Favorite spots to watch trains

[Anonymous]

Being only 22 years old I haven't been able to check out many locations. I agree LaGrange is great, but my personal Chicago favorite is Franklin Park. Good variety of trains. And the railroad workers and police don't care if you park by the diamond. My all time favorite is railfanning the Iron Range in Minnesota. Hope to get back up there soon.

[CShaveRR]

I have it on good authority that you don't buy White Castle hamburgers--you just rent them for a couple of hours!

[Anonymous]

Take a look at my sign in name. It sez it all.
Being a fourteen year old, going to Chicago's union station, boarding a BNSF/Metra train to LaGrange Road is the highlight of my life.
Most people dont understand why I pay 9 dollars to get there and back, much less my fascination with railway stuff.
Last time I went I finally dragged myself down to the IHB/CSX joint line to see if there was any action. I waited for ten minutes and as usual, nothing. I slowly work my way up the stairs to Ogden Ave. then I hear bells. I rush back down the stairs to find a CN autorack train comming twoards my position. I pull out my video camera and watch it pass by.
Later I saw a CSX movement too.
Anyway If it wasnt so darn cold Id go right now, but then again Im on a tight budget.
If you ever come to the Chicago area please come down to LaGrange. YOu will be rewarded!

[Anonymous]

The little known train-hunting ground of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When I was
living there until '99 I saw the following from the MCI building downtown:

1.) Chicago & Northwestern
2.) Union Pacific
3.) Illinois Central
4.) Chicago Central & Pacific (several variations of their red & white
scheme and then their black & white IC subsidiary scheme)
5.) Iowa Northern (their original maize, teal & white livery, then their
new ownership maroon, grey & yellow scheme plus Bangor &
Aroostook units that were owned by the same company as the
IANR!)
6.) Cedar Rapids & Iowa City (CRANDIC) in their beautiful yellow,
red & grey scheme (similar to UP but looked much better).
7.) Rusty and worn ex-MILW GP10s in CC&P service but several
still wearing their old orange & black paint.
8.) Drive 30 min. to Iowa City and see the Iowa Interstate.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tracy15

I would have to say Kirkwood MO. the UP line is fairly busy and eastbound coal loads are awesome to video coming up grade from Valley Park. Also just about anywhere in St. Louis-lots of different railroads.

I also spend a lot of time in Kirkwood. Lots of coal, that's for sure. And so many places with easy access to get close to the rail. I miss the days before the UP started using DPU on their coal trains and they just barely could make the hill up from Valley Park. It would take 20 minutes or more for a loaded eastbound to pass by. There is a nice little park there south of the main there that my kids and I go to all the time. They call it the "Train Park".

Mark

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by engineer

MarkSTL-
If I am not mistaking there is a White Castle right nearby, to the abandoned MacArthur ramp you speak of.

Man, Have I got a ton of pics from that area. Definately some good watching to be done over in Venice IL. also. All roads, and paint schemes.

Willy2- How many trains go through Gibbon, in a days time?

Yes, there is a White Castle just north of the MacArthur bridge on Broadway...might convenient for train watching.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Growing up the L.I.R.R. ran right behind the apt. building so I was lucky, I got lots of rush hour traffic and occasionally some freight. Anywhere in NYC is a favorite spot of mine.

[Anonymous]

Growing up the L.I.R.R. ran right behind the apt. building so I was lucky, I got lots of rush hour traffic and occasionally some freight. Anywhere in NYC is a favorite spot of mine.

[Anonymous]

I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some movement in Kearney. I hope to return once it warms up a little.

[UPTRAIN]

White Castle...............by the McArthur bridge.......I WAS RIGHT THERE ON 1-18-04....was going to watch the 3985 there......and never showed up.

[Anonymous]

I would have to say Kirkwood MO. the UP line is fairly busy and eastbound coal loads are awesome to video coming up grade from Valley Park. Also just about anywhere in St. Louis-lots of different railroads.

[Anonymous]

The Harrisburg yard across the Susquehana river from Harrisburg Pa along route 15. If you get lucky, you'll catch a freight coming over the river. Parking can be tricky.

[Willy2]

Engineer- The day that I was there we saw about 45 trains. We got there at about 11:00 AM though so there were some before that too. On a Pentrex video I have, they say that up to 80 trains can pass in a single day.

[engineer]

MarkSTL-
If I am not mistaking there is a White Castle right nearby, to the abandoned MacArthur ramp you speak of.

Man, Have I got a ton of pics from that area. Definately some good watching to be done over in Venice IL. also. All roads, and paint schemes.

Willy2- How many trains go through Gibbon, in a days time?

[espeefoamer]

The Vancouver Wa.Amtrak station.Amtrak Cascades, and many freights.[:)]

[michaelstevens]

I agree with Mikey, that Frankford Junction (Philly) is a great spot -- all the Amtrak (check out the Acela's tilting for the curve !) and Septa N.E.C. action as well as NJ Transit, NS and/or CSX freights coming and going over the Delair Bridge.

[CShaveRR]

I hope to check out some of those Nebraska spots this spring.

Meanwhile, LaGrange and (especially) Elmhurst are considered train-watching destinations. As is Rochelle (though that's often too far away when one has limited time).

I suppose I could say my favorite is the location where I get paid to do it. Yes, I get paid to look at freight cars (oh, yeah, and classify them).

But in reality, I have an "instant favorite spot" wherever I encounter a train.

[chemung]

Willy2,try Grand Island,Nebr.By the Senior Center,2nd st grade crossing.Yoy get east/west UP and north/south BNSF over the new elevated section from one location.Have gone through many video tapes at this area.

Dave W.
Omaha,Nebr.

[JoeKoh]

Lattys grove in defiance or Deshler Ohio
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

Sitting with my 2 yr. old Macy and 4 yr. old Holly with the scanner fired up on the abandoned eastbound entrance ramp to the MacArthur bridge in downtown St. Louis. Great to go around 6:30 on a Fall evening and see a variety of moves from the BNSF, Terminal RR, Alton Southern, Union Pacific and so forth. The best part is the girls beg me to pick up some White Castles and watch trains with them. They are definitely their father's daughters...

Mark

[Anonymous]

I live in Pennsylvania and my favorite spot to watch trains is near the Alto Tower in Altoona, PA. The trains mainly consist of NS equipment and maybe 3 to 4 Amtrak Trains a day. I set up my camera every year for the annual railfest, which was excellent this year. The weather could have been better, but its all about the trains. Its a great place for watching trains. If your every out in Altoona thats the place to be.


Amtrak Mark

[Mikeygaw]

there's a spot about a half mile south of the Bridesburg station on the NEC here in Philly.. kinda heavy street traffic, but a clear, close view... and there's one spot on a line that cuts off from the NEC and heads over to NJ... rather quiet street... and if i'm lucky i can catch some street level action too... the parking lot for the Philadelphia zoo is seperated from a main line by only a chain link fence... lots of action due to it's proximity to 30th street station

[engineer]

Anywhere along the UP Chester sub is good for me.

I usually position myself some where between Gorham, IL, and Dexter, MO

On a Sunday afternoon, one may see as many as 12 trains.

At Rockview, MO, a person can view the UP's trains, and throw in a couple of BNSF moves along with it.

[UPTRAIN]

We (me and my son) have a favorite place to watch....by our yard throat in Poplar Bluff, Missouri in a parking lot....well lit.....by the floodlight....we call it the "spot". [:D]

[Anonymous]

Mines are Rochelle, Joliet and Naperville

[Anonymous]

From the left hand seat of the lead unit...

A great break from runnung...

lol...

LC

[eolafan]

No doubt my favorite is at the West end of Eola yard on the BNSF mainline out of Chicago through the Western suburbs (Naperville, etc.), and tehn would have to be the diamonds at Rochelle, but that is about 45 miles away and so I don't get there as often as I would like to. Jim (Eolafan) in Aurora, IL

[Willy2]

My favorite spots in the Omaha area are in Greenwood Nebraska on the BNSF line and in Fremont on the UP. Still nothing can beat Gibbon and Kearney Nebraska. The amount of trains at those locations is simply amazing.
So, what are some of your favorite places to watch trains?

Willy