kevikens wrote:I will be coming to the Bay Area next month on my annual pilgrimage to visit my daughters in the Bay Area, Berkely, Palo Alto. This year I would like to railfan neraby Stockton, which, from the rail maps, looks like a good spot to visit but I know NOTHING of Stockton. Is the SP station still there ? Is the Amtrak station a good spot ? Weber St. ? Any towers ? Safe areas ? Suggestions ? Thanks a lot.
Stockton tower is a great place to watch trains (the tower is gone though). It's not the greatest neighborhood but I've never had problems there. To get there take Charter way east (from I-5). About a mile east of I-5 you will go under the tracks. After the underpass turn left on Airport way, Go up a couple blocks and turn left on Scotts ave. Just before the UP tracks turn left into a field and there about 100 yards south you will be at the BNSF / UP diamond.
It was actually 2 crossings till quite recently. The tower (now gone) was at the crossing of the north south SP and the east west AT&SF, both double track at this point. Then about 75 yards east there was the WP north south main line, single track. After the SP-UP merger the traffic on the ex WP line was routed over a new connector further north onto the exSP line and the exWP tracks were removed. Now all traffic goes through the exSP exAT&SF diamonds. From there you can see the ends of the UP yards (side by side) and although you can't see the BNSFs Morman yard you will see the yard switcher pop out every so often.
The Amtrak Depot is at 713 S. San Joaquin ave a few blocks west of the diamond. Only the BNSF and Amtrak trains pass by it. I don't know about the SP depot. I'm not even sure where it's at, sorry.
Here are som pics
This is a SF train going west just about to hit the exWP diamond. BTW- I got a cab tour of 554 (second unit) at railfair 91' in Sac.
Here is an SP with a new SD70M and a WC SD45 approaching the tower.
Here is a northbound UP on exWP track about tohit the SF diamonds
Here is a more recent shot looking south along the UP exSP track tward where the tower used to be
OK here is some station info courtesey of Tom Carter.
The Amtrak station is the old AT&SF station (Tom's mom works there) and is in good condition.
The WP depot is a mess and has been for some time. It is located at Union & Weber streets 4 or 5 blocks north of Hwy 4.
The SP depot across the street from the WP (on Sacramento Street I think) has been beautifully restored by the ACE commuter agencey.
Also the Hotel Stockton on Weber st. just east of El Dorado st. was the Central California Traction and Tidewater Southern depot. The city restored it last year but they don't acknowledge its heritage.
I've railfanned the old Stockton Tower site a few times. It's near a few industrial buildings that seem relatively safe in daylight hours, though the surrounding neighborhoods are a bit questionable. One problem with this site is that it's hard to get a good vantage point for trains on the BNSF line. You can camp out near a crossing by a lumber yard, but then you miss out on any trains coming through on the UP line. If you camp out around the corner of the industrial buildings by the UP line, you are farther from BNSF trains. I have seen some railfans just walk across the gravel and get a perfect vantage point but there are plenty of signs warning that this is considered to be BNSF property and I won't take the risk of arousing suspicion. So I have learned to just drive back and forth between these two spots.
The Amtrak station will give you a good vantage point of BNSF trains but it's in a really questionable neighborhood with questionable people hanging out outside. When I was there one time, the station staff made an announcement not to talk to the "drug addicts" outside (I kid you not). I'm not sure how well the staff enforce no loitering restrictions, but I don't find the site worth the trouble.
One thing that I read in Trains Magazine's hotspot book that made me laught was their warning not to linger in Stockton after sunset. No offense to my Stockton neighbors, but that advice rings VERY true for much of the city. As for the diamond, I have seen some strange people walk through but so far have not been hassled. I would still keep your wits about you.