Train watching near Las Vegas?

[techguy57]

Are there any good places to trainwatch near Las Vegas? I'm going out there for a week in March for the Nascar races and I'm trying to determine if there is anyplace worthwhile for viewing so I can reserve a rental car. I'm willing to drive an 1 to 1 1/2 hours if there is a place reasonably active and easily accessible. I like to take photos most of all so an ideal location would allow for that as well. Thanks for the help!

Mike

[Modelcar]

....It's been quite a while since I've been there but I used to get a bunch of train action down in Kingman, Az which is about 100 miles straight down through the desert. You get to travel right over Hoover Dam in the process. The main line of ex Sante Fe cuts right through the heart of that town...at least it sure used to and I imagine it hasn't changed it's routing. Rt. 93 south to Kingman out of Vegas.

[mudchicken]

Between Kingman (Santa Fe Surveyor, Louis Kingman) and Water Station 25 (Lost Wages) you have the two transcons between Chicago & LA. You will get a steady stream of traffic on either....pick your spots with Mr. Sun behind you and have fun! The Kingman terrain is much more difficult.

mc

[Modelcar]

....If you're interested in seeing old ROW's....You might try to find the old rail route out to the Dam from Vegas...As it was used to transport materials, etc...to the building of the Dam. If you get back in towards the back waters of the dam there is a tunnel or two that was cut through the rock to get the route down to the Dam site. Years ago, the ROW was still visible as you headed out of Bolder City towards the Dam [off to your left], but I imagine that area is probably now filled with houses or civilization of some kind.

[Anonymous]

Their is also Union Pacific Chicago to Los Angeles mainline hru Downtown I think also If you have time go down to Barstow, California that is a great place to watch trains

[Anonymous]

There are some good spots on the UP just North and just South of Las Vegas. Right in town is pretty tough and not that scenic.

For UP RR train watching......To the North, go onto www.mapquest.com and enter the town of Apex, NV. Zoom in a click or two until you can see the tracks. They parallel I-15 to the north of town. Just about a mile South of Apex (at exit 58) the tracks make a really radical, tight S-curve. There are good shots to be had in both directions here. Northbound trains are working uphill on this stretch. If you exit I-15 at this exit, you can get right along the tracks on the state road for several miles. While you're sitting on the hill at the S-curve, you can pretty much look due South and see the runways for Nellis AFB. I'd imagine if you're there at the right time, you'll get some fighter traffic coming and going.

To the South of town, go back to Mapquest and enter Sloan, NV. Again, zoom in a click or two until you can see the tracks. At Sloan, the mainline tracks make a horseshoe around a quarry. You can sit on the public road in the middle and watch the train go about 180 degrees around you.

Next, also on the South side, punch in Cima, CA. Its just over the border from Nevada into California (maybe 1/2 hr South of Vegas.) Cima is the peak of the hill between Vegas and Barstow. Trains labor pretty hard up the South side and go REEEAALLY slowly downhill to the South to keep the train in control. There are some sidings and old buildings at Cima. Its double track mostly up there.

If you are a BNSF fan, there's a lot to see South of Vegas, but its about a 300 mile round trip to do this. You need to commit the better part of a day, but I thought it was worth it. From Vegas, go Southeast to Boulder City. Cross the dam and follow Arizona Hwy 93 to Kingman, AZ.

As mentioned above, there is a cool canyon, just South/ West of Kingman. A public road takes you near the tracks right into the canyon. Of all the names, the road that takes you from Kingman to the Canyon, is Route 66. The canyon is literally on the outskirts of town at Kingman. There is also an ATSF 2900 class steamer on display in Kingman.

From there, I'd get onto I-40 and go west to Topock, AZ where the Santa Fe crosses the Colorado River into California. Nice bridge over the river and easy access to it. Try to keep up with a Westbound TOFC train between Kingman and Topock. Its a challenge (79mph track here.) Its just a short hop from there into Needles CA which is a crew change point. If you go further West on I-40, you'll come to the turn off for Hwy 95 N. This is called Ibis, CA. Good train watching here. This is on the double track, but the tracks split coming up from the Colorado River and re-join at Ibis. Nice mountains in the background.

From here, you can head back North to Vegas on Hwy 95.
- Stack

[Modelcar]

.....Stack: That canyon just south and west of Kingman used to be nick named "Perfume Pass"...as the ponds of water down through there were from kingman's sewage system. It did hold up to it's name too when the wind would blow towards the [then], Rt. 66.

[Anonymous]

Check this out....it has all the info you will need,including maps.......http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/maps/cimasub/cimasubmap.htmlaps

[Anonymous]

The guy that owns this site, lives in Vegas......Laterz....

[techguy57]

Couldn't get it to open!

[Modelcar]

.....Neither could I.

[Anonymous]

This seems to work. Some descrip and some photos.


http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/uprr/cimasub/cimasub.html

[K. P. Harrier]

Try your LUCK right downtown Las Vegas, for THAT is the location of M.P. 333.