, at the intersection of Maryland Ave. and W. potomac Street.

[tree68]

Just did a search for Brunswick on Google. First item displayed? www.trainweb.org/midrail/railfan/md_brunswick.html

Where is the proposed park on the map?

[Anonymous]

Yeh, the plan has a sidewalk alongside the fence, and I know where you are coming from with the ADA handicapp things. The museum (also in Brunswick) recently installed an ADA compliant door (even though we never have a need for it), and are trying to get an elevator so everyone can see all 4 floors.

[tree68]

Definitely has potential. I'll be interested in seeing a couple of photo angles of the current site. If you won't get in trouble, may I suggest some time on the site with a tape measure and some sort of markers, to help further visualize the layout. Some of those flags they use to mark cables and pipes would be useful.

Having the restrooms on the lower level means ensuring handicapped access to same. That also might mean a track level sidewalk, along the fence, on the track side of the pavilion, which might be a popular place for watching, too.

I'm not disabled, BTW. We just finished building a new facility that had to be ADA compliant, so I'm that much more aware of the requirements now.

[Anonymous]

I updted the image with some of the given advice, and I now have a side view to show the slope it would be built on, and what is ther now. I will try to get a photo of the site on here at some point, but as I mentioned in another topic, I dont have a digital camera. I may have one here somewhere though. The new image is again at: http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/park.html

[Anonymous]

With the way that place sounds I go in a minute

[Anonymous]

What we have now is this:
A slope from the road to the tracks
A few trees
Pieces of an old sidewalk.
What the image at http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/park.html has is a covered pavilion, level with the top of the slope, probably about eye level with the crew of the locomotives, Restrooms under the pavilion, posably some vending machines by the restrooms, benches, the light brown area would be a playground, and a fair amount of sidewalks (For local joggers), and a fence separating the park from railroad property. I like the angled parking lot idea, ill have to change the picture, and the track and trains would be for the museum, who would like to own some rolling stock, but has no place to put any right now. It would probably be a good thing to set the pavilion back a bit. Iff you look closely at the image, the light green Xs are trees and shrubs (I know I put too many, but that is an easy enough thing to cut back on.

[tree68]

Don't forget some designated handicapped parking, not to mention said access throughout the facility (it actually looks pretty good right now, assuming it's flat)

Picnic tables in the grassy area alongside the track would be nice, in addition to those in the pavilion.

Depending on train speeds on the adjacent active track, you might want a little more setback, for view comfort. I know what it's like to be on the platform at a station when a freight comes through at 35 or so - pretty daunting.

You might also consider having the viewing pavilion elevated. From what I've seen about Rochelle, you're at about eye level with the crews in the locos. If you can't do that, consider adding a raised platform somewhere. The ramp will take some space, but...

I'll second the parking along the street - you can get a lot more than 6 cars in 200 feet. That will also depend on the current parking situation on the street and how much those spots will be used by non-railfans, especially if there is a charge for parking elsewhere.

You do have a start, though. If you can line up some merchant support and donors for part of the construction, and make the place a maintenance free as possible, you will probably be able to make a sale. Don't forget to point out that you are providing public restrooms where there are none, green space, and a nice place for non-railfans to go as well.

Good Luck!

[CShaveRR]

It's kind of hard to offer much constructive help without seeing the actual site you're working with, but you probably have a good start here. I'm not sure what's the light brown rectangle is, but I'm hoping that would be a restroom/vending machine area (in and out, you know!).

Couple of thoughts.

1. If that track isn't already there, or if you don't have any equipment to display on a track already, leave it out. You'd have plenty of maintenance costs without it, and it would be the first thing that would start looking bad if not properly cared for.

2. Parking. If that's a street along the bottom of your plot, I'd opt for providing angled parking off the street, rather than a lot you had to drive into and out of.

3. The flower beds will be quite labor-intensive, and not all railfans will opt to pull your weeds for you between trains. Rochelle has a few shrubs; on your plot you might consider something that will grow into a nice shade tree. A low hedge could provide a nice barrier between the park and the main line. The railroad could want to stipulate something like that, or a fence, anyway.

Does the city have other things in mind for this area?

[Anonymous]

I just finished image Numuro Uno[^]! Please take a look at it at http://trainheartedguy.tripod.com/park.html and let me know what you think.

[Anonymous]

well, i think it'll have minimum parking, beause there is a amall parking los near it for the local stores, and the huge commuter parkinglot across the tracks. 200x100 is somewhat crowded, but if we do it right, we can manage.

[CShaveRR]

100 by 200 feet sounds a little crowded, especially if that has to include parking. I'll be interested in seeing what you have planned.

[Anonymous]

Well, I just got some measurements for a few sketches and Ideas. We would have a litte more than a 100 x 200 foot area to cram as much rail watching conveniances in. Once I get a few sketches, Ill put 'em online and place a link. I would like everyone's opinion's though, because as I have been finding out that convincing the city to do something, expecially something like this, is like trying to shoot a black rat in the woods while it's dark, but If I can convince them that people coming would patronise the local businesses, It may help.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like a good spot for trains with the plus of having Civil War sites in the area. I'd take the kids, they & I are interested in both.
RayE