Trains.com

Where is good place to watch trains in Gary/Merrillville,Indiana area?

6848 views
15 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 182 posts
Where is good place to watch trains in Gary/Merrillville,Indiana area?
Posted by cat992c on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 9:34 PM

Might be going up there for a few days

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 7:22 AM

Downtown Hammond isn't what it was but is still a pretty good place.  The crossing is located at Hohman Ave just north of State St.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 182 posts
Posted by cat992c on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:14 AM

What railroads run thru there & how do trains run?

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 182 posts
Posted by cat992c on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:22 AM

Is there a bridge over the tracks on Hohman Ave?Where would be a good place to park?

  • Member since
    May 2016
  • 7 posts
Posted by Paul Chi on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 12:46 PM
iirc Hohman ave is a grade level crossing. The South Shore line serves that station so you could get there by train and park anywhere else along the SSL.
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: The 17th hole at TPC
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by n012944 on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 3:18 PM

A fantastic website that deals with all of Chicago's junctions, including Northwest Indiana's.  

http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/

 

I would suggest Pine Juntion.  The NS and CSX's east west mains run side by side, with the CN also being in the area.  It has been reported that railroad police will chase you out, however in my experiance that is only if you go somewhere you shouldn't.  Stay on the main road and you should be fine.

 

An "expensive model collector"

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 3:36 PM

Pine Junction is a good spot for sheer volume of freight.  CSX, NS, and CN all go through there--CN is pretty much a yard lead, but the other two are main lines, parallel to each other.  Park on the road (and I use the term loosely for Clark Road at the north end!), out of the way of any access roads, and you should be good--when you get out of your car, stay on the road.  I've been there a time or two, and
haven't been bugged.

On the eastern side of Gary proper (west of Miller) is a road that leads to the Great Lakes Cafe (accessed off U.S. 12-20).  Take that north, you'll immediately cross the SouthShore and a CN spur.  Then duck under the CSX underpass, and there will be a place to park off to your right (stay out of the way of utility-type trucks).  This is a good place to park for watching the action, but little warning is given.  There are two underpasses beyond this spot--the NS main line and a spur off the NS.  Beyond those (and a cross road) is another underpass, holding a lead for the CN.

When you're hungry or need a bathroom, go under the NS and turn right at the stop.  The Great Lakes Cafe is undoubtedly the best spot in town for lunch (you can tell by all of the firemen, police, and steel workers who come in).  They're only open until about 2:00, though.  (If you go there, tell Cindy or Jessica that I sent you and say hi.  Cindy's one of the owners, Jessica's her daughter, and her husband is back in the kitchen...it's one of those places!) 

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Valparaiso, In
  • 5,921 posts
Posted by MP173 on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 5:11 PM

Pine Junction is busy.  Lots of action, but stay on public property.  

Porter is busy, even with the "downturn" in activity.  There are over 100 trains daily on certain days.  One can see NS, CSX, CP, and Amtrak.  

Griffith sees quite a few CN trains daily and has the old EJE tower.  

Michigan City has the South Shore with street running.  

Just east of Merrillville about 10 miles is the crossing of the NS (NKP line), CN, and CF&E.  It is closer to Valparaiso, but only about 20 minutes from Merrillville.  

Lots of trains in NW Indiana.  Everything from the east is condensed into a 10 mile wide stretch, with HUGE volumes passing thru Pine Junction.

Ed

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 182 posts
Posted by cat992c on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 8:42 PM

How many trains go thru Hohman Ave up in Hammond each day?

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Friday, May 20, 2016 10:08 PM

CShaveRR

Pine Junction is a good spot for sheer volume of freight.  CSX, NS, and CN all go through there--CN is pretty much a yard lead, but the other two are main lines, parallel to each other.  Park on the road (and I use the term loosely for Clark Road at the north end!), out of the way of any access roads, and you should be good--when you get out of your car, stay on the road.  I've been there a time or two, and
haven't been bugged.

On the eastern side of Gary proper (west of Miller) is a road that leads to the Great Lakes Cafe (accessed off U.S. 12-20).  Take that north, you'll immediately cross the SouthShore and a CN spur.  Then duck under the CSX underpass, and there will be a place to park off to your right (stay out of the way of utility-type trucks).  This is a good place to park for watching the action, but little warning is given.  There are two underpasses beyond this spot--the NS main line and a spur off the NS.  Beyond those (and a cross road) is another underpass, holding a lead for the CN.

When you're hungry or need a bathroom, go under the NS and turn right at the stop.  The Great Lakes Cafe is undoubtedly the best spot in town for lunch (you can tell by all of the firemen, police, and steel workers who come in).  They're only open until about 2:00, though.  (If you go there, tell Cindy or Jessica that I sent you and say hi.  Cindy's one of the owners, Jessica's her daughter, and her husband is back in the kitchen...it's one of those places!) 

 

US 12-20 @ IN-320 Just south of Pine Junction has NS, CSX (B&OCT), CFE and the CN/EJ&E bypass at Ckark Jcn/ CP-501 plus the abandoned PRR main.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 56 posts
Posted by Benchedthatpiece on Monday, May 23, 2016 10:11 PM

As several others have said it's hard to beat Pine Junction! I spent National Train Day there last May and got 90 trains in about 14 hours. I would have easily gotten over a 100 had it not got dark early because of all the clouds and rain. I can't wait to go back!

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: MP CF161.6 NS's New Castle District in NE Indiana
  • 2,148 posts
Posted by rrnut282 on Monday, May 30, 2016 8:45 PM

Every time I visit Pine Jct, I wish I had a mirror so my neck wouldn't get so sore looking over my shoulder.

Though my stiff neck could be from watching trains like I was at a tennis match. 

Mike (2-8-2)
  • Member since
    June 2016
  • 2 posts
Posted by AB_Chicago on Thursday, March 4, 2021 10:31 PM

If you're in need for refreshment in Gary, the 18th Street Brewery's Tap Room at 5725 Miller Ave has windows looking directly over the CSX mainline. It's also just a 5-minute walk from the South Shore's Miller station to the tap room.

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • 344 posts
Posted by chicagorails on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 4:18 AM

Be careful in Gary ind very bad neighborhoods in some places,don't go out at dark

  • Member since
    May 2019
  • 1,768 posts
Posted by MMLDelete on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 5:21 PM

Could someone name a business, an address, or other landmark at Pine Junction, so I can look it up on Google Maps?.

I have found a big junction intersected by IN Hwy 73, near a Griffith Train Museum. Is that Pine?

  • Member since
    July 2016
  • 2,631 posts
Posted by Backshop on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 5:42 PM

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy