Railfanning in San Antonio, TX

[Anonymous]

Would San Antonio, Texas be a good place to go railfanning? If so name some areas where you recommend where I can go railfanning at?

[RudyRockvilleMD]

First, welcome to this forum. While I don't live in San Antonio I may be able to give you the benefit of what i saw when I visited San Antonio last October. By railfanning in San Antonio I assume you intend to photograph trains there.

There are three numerically named junctions which represent the names, or better yet the numbers of the interlocking towers that formerly stodd at those junctions Southwest of downtown San Antonio. Unfortunately, none of those junctions are publicly accessible, but you can get close to the tracks at one of the junctions. Junction 105 is where the former Missouri Pacific crossed the former Southern Pacific, and you can go to Brazos Street, which is the first grade crossing west of that junction, and photograph trains as they cross. Traveling South on Brazos street the first set of tracks you will come to is former Southern Pacific's Sunset Route which run in an East - West direction. The fomer Misssouri Pacific tracks cross Brazos Street in Northeast - Southwest direction, and they are one block south of the Southern Pacific's tracks.

The former Missouri Pacific's crossing is a good place to photograph Southwestbound (to Laredo, TX) freights in the afternoon because you can photograph the train with the San Antonio skyline in the background. Now that the Katy is part of the Union Pacific Northbound trains from Laredo leaving San Antonio use an interchange track at 105 Junction to switch to the Katy at 112 Junction, and continue Northbound over the Katy's tracks to New Braunfels,North of San Antonio.

Another good place for railfanning is at the fomer Southern Pacific station which is located in the East end of downtown San Antonio. Part of the station complex is now called Sunset Junction which is an entertainment and dining complex, and part of it is used.by Amtrak. There you can photograph Northbound freight trains passing the station, and an ex SP 2-8-2 on display at the station; this is a good shot in the morning.

There is a good shot of Southbound freights from Basin Park which is across Basse Rd. from the Olmos Golf Course. There you can work in a scene with a train pasing the golf course with people who are out for the day playing golf.

I hope this helps,
Rudy

[Anonymous]

You've been a big help, I read the map of San Antonio (I have a folding map of the city) and the railroad tracks sure seem to be close apart from each other, which railroad line would have more traffic between the former SP line or the former MP line? My guess would be the former SP line, I'm kind of surprised that ATSF has never gone through San Antonio (unless if they used it on the trackage rights from its former railroad companies) cause it runs through alot of major towns/cities in Texas.

Anyways thank you for your much needed information.