Favourite Train Viewing Spots

[Doc Murdock]

My favourite areas for watching trains is Swift Current in Saskatchewan. It is on the Canadian Pacific mainline, very busy section of track between Moose Jaw and just outside of Medicine Hat Alberta. Cranbrook, BC is another place that has a lot of trains going through town. Willingdon Junction in Burnaby BC for the same reason. 

[SD70Dude]

Cranbrook has a huge amount of preserved equipment to enjoy between freight trains.  I'd recommend the Denny's for a haunt!

In the Edmonton area, the Clover Bar/Bretville Jct area has a lot of action.  Both CN and CP, with lots of yard assignments running with a mixed bag of old 4-axle power.  The west end of CN's Walker yard is a good spot too, but it's in a sketchy neighborhood and your view is often blocked by a freight that has stopped on the south bypass track.

[steve-in-kville]

My go-to spot is at a public park thats up against NS's mainline. Its on a curve which pretty cool. I typically go early in the morning, just as the sky to the east is starting to glow. Its pretty wild to see the tracks light up as a locomotive comes around the bend! I can also sit in my car if the weather is bad and watch the block lights come on when a train enters from the east.

[tree68]

I like Deshler, OH, both in person and on-line.  If I lived closer, I'd probably be there more often than once a year.  Plenty of action (50-60 trains a day) in all four directions and a park hard by the diamond with a pavilion to get you out of the weather.

The cams there are up on my computer most all day.

For a change of pace, Fostoria's "Iron Triangle" is a short drive away (and also has cams).

[MMLDelete]

tree, somewhere else you mentioned camping at Deshler. Is there a campground right by the tracks?

[tree68]

You can camp at Crossroads Park.  There is electricity available, and a portajohn (and they are trying to build a permanent loo that will also serve as a storm shelter).

I camp with a tent.  It's not unusual to find a camper there, and on "big" weekends, you may find several.

Of course, donations are appreciated, particularly if you use electricity.  

Check out a satellite image of Deshler - you'll see the park in the southwest quadrant of the diamond.

[Harrison]

Some of my favorites are Amsterdam/Fonda NY,

Utica NY,

and Germantown, NY (where you can see freights and Amtrak from one spot).

Wells, ME is cool, where you can watch Amtrak pass freights and other Amtraks on a single track line.

I also enjoyed railfanning at Delray Junction in Detroit, where you can really understand junctions firsthand.

Ok, that's alot of Favorites!

 

[Flintlock76]

Nice shots Mr. Harrison!

I don't go train watching all that often, but when I do I go to Ashland VA, about 20 miles from home.  It's on the old RF&P, now CSX, mainline, and since it's the only direct line from Richmond to Washington everything on rails between the two cities comes this way.  Here's a video, but full disclosure, I didn't shoot it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQaI3p3pB4U  

All the center of town amenities are available as well.

One thing though, it's not that  busy all the time.  Like everything else train frequency can vary.

[MMLDelete]

I love Ashland also. Terrific setting. But as you say, it's no sure thing. I spent a hour there a few days ago, and nothing came by.

[rdamon]

I like Doswell over Ashland for the 'sound effects' :)

[Backshop]

The neighborhood around Delray is waaaaay beyond sketchy.  I grew up in a bad area of Detroit and I don't even think the action there is worth the possible trouble. My favorite, slightly above Fostoria and Deshler, is Oak Harbor, OH. It's on the old NYC Water Level Route where the old N&W (NKP) Bellevue-Toledo line crosses and connects. 

[chatanuga]

In no particular order:

Ohio:

Marion

Bucyrus

Bellevue

Fostoria

Deshler

Pennsylvania:

Altoona

Gallitzin

Cresson

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

West Virginia:

Thurmond

Kentucky:

La Grange

 

Kevin