Trainwatching in Kansas City / Places to stay

[spokyone]

Lamm

 Thank you for the great info. I plan on visiting KC next spring

Bob

[lammermeier]

I spent seven days in August (last month) watching trains in the KC area.  Avoiding the downtown area, I found four excellent spots with a lot of fast moving trains.  The first is Olathe, Kansas, about 20 miles south, southwest of KC.  The Santa Fe Transcon passes behind the main part of town and there are a lot of public parking spaces (about 70 trains in 24 hours--55% intermodal).  Twenty miles south of Olathe is Paola where the ex-Frisco and ex-Pac cross.  There are about 50 trains in a twenty four hour period, lots of coal trains heading south.  What is interesting there is that the UP uses directional routing.  South of the crossing the ex-Katy verves off to the left and all southbounds head along it, while the northbounds come up via the MoPac.  North of the crossing, many UP trains use trackage rights on the ex-Frisco, heading south.  It is a railfan friendly place, too.  The third place was Norborne, Missouri, about 60 miles east of KC, also along the Santa Fe Transcom.  What is interesting here is that the NS also uses the line (ex-Wabash).  The  westbound track is serviced by BNSF and the eastbound by NS (NS keeps their tracks in much better shape than BNSF).  Railfan friendly (town of about a thousand people) and about 80 trains in 24 hours.  The fourth place is the Courtney Road crossing just east of KC near the Missouri River.  Here the ex-Mopac UP uses the BNSF Transcon in a directional routing of trains heading east to St. Louis (westbounds use the Sedalia Sub--lots of coal).  About 70 trains a day. I had a great time but really cannot comment on hotels, since I used my car as my "motel."

Paul Lammermeier

Lima, Peru

[Anonymous]

there is also the old 19th st yd O\S ex SLSF you can see it real good from the 12th st over pass on foot      &     at the north end of broadway south side of the mighty mo river you can see some UP BNSF action and maybe some NS and on the east side of town near front st & I-435 you can go over to burger king truck parking lot and see Nbnd UP & IC&E or theres chocteua ave about 1 mile west of I-435 on front st.  chocteau runs between UP & KCS yds and there is a road that gos pver the UP yd where you can get some good pics & a nice view of the hump chocteau crosses KCS yd you can see KCS on the west side & IC&E on the east side

[Anonymous]

THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES IN KCMO there is a good spot near the river at the north end of broadway for BNSF NS & UP and some local traffic another is choteau ave pronounced SHOWTOE there is a ped walkway good view of neff yd hump on the UP ans just north of neff yd is KNOCHE YD joint agency KCS & IC&E if you follow broadway south thru down town look for union station theres a little restuaraunt that has trains deliver your meal way cool from the station youll see BNSF UP some SP & ATSF & maybe some C&NW hope this helps

[tsched]

Just throwing a line into the water here.. Wondering about easy-access places in the KC area to watch trains. And wondering what folks would think about the possibility of a bed & breakfast in the area - for trainwatchers, of course. Am exploring the possibilities and would appreciate any input. Thank you.